Sewanee Recognized as Top Performer in 2025 Sustainable Campus Index

Sept. 9, 2025

The University of the South has been recognized as a Top 10 Performer in the Food & Dining category of the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index, a publication of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

“On behalf of all of us at AASHE, I congratulate Sewanee for its recognition as a Top Performer in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index,” says AASHE’s Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “This achievement underscores not only the institution’s dedication to advancing sustainability, but also the resilience of higher education at a time of significant global and societal challenges.”

The Sustainable Campus Index highlights the top-performing colleges and universities across the globe in 13 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Sewanee’s data is compiled and reported by the Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability (OESS) in support of the University’s commitments to climate action and sustainability.

Sewanee earned its Top Performer status through the innovative leadership of Sewanee Dining, which has prioritized:

  • Local and regional food sourcing, supporting Tennessee farmers and producers.
  • Waste reduction initiatives, including food recovery partnerships.
  • Student engagement, such as sustainability internships and collaborations with OESS.
  • Educational integration, connecting dining practices with academic courses and campus research on sustainable food systems.

“This award belongs to our dining team, whose creativity and commitment are at the heart of our sustainability efforts,” says Brent Tate, assistant vice president of Dining Services. “We’re proud to support Sewanee students with meals that are both nourishing and environmentally responsible.”

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