Green Star Award for Graduation Gown Donation Program

Congratulations to Carolyn Loeb '08, along with Macalester staff and faculty members; Karin Trail-Johnson, Christie Manning, John Mountain, Denise Ward, and Sylvester Gaskin for earning a “Green Star” sustainability award for their work to develop a system for Macalester graduates to donate their graduation gowns to the Minnesota Internship Charter High School .

In only 10 days, Carolyn spear-headed the effort to set up a graduation gown collection system. She contacted a low income school that she had interned with and offered gowns from Macalester. She then organized the effort to collect, size, box and donate 130 graduation gowns and 109 caps from Macalester graduates, approximately 1/3 of the gowns worn at graduation.

It started with an Associated Press article about the move to “one use” gowns by many colleges and universities throughout the country. The article shared the story of a Macalester grad who was selling his graduation gown on Ebay. At an environmental studies meeting, Carolyn Loeb and Prof. Christie Manning were compelled to do something about it. They met with staff in the Sustainability Office, the Civic Engagement Center, Career Center, Multicultural Life and set up a collection system for the gowns.

This program expected to save the school over $2000and kept eight boxes of gowns and a “giant” bag of caps from staying in closets or ending up in a landfill. Amy Libman from Minnesota Internship Charter High School that this project was, “a great collaboration that links two institutions in a caring community”. She also said that the program is a “wonderful role model for our students about how to care for the environment”.

The Green Star Award is a new program designed to congratulate students, staff, or faculty who have done something to improve sustainability on campus. Projects or people can be nominated on the sustainability website. If you have questions, please contact Suzanne Savanick Hansen at x6019.