Bowie State University Launches Energy Conservation and Awareness Campaign

$25,000 Verizon Foundation Grant to Support University’s Sustainability Initiatives

BOWIE, Md.

Bowie State University will launch an advocacy campaign to engage students, faculty and staff in a series of initiatives to reduce campus energy consumption and increase personal commitments to sustainability. A $25,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation will help fund the initiatives.

“This funding from Verizon comes at just the right time and will move us closer to achieving our energy conservation goals,” said Bowie State President Mickey L. Burnim. “When it comes to sustainability, we want to lead by example. Our goal is to engage our students, faculty and staff, and expand outreach to the community so we can have a real impact on the environment.”

Burnim, along with Verizon and local elected officials, announced the program on Tuesday (Dec. 11) during a ceremony in BSU’s new Fine & Performing Arts Center. BSU’s sustainability initiatives will include developing a campus “climate commitment” website with related information to engage the campus and community, promoting alternative modes of transportation, implementing new technologies for energy conservation, and pursuing certifications for new campus buildings that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient.

Anthony A. Lewis, Verizon’s mid-Atlantic region vice president of state government affairs, said: “Sustainability is an issue that Verizon is passionate about. From continuing to find ways of reducing our impact on the environment, minimizing the carbon footprint, buying hybrid automobiles as part of our fleet, and more, we are constantly focused on our corporate responsibility. Successful sustainability initiatives require real partnerships. We are pleased to stand with Dr. Burnim and invest in the great work that the students and faculty of BSU will complete.”

BSU’s sustainability efforts are aligned with Verizon’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve energy, minimize the environmental impact of operations and find sustainable solutions that accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.

As part of its sustainability efforts, the university will pursue LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications for the new student center, which is currently under construction, and the natural sciences building, which is scheduled to break ground in 2014.

Delegate Aisha N. Braveboy, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates and chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, said: “There is great importance in our historically black institutions creating partnerships with the private sector and joining the national conversation on sustainability. Through Verizon’s generous support of this new sustainability program, it looks like Bowie State University has successfully done both. I’m excited to see the Verizon-Bowie partnership and applaud Verizon for investing in one of our many great educational institutions.”

About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high quality and affordable public comprehensive university. A member institution of the University System of Maryland, Bowie State places special emphasis on the science, technology, teacher education, business and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. To learn more about BSU, visit www.bowiestate.edu.

About The Verizon Foundation
The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company’s innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, health care and energy management. Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon’s employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 62 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.