The 2000's: 2007-2015
2007:
President Kim Phipps signs the American College and University President's Climate Commitment, a good-faith agreement committing Messiah to reduce global warming emissions and to achieve climate neutrality.
2009:
As part of their senior capstone project, seniors Francis Eanes and Daniel Webster propose a new Sustainability Studies major and a Sustainability Studies Committee is established to give governance to the newly created major.
2010:
The Sustainability Studies major is officially launched. In the 2009-2012 “Plan for Messiah,” the president situates sustainability, both through the newly formed academic program and operations, as a vehicle to strengthen the College’s mission. (Strategic Theme 3, goals 3 & 4). The Sustainability Committee is established to work with the part-time Sustainability Coordinator to give leadership to advancing campus-wide initiatives.
2011:
A “green” tour of campus is implemented through the placement of signs around campus highlighting various departments’ efforts to practice creation care. The half-time coordinator role evolves into a full-time position to give programmatic leadership and development to campus-wide sustainability initiatives.
2015:
Brandon Hoover becomes the second Director of Sustainability.