Duquesne University
EN-3: Student Life

Evergreen is an environmentally conscious organization that helps to educate the Duquesne community about sustainability on-campus and works to keep local neighborhoods clean and green. They collaborate with Facilities Management on campus to help educate students and staff on recycling efforts available on campus as well as many of the new "green" upgrades being made to campus buildings. Off-campus, they collaborate with the Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh working to make the Uptown neighborhood a cleaner and greener place. Activities include Green Week during the fall semester, the Earth Day Fair, and Spring Clean-Up during the spring semester, as well monthly litter pick-ups and educational opportunities throughout the year. (https://instagram.com/evergreenatduq?utm.medium=copy_link)

The purpose of the Environmental Law Society is to provide a source of information regarding current environmental and natural resources law and policy, to allow and encourage discussion and debate about these topics, to promote environmental awareness, to aid the academic knowledge and awareness of its members, and to assist its members in employment within the environmental law field after graduation.

A former undergraduate student, Kristen Roth, published her undergraduate thesis titled "Regenerative Landscaping: An Urban Garden for Storm Water Management at Duquesne University." With guidance from a professor, her thesis developed plans to install an urban vegetable garden on campus. These plans turned into reality when the Center for Environmental Research and Education's Graduate Program Coordinator, Mary Kate Ranii, took the lead on the project in Fall 2020. With the help of Facilities Management and two Graduate Assistants, raised beds were constructed and cover crops were planted to restore nutrients to the soil. In addition, two rain barrels, which provide the water necessary for the crops, were installed.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2022 and 2023, Dr. Sarah Wright from the McAnulty College of Liberal Arts, as well as Dr. John Stolz and Dr. Brady Porter from the School of Science and Engineering, aided with the project alongside Mary Kate Ranii and Carla Richards, a Ph.D. candidate in Department of Communication & Rhetorical Studies. They worked with Undergraduate Research Program (URP) students to bring the garden to life. They prepared the garden and planted tomatoes, basil, peppers, squash, onions, bok choy, and peas. All food was donated to Jubilee Soup Kitchen in Pittsburgh, PA, and Duquesne University's McAnulty Food Pantry. Along with food donations, the campus garden supports pollinators, increases biodiversity, decreases rainwater runoff, and offers a haven for members of the campus community. The group plans to expand to the other raised brick beds next to Laval House in the coming years.

Duquesne has a Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Program that provides students with a compelling experience in money management and contributes to their preparation for successful careers in finance and investment management. One of the investment funds is referred to as the Duquesne Values Fund (DVF) "Investing for the Greater Good." This is one of the largest undergraduate funds of its type in the nation, as it pursues a stock selection strategy employing fundamental equity analysis and valuation. Eligible investments are deemed consistent with responsible investing criteria and Spiritan values, which include preserving the planet through sustainable initiatives. The $1 million student managed investment fund also employs socially responsible investment strategies. (https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/business/degrees-and-programs/undergraduate/majors/finance.php)

Duquesne also has a NetImpact chapter of graduate students in the One-Year MBA program (formerly the MBA in Sustainable Business Practices program). Now in its 29th year, Net Impact has grown a grassroots, global movement of students and emerging impact leaders who want to use their skills to make a positive impact for people and planet. Net Impact’s mission is to inspire and equip emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world.(https://netimpact.org/chapters/duquesne-university-donahue-graduate-school-of-business-graduate) (https://www.instagram.com/netimpact_duquesne/)

Duquesne has a Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Program that provides students with a compelling experience in money management and contributes to their preparation for successful careers in finance and investment management. One of the investment funds is referred to as the Duquesne Values Fund (DVF) "Investing for the Greater Good." This is one of the largest undergraduate funds of its type in the nation, as it pursues a stock selection strategy employing fundamental equity analysis and valuation. Eligible investments are deemed consistent with responsible investing criteria and Spiritan values, which include preserving the planet through sustainable initiatives. The $1 million student-managed investment fund also employs socially responsible investment strategies. (https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/business/degrees-and-programs/undergraduate/majors/finance.php)

The Duquesne University New Venture Challenge is a two-stage competition that encourages students to submit new venture ideas that have commercial and/or social missions. Winning programs are awarded $2,000-$15,000 to put their projects into effect. Winners from 2022-2023 include Leaficient - developers of technology to reduce energy costs and increase LED light efficiency within Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). (https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/business/team-competitions/new-venture-challenge.php)(https://www.duq.edu/news-and-stories/releases/leaficient-wins-dnvc-competition.php)

The Annual Presidential Conference on the Integrity of Creation (IOC) invites participants from different disciplines to engage each other in civil discourse on a different topic each year. The format of the conference includes workshops, presentations, and posters and features national experts on sustainability. The most recent IOC conference took place in March 2023 and was titled "Action for Sustainable Development Goals." This conference celebrated the 151st anniversary of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in the United States. The conference series was commissioned by former President Charles J. Dougherty as an endowed academic event that celebrates the Spiritan mission of Duquesne University. The current University President, Ken Gormley, continues to inspire excellence in support of the Spiritan mission as the conference series develops.
The conference has three goals:
1. To provide a scholarly opportunity to engage established and emerging research on the conference topic
2. To foster interdisciplinary discourse on each topic, such as among science, health, philosophy, religion and policy
3. To enlighten public awareness and discussion of the conference topic
(https://www.duq.edu/research/integrity-of-creation/index.php)

Duquesne hosts the Human Rights Film Series each year. Though the theme of the conference changes yearly, it always focuses on sustainable societal advancement. The 15th annual Human Rights Film Series took place in March of 2023 with the message "The earth is a large and mysterious home to over 7.8 billion people. No matter where we are from, it is all of our responsibilities to take care of our planet. Despite our differences, we all belong". The series featured the film “Planetary,” which explains the consequences of our misplaced priorities, including exploiting resources over protecting the dignity of the Earth. The film highlights numerous perspectives by bringing in philosophers, cosmologists, NASA employees, members of indigenous groups and many others.(http://www.duqsm.com/15th-annual-human-rights-film-festival-calls-for-action/)

Duquesne University’s Ecology Club acts as an open student organization that welcomes all students to participate. The club provides interested students with education about the environment and conservation that partners with different outdoor activities. This club stresses dedication to learning about the conservation through research, engaging in various conservation initiatives, biosurveys, and outdoor recreation. Some activities and events hosted by the Ecology Club include:
- Powdermill Camping Trip: Members and some faculty take a trip to Powdermill Nature Reserve over a weekend! Here members visit the bird banding research center, hike to a bog, visit the nature center, and go electrofishing.
- Butterfly Garden: The club maintains the butterfly garden found on Duquesne's campus.
- Lanternfly Roundup: During the fall, the club hosts a competition to see who can catch the most spotted lanternfly moths to raise awareness about the invasive species.
- Birding Trips: Members can join Dr. Porter and his ornithology students on bird watching outings.
- Great Backyard Bird Count: Campus bird counts are conducted on a regular basis in partnership with the Duquesne Department of Biological Sciences. Group bird count events are advertised across campus. In addition, individuals are encouraged to count birds on their own during a designated period of time and then report their findings to the Ecology Club.
- Spring Salamander Spawning Survey: During the rainy season in spring, students go out and monitor salamander populations, while learning about about amphibians and their habits.

The One-Year MBA (formerly the MBA in Sustainable Business Practices) has three themed semesters:
1st Semester- Auditing in Regards to Sustainable Businesses
2nd- Processing improvement in Regards to Sustainable Businesses
3rd- Change Management in Regards to Sustainable Businesses.
In addition, a new initiative was launched in the fall of 2022 where the current cohorts will look into what it will take to make the cohort's energy use in Rockwell Hall carbon neutral. This initiative will be continued annually, with the plan for offsetting carbon emissions confirmed in Spring 2023.

The Center for Environmental Research and Education hires between two and five students every academic year to assist with conducting with campus greenhouse gas emissions assessments and local environmental research opportunities.

The Duquesne University One-Year MBA (formerly the MBA in Sustainable Business Practices) offers graduate research fellowships and graduate assistantships.

The Center for Environmental Research and Education hosts monthly EnviroBytes, which is an environmental speaker series. This series features speakers ranging from local environmental non-profit organizations, local environmental scientists, and local environmental companies (like solar panel installers) and are advertised to the entire campus.