Shippensburg University is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review®. Only 420 schools across the nation, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt and Greece were selected for this prestigious honor, based on a survey of institutions’ commitments to the environment and sustainability.

“We strongly recommend Shippensburg University to students who care about the environment and want to study and live at a green college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s Editor-in-Chief. “Shippensburg offers excellent academics and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability that is exemplary on many counts.”

“Environmental sustainability is a priority at Shippensburg University, and we’re honored to receive this recognition. With the signing of the Climate Commitment in 2020, the university formalized its goal of carbon neutrality and community resilience planning, but the work has been underway for quite some time,” said Dr. Charles E. Patterson, interim president of Shippensburg University.

In 2015, the university decommissioned its Steam Plant and transitioned to natural gas, reducing its overall greenhouse gas footprint by 29 percent. In 2017, the university announced the creation of a sustainability major, combining a focus of sustainability with geotechnology and geographic information systems. The university is also home to an organic campus farm that provides a learning environment for students and fresh produce to food insecure families in the community.

In 2018, SU was named a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists. A week each year is dedicated to the environment with the annual StewardShip celebration and in 2021 Ship launched a grant funded composting project aimed at reducing food waste and carbon emissions on campus.

Ship’s commitment to the environment extends far beyond the borders of campus with the Center for Land Use and Sustainability (CLUS). For nearly two decades, CLUS has worked to foster healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities through applied research, experiential learning opportunities for students and interdisciplinary, cross-sector partnerships.

“I am continually inspired by the passion of our students, who are engaged and involved in almost every project that we take on. We know that students want to make a difference, they want to reach out and support our communities. The Center for Land Use and Sustainability allows them to harness and focus that passion, while applying their academic knowledge and building professional skills and networks,” said Dr. Claire Jantz, director of the CLUS and professor in the Geography-Earth Science Department.

Franek noted that The Princeton Review has seen an increasing level of interest among students in attending colleges with green practices, programs, and offerings. Seventy-eight percent of the more than 11,000 college applicants that participated in The Princeton Review’s 2021 College Hopes & Worries Survey said that having information about a college’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend a school.

The education services company features Shippensburg University in its website resource, The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2022 Edition, released on October 26, 2021. The guide is accessible for free at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.

 

Shippensburg University’s 2022 Rankings include:

  •  College Factual
    • Top 10% nationwide as a Best Value School for a Bachelor’s Degree
  • US News & World Report (Regional Universities North)
    • #27 Top Public Schools
    • #94 Best Colleges

Shippensburg University’s 2021 Rankings include:

  • Top Military Friendly School by Viqtory Media
  • US News & World Report (Regional Universities North)
    • Top Public School
    • Best Value Schools
    • Best Online MBA Programs
    • Best College for Veterans
    • Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans
  • Top Guard Friendly School by The Pennsylvania National Guard Associations (PNGAS)
  • Study.com Nationally Top-Ranked Degrees
    • #2 Supply Chain Management
    • #5 Marketing
    • #7 Journalism
    • # 14 Software Engineering
    • #12 Business
    • #23 Finance
  • Best Business Schools by The Princeton Review (Grove College)
  • FORTUNE Magazine Best Online MBA Program