Penn College Retains National ‘Tree Campus’ Designation

Published 05.26.2017

News

For the second straight year, Pennsylvania College of Technology has been honored with Tree Campus USA recognition for its commitment to urban forest management and environmental stewardship.

A national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA honors colleges and universities for effective forest management and for engaging employees and students in conservation goals.



Holding a banner proclaiming Penn College's ongoing “Tree Campus USA” designation are (from left) Don J. Luke, director of facilities operations; Andrea L. Mull, horticulturist/grounds and motorpool supervisor; and Carl J. Bower Jr., assistant professor of horticulture. Not pictured is Andrew Bartholomay, assistant professor of forestry, another collaborator in the college's stewardship success.“The Tree Campus designation is one more way that we can show our commitment to the college and our students in how we feel about trees,” said Carl J. Bower Jr., an assistant professor of horticulture. “In the horticulture and forestry departments, trees obviously play a huge role in what we do, but this recognition extends that reach to the entire college community, and it really couldn’t happen without the partnership with the General Services department.”

Penn College earned the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five core standards: maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and a student service-learning project.

A total of 296 campuses across the United States – including Penn State’s University Park and Penn State Behrend – have been similarly recognized. The Arbor Day Foundation has helped campuses plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $46.7 million in campus forest management during the past year.

“Students are eager to volunteer in their communities and become better stewards of the environment,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Participating in Tree Campus USA sets a fine example for other colleges and universities, while helping to create a healthier planet for us all.”

For more information about forest technology and landscape/horticulture technology majors in the School of Transportation & Natural Resources Technologies, call 570-327-4516.

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.