Campus embraces innovative projects that promote sustainability
From green buildings to new student initiatives, Penn State Scranton is leading the way to a more sustainable campus.
DUNMORE, Pa. – When students returned to Penn State Scranton this fall, they were greeted by more than just textbooks and lectures. A new Agricultural Enrichment Project (AEP), which launched last spring, greeted them as they walked from the upper Dawson Building parking onto campus. A new blue and white greenhouse with a fenced in growing area was sprouting flowers, herbs and fresh vegetables -- bringing fresh produce and sustainability education directly to campus.
A growing initiative
The initiative, led by the campus Gardening Club and supported by the Student Government Association, features a student-run garden where vegetables are grown and sold weekly. The proceeds raised benefit the club and also contribute to Penn State Scranton’s THON fundraising efforts.
Penn State Scranton's Gardening Club created and helped maintain the new Agricultural Enrichment Project (AEP), that was created this past spring.
Credit: Morgan Sewack
“We grow and sell a wide range of produce from all over the world – 14 types of tomatoes for instance – in addition to our apiary and soon-to-be mycology divisions! We are always looking to try new things and experiment,” said Gardening Club President Connor DelRosso. “I love to see how the students, staff and faculty engage with our garden and enjoy our produce and flowers.”
The AEP is part of a broader push toward sustainability at Penn State, which aligns with the University’s mission to integrate environmental stewardship into research, teaching and service. Students involved in the project are contributing to efforts to build resilient and inclusive communities across Pennsylvania.
Campus is buzzin’ - literally
In addition to the garden, Penn State Scranton has welcomed a new apiary to house honeybees.
Student volunteers and even some campus staff are helping with the campus' new apiary. Here, one of the handlers shows off a honey super, and some of Penn State Scranton's new resident bees.
Credit: Morgan Sewack
Since the apiary is a newer addition to this campus, details on how it will be utilized are forthcoming. However, the addition marks another step in the campus and University’s commitment to ecological education and sustainability.
Tree-ific things are happening
Penn State Scranton also joined the University’s Commonwealth Arboreta Network this summer, along with the Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre campuses.
Established in 2023, the network is a land-grant focused multi-campus initiative focused on mapping and managing tree populations across Penn State’s campuses. Each of the trees of every campus in the network are tagged and mapped.
In August, a crew from Bartlett Tree Experts visited the three northeast campuses to do a tree inventory at each one, which involved cataloging, tagging and recording the measurements of all trees, as well as walking the wood lines next to landscaped areas. At Penn State Scranton, over 300 trees were tagged and measured.
The program aims to turn the campuses’ landscapes into hands-on learning environments that support teaching, research and community engagement. Future plans include having someone connected to the initiative visit campus to speak to students and the community about the initiative and its significance.
This summer, over 300 trees were mapped and tagged at Penn State Scranton as part of the University's Commonwealth Arboreta Network.
Credit: Morgan Sewack
The Commonwealth Arboreta Network aims to provide:
- Educational resources for courses ranging from general education to graduate-level study.
- Research opportunities in fields such as sustainable agriculture, plant biology and climate science.
- Community engagement through cooperative extension, workforce development and philanthropic initiatives.
Sustainability also being incorporated into campus operations and architecture
Campus leaders and planners have been working to make Penn State Scranton a more sustainable campus for well over a decade. Several years ago, water fountains in each building were replaced with hydration stations, primarily water bottle filling stations, to promote sustainability and encourage hydration, while reducing plastic bottle waste.
New construction often entails the use of sustainable building materials, and things such as energy-efficient lighting, strategic placement of windows to take advantage of natural light, and following sustainable building practices.
When the Library/Nursing building was renovated, architects incorporated sustainability measures – such as improvements and additional space for the building mechanical systems, including the HVAC system, which was improved in both areas for occupant comfort and energy efficiency; installation of LED lighting.
The Engineering Building, dedicated in 2022, features energy-efficient systems such as natural gas for the building automation system, occupancy sensors to adjust temperature outputs, and LED lighting with motion sensors as well as numerous natural light-enhancing windows that allow for natural daylight inside the building.
When the Business Building was constructed in 2009, builders incorporated sustainability measures such as high-performance, long-lasting exterior materials to enclose the building such as “ex-sulation” which creates a continuous unbroken thermal envelope and white TPO roofing that reflects sunlight and reduces the “heat island effect”; high recycled content in major structural materials such as the concrete that was used; paints and coatings that met the highest in indoor air quality standards; the use of carpeting that met the stringent Green Label seal; and a computerized energy optimization system to monitor overall energy usage.
All of those efforts earned the Business Building a LEED-NC certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — New Construction), which is a designation for high-performance green buildings given to new commercial and institutional buildings that meet specific criteria to create healthy, efficient and cost-effective structures.
Nature as healer
Knowing that nature has a profound positive effect on people, and can help promote student wellness, Penn State Scranton’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) team has launched a new initiative aimed at encouraging mindfulness and connection with nature.
CAPS Counselor Sarah Smith recently introduced the “Nurture in Nature” walk, a guided experience around campus designed to help students slow down, breathe intentionally and engage with their surroundings.
CAPS Counselor Sarah Smith recently introduced the “Nurture in Nature” walk, a guided experience around campus designed to help students slow down, breathe intentionally and engage with their surroundings.
Credit: Morgan Sewack
The walk featured a series of signs placed along a scenic route on campus, each offering prompts and tips for being more present in the moment. Students were encouraged to focus on their breath, observe the natural environment and reflect on how these practices can improve mood, reduce stress and enhance overall performance.
During the walk, Smith stated growing research that links time spent outdoors with improved cognitive functioning, better sleep, lower blood pressure and increased immune system activity.
The “Nurture in Nature” walk is part of a broader University initiative to integrate wellness and sustainability into everyday student life. Smith said there are plans to establish a permanent walking path on campus that will serve as a dedicated space for mindfulness, reflection and reconnection with the natural world.
Students are also taking advantage of the close proximity of Penn State Fullers Overlook, a 355-acre estate 16 miles northwest of Scranton, which was donated to Penn State by Mort and Sue Fuller as a living testament to ecological preservation, resilient agriculture, and cultural heritage.
The property is managed by Penn State Sustainability and was used last semester by Penn State Scranton as a retreat and team-building location for student leaders.
You can learn more about these initiatives and explore related projects on our campus' sustainability webpage.
Penn State recognized as “Top Performer” in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index
As of Sept. 2025, Penn State has been recognized as a “Top Performer” in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index, and is tied for sixth position in the area of research among doctoral/research institutions. The Sustainable Campus Index highlights the most sustainable colleges and universities in 17 impact areas and overall by institution type, as measured by the Sustainable Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)
