In photo: Doug Pearson - Associate Vice President, Facilities Planning and Operations; Melanie Knowles- Sustainability Manager; Laura A Stevenson- Ohio EPA Director

Awards and Recognitions

Current Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education member

2025 Princeton Review Guide to Green Schools

2024 Campus Race to Zero Waste: Food Organics Competition Winner for Large Schools

2024 Princeton Review Guide to Green Schools

2023 Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Awards from Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Platinum Level

2023 Bicycle Friendly University Bronze award recognized by the League of American Bicyclists

2021 Kent State ranks in Sierra Club Cool Schools 2021 Report

2021 Campus Race to Zero Waste: Case Study Winner: Summary of Waste Reduction Efforts-focuses on food insecurity and food waste diversion, summarizing efforts since 2011

2021 The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) Bronze Level

2021 Campus Race to Zero Waste: Zero Waste Competition Category Winner for Large Schools

2021 Campus Race to Zero Waste: Electronics Recycling- Total Pounds Recycled Winner

2021 Tree Campus USA recognition for 13 consecutive years since the Arbor Day Foundation started Tree Campus USA in 2008

2021 14 LEED certified buildings to date

2020 USGBC Ohio Green Building Legacy Award for the John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design

2020 Association of Energy Engineers, Region III, Institutional Energy Management, Kent State University

2020 Kent State is a 2020 AASHE Sustainability Award Finalis t

2019 Keep Ohio Beautiful Youth Group Award: College/University

2019 Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 Edition

2019 Bicycle Friendly University Bronze award recognized by the League of American Bicyclists

2019 Green Energy Ohio Green Academic Award Winner

2018 Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Awards from Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Gold Level

2017 Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Awards from Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Silver Level

2016 Bicycle Friendly University Bronze award recognized by the League of American Bicyclists

2016 The Princeton Review’s “Guide to 361 Green Colleges” features Kent State University as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges

2015 American Campuses Act on Climate Signatory