Program Design & Delivery

St. Louis Community College: Engaging in Community Sustainability Projects

For more than 20 years, St. Louis Community College (STLCC) has been at the forefront of innovation for sustainability—integrating sustainable practices in the college’s physical learning spaces, academic programs, and civic engagement. The tradition continues in spring 2012, when STLCC students in the Greenhouse Gas Inventory class will for the first time complete hands-on internships, collaborating with classmates and city officials to gather and crunch data while discovering and advancing recommendations for carbon mitigation strategies in the city’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report.

The college’s sustainability innovations have earned the Growing Green Educator Award from the USGBC’s Missouri Gateway Chapter for its green building education programs and commitment to sustainable infrastructure and operations; the 2010 Heroes of the Planet Sustainable Educator Award from the St. Louis Business Journal; and a Circle of Excellence Award for achievements in the Green Business Challenge, sponsored by the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association.

Institutional Commitment to Sustainability

St. Louis Community College’s aggressive integration of sustainability into all aspects of its operation began with energy conservation measures and more recently expanded into environmentally sound designs. The college also has implemented several programs to conserve waste and reduce its carbon footprint, including recycling, use of paper and cleaning products with 30 percent recycled content, and reduced use of paper. And the recent construction of two green buildings—the LEED gold-certified Wildwood campus and the LEED-registered Harrison Education Center—attest to STLCC’s strong commitment to sustainable infrastructure and the long-term integration of sustainability practices.

Sustainable Academic Programming and Workforce Education

STLCC is collaborating with St. Louis City and County to develop new and expanded programs to re-train and re-employ individuals in the middle-skill jobs that will drive economic recovery. In addition to a variety of courses related to ecology and the environment, the college is developing new degree and certificate programs to provide a skilled workforce that will support the region's sustainability efforts. Through a Training for Tomorrow grant from the state of Missouri, STLCC is developing sustainable design, sustainable construction, hybrid automobile maintenance, and energy technician programs.

STLCC’s green building education programs have evolved in the context of the college’s strategic plan, in collaboration with numerous industry and community partners to meet the needs of the growing green building sector. The college is a registered U.S. Green Building Council educational provider, and is a founding member of the St. Louis Higher Education Sustainability Consortium. With the development and implementation of green building education programs, STLCC is considered a regional leader in preparing students for success in the industry.

The St. Louis Area Green Energy Partnership, formed by St. Louis Community College and the United Auto Workers-Labor Employment and Training Corporation, has prepared 63 STLCC students for green career pathways through an accelerated-format program.

“Energy is in the news and is steadily becoming too expensive to waste,” said Joe Raben, who completed the energy technician fundamentals training. “It is the perfect time to help others identify their energy waste and live more comfortable, healthy lives while saving money and the climate.”

STLCC's hybrid/electric vehicle technician program prepares students for entry-level positions in the automotive industry. During the 240-hour program, students are trained in the fundamentals of hybrid/electric automobiles, including the use of necessary equipment and tools, and graduates will earn a certificate of specialization.

Greening of the Automotive Technology Program

As part of STLCC’s campus-wide program to “green the curriculum,” the Automotive Technology Department faculty has infused the curriculum with modules supporting hybrid and electric vehicle repair, rather than creating new curriculum. The enhanced curriculum enables faculty to compare and contrast traditional gasoline-powered vehicles with hybrid and electric vehicles.

Students participate in didactic and hands-on laboratory sessions for virtually all of the program courses—using the department’s Ford Escape hybrid to use as a laboratory vehicle. STLCC faculty and staff have the opportunity to schedule maintenance and service appointments through the Automotive Department, providing students with additional hands-on learning opportunities.

Co-Curricular Opportunities to Support Green Programming

STLCC students can participate in honors projects, service learning, and internships while developing a citywide greenhouse gas emissions inventory that will serve as the foundation for strategic planning in many areas of city operations. Through a partnership with the architectural firm, HOK, and the City of St. Louis, selected STLCC students serve on the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Project Management Team and collect the data necessary to build and maintain the citywide greenhouse gas inventory.

The alliance offers students real-world experience with sustainability planning issues such as urban planning, data collection and analysis, modeling, environmental footprint reduction strategies, energy efficiency initiatives, and business communication. Students are directly involved with building the inventory using the Clean Air and Climate Protection software developed by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Association of Clean Air Strategies.

Transferable skills and knowledge gained through this program will be extremely valuable to students interested in careers in a variety of sustainability fields, including energy systems, engineering, design, public administration, construction, business management, economic development, policy planning, and communications.

STLCC considers environmental stewardship an integral part of its mission. The college is committed to expanding regional efforts to foster awareness and development of a growing green economy and society by incorporating sustainability concepts into academic and business practices.


For additional information:
Mitch Walker, Professor and Department Chair, Automotive Technology Department
mwalker@stlcc.edu

- Automotive Technology Department at STLCC
- Automotive Technology Department Required Tool List
- Green at STLCC
- Growing Green Educator Award Missouri Gateway Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council

Picture: Gov. Jay Nixon, left, tours the Automotive Technology department at STLCC-Forest Park. Mitchell Walker, professor in the automotive technology, is pictured with the governor.