The Member Spotlight celebrates our members who work tirelessly to advance sustainability at their campuses and in their surrounding communities.
Andrew Muir, a Maryland native who always found inspiration from the beauty of the Severn River, became involved in higher education when he started with the University of Maryland (UMD) in 2010. Working in the transportation department which already prioritized sustainability initiatives, led him to discover the favorite part of his job – the promotion of sustainable transportation options such as the TerpRider Carpool program. Soon after, he knew he wanted to be more involved in the sustainability activities throughout the campus and joined the Office of Sustainability as a Communications Coordinator.
As a Communications Coordinator, Mr. Muir networks with fellow faculty, staff, students and administrators to gain a broad perspective of what all offices are doing and then promotes their sustainability successes. As an example, he recently shared news of a growing water bottle filling station initiative that was started by students. The initiative was funded through a sustainability fund where a committee of students determine which projects will be pursued.
“Sustainability provides the unique opportunity to come together throughout different departments and realize we are all on the same team,” said Mr. Muir. He is able to connect with people throughout the campus through new employee orientations where an overview of sustainability efforts is shared to ensure continuity from department to department. “The orientation gets everyone on the same team from day one,” he said.
Mr. Muir solidified his passion for sustainability when he attended his first AASHE Conference & Expo. “It’s amazing that we have people from so many different walks of life in sustainability. Institutions of all different sizes, as well. I’m enamored and inspired by those at small institutions who wear multiple hats, and like that this conference allows us to inspire one another and look to each other for guidance and support,” he said.
Coming together and making connections is one of the best perks of being an AASHE member. This is a recurring theme we hear at AASHE and we are excited that our members continue to take advantage of the networking opportunities we offer. How do you connect with others at your campus? How do these connections support sustainability advancements? Comment below!