Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 67.92
Liaison Ann Drevno
Submission Date Feb. 16, 2023

STARS v2.2

Saint Mary's College of California
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student groups 

Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Yes

Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
There are several student groups on campus focused on sustainability including the Green Gaels Club, Fair Trade, The Gael Pantry, and Legacy Garden student volunteers.

Gardens and farms 

Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
Starting in 2009, Saint Mary's College successfully launched a 1/2 acre Organic Garden, the "Legacy Garden," which evolved out of the desire to educate students about ecology, food sources and community. The garden, built with over 1,000 hours of student labor, is the focus of a number of educational programs including sustainable food production, regenerative agriculture techniques and food justice.

Student-run enterprises 

Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Fair Trade Fridays are run by Saint Mary's Mission and Ministry Center. The student group arranges for the sale of fair trade items, including coffee, tea, jewelry and crafts. The group encourages the college to live up to its commitments to sustainability and social justice, and builds awareness about ethical and environmental purchasing.

Sustainable investment and finance 

Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
No

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
See PA 8 for Socially Responsible Investment Group

Events 

Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
Yes, we host of a variety of sustainability-focused events on campus, including but not limited to:
Mending Clothes & Feminist Pockets - Crafting as Activism (2021)

Free (Reuse) Store Pop Up Shops (monthly)

Legacy Garden Volunteer hours (weekly)

Bike to Work/School Days

Annual Sustainability Symposium

Cultural arts 

Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
Yes, the cultural arts events that sustainability hosts are often are most well-attended events. Two of these events include:
-Earth Day Festival together with the Center of Environmental Literacy hosted a celebration for the River of Words Poetry Contest.


-Additionally, the College's Museum of Art (MoA) recently Showcases Community Response to Art Inspired by the Permanent Collection. Several responses focused on sustainability and the environment.

Wilderness and outdoors programs 

Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Sustainability Office and various clubs host a variety of outdoors programs including hiking, beach clean ups, restoration work, garden parties, and events that employ "leave no trace" principles.

Sustainability-focused themes 

Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Saint Mary's offers a Sustainability-themed First Year Advising (FYAC) Cohort.

Sustainable life skills 

Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Office of Sustainability and Sustainable student leaders offer a variety of workshops to students and residence halls including but not limited to composting, thrifting and re-purposing, sustainable eating, environmental justice, zero waste workshops, cooking classes, etc.

Student employment opportunities 

Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Saint Mary's a variety of sustainability-focused employment opportunities, including:

-Sustainable Food Interns (1)
-Free Store Managers & Zero Waste Interns (3)
-Sustainability Social Media Intern (1)
-Green Space Certification Interns (2)
-Legacy Garden Intern

Graduation pledge

Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
Yes

A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
Leading up to commencement each year a group of graduating students take the sustainability pledge, which reads: "I pledge to explore and take into account the social and ecological consequences of my decisions and to use the knowledge I gain at Saint Mary's College to improve quality of life for all in my community and beyond.”

Optional Fields

A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.