
Who we are
The Sustainable Communities Collaborative (SCC) connects University Park faculty, students, and staff with local communities to address sustainability challenges through an engaged, collaborative effort. Innovative University/community-based collaborations are developed to engage PSU faculty and students in existing courses from across the University with real world, community-identified projects to meet the partnering community’s sustainability priorities. Each project is a facilitated effort, involving interdisciplinary faculty expertise and students, co-led by a key community leader and the University’s SCC staff, to help develop and support thriving, healthy communities and advance student learning about the scholarship of sustainability.
What we do
Through the SCC, Penn State faculty members partner with selected communities in Pennsylvania, including representatives from local governments, campuses, businesses, and other organizations. Once the partnering community leaders have identified a set of projects that contribute to advancing their sustainability goals, they are then matched with existing PSU courses that include an experiential learning element. Meetings are held to establish the details of the projects, taking into account the needs and interests of both the community and faculty partners. Projects are typically addressed in the time frame of one semester, although some projects may span two semesters and may involve more than one course, particularly if the project is multi-dimensional and would benefit from an interdisciplinary problem-solving approach. Written project reports are provided to community stakeholders at the conclusion of each project.
Project and program impacts will be evaluated through post-project faculty, student, and community partner assessments. Impact assessment metrics may include, but are not limited to, measuring the effects immersive and experiential learning has on students, the collective capability of a University-community partnership to advance and influence positive sustainable change, and how a sustainability project-based course may affect the way faculty teach. Additionally, students and classes participating in an SCC collaboration present posters for their projects at the SCC Expo and Awards Ceremony each semester. Past award winners can be viewed here.
Watch a video on the Sustainable Communities Collaborative below.
Contact:
Ilona Ballreich
ixb20@psu.edu, (814) 599-6000
Current Community Partners
Bellefonte Area School District
The Bellefonte Area School District is a midsized, rural, public school district which covers approximately 115 square miles and includes the Borough of Bellefonte and Benner Township, Marion Township, Spring Township and Walker Township in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The district currently serves 2,695 students and employs 425 administrative, professional, and support staff members.
Centre Moves
Centre Moves is a community action group with the vision of all Centre County residents choosing healthy habits to live better lives. CentreMoves.org is the inclusive hub of education, communications, resources and passion for physical activity, nutrition and reducing the stigma associated with managing diabetes and obesity.
Halfmoon Township
Halfmoon Township is a township in Centre County, Pennsylvania, home to under 3,000 residents. The rural atmosphere, with its low population density and proximity to the cultural attractions of Penn State, has become appealing to people who have historically dwelled in or near a city; consequently, over the past twenty years, the population has increased dramatically, while the farming population has decreased.
Bellefonte Borough
The Borough of Bellefonte is committed to working collaboratively to maintain a safe and secure family friendly community; to providing the public with premium, prompt, courteous service in a cost effective manner; and to managing community development to protect natural and cultural resources. Bellefonte Borough is the seat of Centre County, Pennsylvania. Established in 1795, it has a rich history and has preserved its historic character. It gets its name from the natural “Big Spring” (la belle fonte -beautiful fountain), the source of 11 million gallons of water per day. Bellefonte is only twelve miles from Penn State, and it strives to maintain the small town feel will growing with the region.
Walker Township
Walker Township in Huntingdon County is home to almost 2,000 residents with some suburban development due to the proximity to Huntingdon, the county seat, and still abundant agriculture and forest cover.
ClearWater Conservancy
The mission of ClearWater Conservancy is to conserve and restore the natural resources of central Pennsylvania through land conservation, water resources stewardship and environmental outreach in the community. ClearWater is an initiative-based, proactive organization who conserves land through easement or outright purchase, protects water through monitoring and stream restoration, and educates the community about conservation by directly engaging with people and making them part of the conservancy’s efforts.
The Student Farm at Penn State
The Student Farm at Penn State was established in spring 2016 on one acre as an integral part of the Sustainable Food Systems Program at Penn State. It is a living laboratory and a community gathering place for students and volunteers with diverse backgrounds. The farm demonstrates how food is grown and provide hands-on engagement opportunities for students and volunteers to gain skills and knowledge about food production, harvesting, and marketing.
YMCA
The YMCA of Centre County is a charitable, nonprofit organization that provides opportunities to all individuals and families in the community by putting high moral values and principles into practice through facilities, programs, services and activities that build healthy spirit, mind, and body. The State College YMCA offers camps, family time, swim, sports, and play, and other activities for people of all ages, incomes and abilities.
Penn State Human Resources
Penn State Human Resources strives to deliver HR solutions that attract, retain, and engage a diverse workforce, contributing to the University’s mission as a world leader in higher education.
State College Borough
The State College Borough has been an SCC partner since the beginning in 2013. The borough is home to more than 42,000 residents, 75 percent of whom are Penn State students. The borough strives to create a community that entices visitors with their many historic, social, and retail attractions - but also a diverse community that can be home to students, young professionals, internationals, and retirees alike. Having committed to a Climate Protection Community in 2007, the Borough has also taken many steps to make State College an environmentally friendly community, such as purchasing green energy, installing rain gardens, recycling food waste, and restoring wetlands. Many areas of State College are also bike- and pedestrian-friendly, with an ever-increasing number of bikeways. As put by the Mayor of State College, “We are committed to a green lifestyle, reducing our energy footprint, and sharing what we have learned with our residents so that the entire State College community can work together to further our broad environmental commitment.”
Huntingdon Borough
Huntingdon Borough is located in central Pennsylvania, and is the county seat to the namesake county. It is home to almost 7,000 residents. It has preserved its small town character despite being home to Juniata College and a budding outdoor recreation industry. Huntingdon Borough is the largest community in a county that is predominately rural with agricultural as its largest industry.
Huntingdon County Business and Industry
Huntingdon County Business and Industry, Incorporated is organized for the purpose of advancing the commercial, industrial, recreational, educational, agricultural and civic interests of the County of Huntingdon. The Huntingdon County Commissioners have identified HCBI as the leading economic development agency for the county.
Penn State Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
Shaver’s Creek was founded in 1976 as a resource for the community, and as a field laboratory for Penn State students to get hands-on experience teaching about the natural world. The programs at our Environmental Center, Outdoor School, Raptor Center, and Team Development Center provide a mix of educational and recreational opportunities for families, schools, corporate groups, and Penn State students.
State College Area School District
State College Area School District is a large, suburban/rural public school district based in State College, Pennsylvania with public schools in the Borough of State College, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding townships of College, Ferguson, Halfmoon
Arts Altoona*
Arts Altoona is a newly formed non-profit organization in Altoona, Pennsylvania with the vision of creating a cultural hub in downtown Altoona. In partnership with local government and organizations, Arts Altoona is seeking to redevelop the Kress Building and adjacent neighborhood with focus on the arts. These art based community development endeavors also provide significant educational opportunities for community engagement and art-based learning.
Blair County Planning Commission*
The Blair County Planning Commission (BCPC) consists of nine appointed members who serve as an independent council to local governments including the County of Blair, City of Altoona, nine boroughs and fifteen townships. The BCPC meets monthly to receive and act upon reports, review applications for federal and state assistance, proposed amendments to zoning ordinances and maps, proposed subdivisions and land developments, planning modules for sewage facilities and other proposed actions. The BCPC currently employs five full-time staff who perform the activities specified in grant agreements for transportation planning, stormwater management planning and community development.
Past Community Partners
Boalsburg Farmers’ Market
The Boalsburg Farmers’ Market is a year-round, “producers only” market. This means that the products sold at the market are locally grown and never produced by third parties. Roughly 20 purveyors participate with goods ranging from cut flowers and homemade soaps to vegetables and salmon. The Boalsburg Farmers’ Market takes place on Tuesdays from 2-6 p.m. at The Pennsylvania Military Museum in the summer season and at St. John’s United Church of Christ in the winter season.
Centre County Conservation District
The Centre County Conservation District administers the soil and water conservation programs as a part of the county government. They are responsible for education, enforcement, and assistance with program participants. The CCCD is a collaborative effort with a seven-member board of public, farm, and commissioner directors.
Centre Region Council of Governments
The Centre Region Council of Governments is a voluntary association that represents the State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, and Patton Townships. Centre Region COG is comprised of seven committees that include a member from each of the locales. The committees include: Executive, Finance, Human Resources, Parks Capital, Public Safety, Public Services & Environmental and Transportation & Land Use. Together, the committees and locales develop fiscally responsible and high quality programs for their 93,000 constituents.
Ferguson Township
Ferguson Township is located right outside State College and is home to roughly 18,000 residents. The township is characterized by its open spaces and farmlands, many of which have been put into conservation easements and will be preserved into the future. Ferguson Township has also been declared a Certified Gold Community by Sustainable Pennsylvania.
Foxdale Village
Foxdale Village was founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit, Quaker directed community. Foxdale occupies a 21-acre campus that gives its 262 residential living residents a beautiful and comfortable place to call home for continued care in retirement. The Sustainable Communities Collaborative worked closely with the resident-led “Green Committee.” Members work with both the apartment and cottage living communities to enhance existing environmental efforts and hold discussions around sustainability.
Friends and Farmers
Friends and Farmers is a member-owned business seeking to create a full-time grocery store devoted to sourcing food and products locally. They currently have 455 member-owners and operate an online market. Friends and Farmers mission includes supporting the local economy, providing healthy foods, and bringing the community together.
Half Moon Township
Halfmoon Township is a rural area that was incorporated in 1847 and has long been a major source of agricultural products. This rural atmosphere, with a low population density of 2,357 residents as of 2000 and proximity to the cultural attractions of Penn State University, has become appealing to people who have historically dwelled in or near a city.
Minitab
Minitab Statistical Software was created in 1972 by three Penn State professors to help students more easily understand statistics concepts. Today, 90 percent of Fortune 100 companies use Minitab Statistical Software. There are also many more data analysis tools available through Minitab that assist clients to “discover valuable insights in their data.”
The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle
The Nature Inn is located within Bald Eagle State Park, giving visitors a chance for outdoor adventures and activities. The Inn is Gold LEED certified for its amazing efforts to green their amenities and operations through habitat restoration, rainwater harvesting, in-room energy monitors, Green Seal Certified cleaning products, and much more.
New Leaf Initiative
New Leaf Initiative is a co-working space that brings together community members, students, government, and business to “work better, together.” The co-working space provides a location for these groups to increase their collaboration and efficiency. New Leaf also provides and directs innovators to resources that can take their ideas to the next level.
Penn State’s Office of the Physical Plant
Penn State’s Office of the Physical Plant provides the services necessary to keep the university running. These services include ones related to stormwater, energy, building design, waste management, and landscaping. The Office of the Physical Plant is committed to sustainability through the möbius recycling program, energy savings program, energy conservation measures, LEED standards, electric fleet vehicles and more.
Penn State’s Performing Arts Council
Penn State’s Performing Arts Council is a student organization housed under Penn State’s Student Affairs that began in late 2014. The council is a collaboration of performing arts groups that works to achieve the goals of the organizations and of performing arts generally. The group has played a part in the THAW music festival, Arts Fest, and artsUP.
Spring Creek Watershed Association
The Spring Creek Watershed Association plays a major part in ensuring and measuring the quality of the Spring Creek watershed. With this mission, the group promotes sound environmental and economic practices and educates citizens about watershed impacts and protection.
*Identifies projects conducted in partnership with a PSU commonwealth campus
Contact:
Ilona Ballreich
ixb20@psu.edu, (814) 599-6000
The 2017-18 SCC Annual Report below highlight projects completed in the previous academic year. Find out more about Penn State's Sustainability Institute, SCC, community partners and project outcomes.
Previous Reports
Spring 2018 Projects
PSU Office of Ethics & Compliance
Course: LER 460: Human Resources Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Penn State Office of Ethics and Compliance
Volunteer Guidelines
Course: LER 460: Human Resources Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: ClearWater Conservancy
Local Government HR Policy Addressing Nepotism
Course: LER 460: Human Resources Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Huntingdon Borough
Artist Center, Architectural Design
Course: ARCH 432: Architectural Design IV
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Arts Altoona
Solar Design Applications
Course: EGEE 437: Design of Solar Energy Conversion Systems
Faculty: Jeffrey Brownson
Partner: State College; Bellefonte; Greenwood Furnace State Park; Canoe Creek State Park
Spring Creek Watershed Water Forum
Course: EXPR 972: Mediation of Environmental and Public Conflict
Faculty: Lara Fowler
Partner: Spring Creek watershed Commission; SCWS Association
Centre Region Curbside Compost Program
Course: BA 442: Sustainability Behavior of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Centre Region Council of Governments
Starbucks Reusable Cup at Penn State
Course: BA 442: Sustainability Behavior of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Penn State SI
Wind Energy Team Marketing
Course: BA 442: Sustainability Behavior of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Penn State Wind Energy Team
Multi-Residential Recycling and Energy Conservation
Course: BA 442: Sustainability Behavior of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: State College Borough; PSU Interfraternity Council
YMCA Sensory Garden Design
Course: HORT Senior Design Studio
Faculty: Martin McGann
Partner: State College YMCA
Traffic and Pedestrian Safety in State College
Course: COMM 473
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: State College Borough
Stand for State Messaging Strategies
Course: COMM 473
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: State College Borough
Stand for State Messaging Strategies
Course: COMM 473
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: State College Borough
ALEXA Technology Application: State College
Course: IST 440, Information Sciences and Technology Integration and Problem Solving
Faculty: Mike Hills
Partner: State College Borough
Fall 2017 & Spring 2018 Projects
Stormwater Runoff Analysis: Huntingdon
Course: BE 460/466
Faculty: Megan Marshall
Partner: Huntingdon Borough
Compost Feasibility and Site Design
Course: BE 460/466
Faculty: Megan Marshall
Partner: Huntingdon Borough
Oil Seed Processing
Course: BE 460/466
Faculty: Megan Marshall, Jeffrey Catchmark
Partner: ECO Farm
Biodigester for a Small Farm Operation
Course: BE 460/466
Faculty: Megan Marshall, Jeffrey Catchmark
Partner: ECO Farm
Big Spring Water Bottling Feasibility: Bellefonte
Course: BE 460/466
Faculty: Megan Marshall, Jeffrey Catchmark
Partner: Bellefonte Borough
Fall 2017 Projects
Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories: State College
Course: EME 466: Energy and Sustainability Policy; Capstone Student Kelli Vollkomer
Faculty Coach: Brandi Robinson
Partner: State College Borough
Sustainable Behavior Messaging: State College
Course: PSYCH 419
Faculty: Janet Swim
Partner: State College Borough
Spring Creek Watershed Atlas PR Campaign
Course: COMM 471, Public Relations Media and Methods
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: Spring Creek Watershed Association
Spring Creek Watershed Atlas Story Map
Course: CED 309: Land Use Dynamics
Faculty: Kate Zipp
Partner: Spring Creek Watershed Association
Compost Marketing Plan: Centre Region Council of Governments
Course: COMM 473, Public Relations Campaigns
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: Centre Region Council of Governments
Study Away Pittsburgh Marketing Campaign
Course: COMM 471, Public Relations Media and Methods
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: Sustainability Institute
Hazard Mitigation and Risk Assessment: State College
Course: IST 440, Information Sciences and Technology Integration and Problem Solving
Faculty: Mike Hills
Partner: State College Borough
Real Time Hydrologic Monitoring
Course: ASM/ERM 309
Faculty: Heather Gall
Partner: Centre County Conservation District
Penn State Human Resources Customer Service Protocols
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Penn State Human Resources
Restorative Health Benefits of Spending Time in Nature
Course: LER 460
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
Retention of Young Professionals in Rural Communities
Course: LER 460
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Huntingdon County Business and Industry
PSU Undergraduate Internship Program
Course: LER 460
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Penn State Human Resources
Spring 2017 Projects
Bellefonte School Gardens Design
Course: Plant 461: Emerging Issues in Plant Sciences
Faculty: Rob Berghage
Partner: Bellefonte Area School District
Family Community Gardens Study
Course: Plant 461: Emerging Issues in Plant Sciences
Faculty: Rob Berghage
Partner: Bellefonte Area School District
Disaster Recovery & Resiliency Planning Pt. 2
Course: IST 440
Faculty: Mike Hills, Allison Murphy
Partner: State College Borough
Historic Farmhouse Retrofit
Course: ARCH 442: Architectural Design Analysis
Faculty: Lisa Iulo
Partner: Bellefonte School District
Muncy Borough Retrofit Design
Course: ARCH 442: Architectural Design Analysis
Faculty: Denson Groenendaal
Partner: Muncy Borough
Solar Energy for Historic Site Retrofit
Course: EGEE 437: Design of Solar Energy Conversion Systems
Faculty: Jeffrey Brownson
Partner: Denson Groenendaal
Solar Panel Feasibility Study for the Student Farm
Course: EGEE 437: Design of Solar Energy Conversion Systems
Faculty: Jeffrey Brownson
Partner: Student Farm at Penn State
Solar Power in Ferguson Township
Course: EGEE 437: Design of Solar Energy Conversion Systems
Faculty: Jeffrey Brownson
Partner: Ferguson Township
Human Health Assessment for Centred Outdoors Summer Challenge
Course: RPTM 433W: Program Evaluation and Research in Recreation Services
Faculty: Birgitta Baker
Partner: Clearwater Conservancy, Centred Outdoors (SCC)
Survey Design for Centred Outdoors Summer Challenge
Course: HDNRE 590: Human Dimensions in Natural Resources and the Environment Colloquium
Faculty: Al Graefe
Partner: Clearwater Conservancy, Centred Outdoors (SCC)
Graphic Design for Centred Outdoors Summer Challenge
Course: GD 301: Experience Design Process + Methods
Faculty: Ryan Russell
Partner: Clearwater Conservancy, Centred Outdoors (SCC)
Public Relations Campaign for Centred Outdoors Summer Challenge
Course: COMM 473: Public Relations Campaigns
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: Clearwater Conservancy, Centred Outdoors (SCC)
State College Borough Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Campaign
Course: COMM 471: Public Relations Media and Methods
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Community Partner: State College Borough
State College Equal Opportunity Plan
Course:LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: State College Borough
Penn State Employee Welcome Video
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Penn State Human Resources
Penn State Human Resources Customer Service Protocols
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Penn State Human Resources
Corl Street Elementary School Renovation
Course: EDTHP 297: Sustainability in American Education
Faculty: Peter Buckland
Partner: State College Area School District
Food Insecurity in Centre County
Course: NUTR 456: Community Nutrition
Faculty: Alison Gernand
Partner: Mount Nittany Health, Centre Moves, Centre County YMCA
Sharing the SCC Story: Spring 2017
Faculty: Steve Rubin
Course: PHOTO 402: Photographic Narratives
Community Partner: SCC
Fall 2016 Projects
Awareness Campaign for the Health Benefits of Green Spaces
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Shaver's Creek Environmental Center
Student Engagement in the Arts
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Center for the Performing Arts
State College Borough Employee Engagement & Diversity
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: State College Borough
State College Borough Pedestrian and Vehicular Safety Awareness
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Community Partner: State College Police Department
Municipal Park Programming & Resident Engagement
Faculty: Tim Kelsey
Community Partner: Half Moon Township
Stormwater Design of Walker Township
Course: BE 460: Design of Stormwater and Erosion Control Facilities
Faculty: Heather Gall and Megan Marshall
Partner: Walker Township
Site Design of Musser Lane Recycling Facility
Faculty: Megan Marshall
Partner: Bellefonte Borough
Stormwater Design of Park Hills Drainage Way
Faculty: Megan Marshall
Partner: Ferguson Township
Water Quality Monitoring of Halfmoon Creek and Buffalo Run
Faculty: Heather Gall
Community Partner: Ann Donovan, Centre County Conservation Corps
Disaster Recovery & Resiliency Planning
Faculty: Michael Hills and John Hill
Partner: State College Borough
Images and Narratives
Capturing the story of the SCC and its affiliated projects and collaborators through photographic narratives.Faculty: Steve Rubin
Course: PHOTO 402: Photographic Narratives | College of Arts & Architecture - School of Visual Arts
Community Partner: State College Borough
Spring 2016 Projects
Wind and Solar Power Battery Marketing at Music Festivals
Students will create a marketing plan for the Penn State Collegiate Wind Competition Team’s start-up spin off, PowerPlay. The business will provide portable batteries at music festivals that utilize wind and solar energy to recharge. The marketing plan will be understood and relatable to all age groups since music festivals offer a variety of attendees.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Penn State Collegiate Wind Competition Team
Recycling Marketing Plan for Foxdale Village
This project will expand on a past SCC project in spring 2015 that evaluated Foxdale’s recycling program. Students will identify ways to motivate residents to recycle and how to increase interest in sustainability as a community and as individuals.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Foxdale Village
Re-branding for Mobius Recycling Program
Students will determine the effectiveness of the Mobius brand at raising students’ awareness of the university’s waste management efforts. The study will focus on multiple audiences: students, faculty, staff, and the public.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Penn State’s Sustainability Institute
Recycling Marketing Plan for State College Borough
The borough requires participation in a recycling program of all residents. It has found that management practices can have little effect on the actions of residents to recycle. Students will work with a landlord/property to develop a marketing plan to increase compliance with the policy.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: Penn State’s Sustainability Institute
Penn State Dorm Recycling
Penn State seeks to increase the recycling rate in East Halls. Students will assist by identifying barriers to recycling through various research methods such as observations, interviews, and surveys.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: State College Borough
Green Marketing Plan for the Nature Inn
Students will be divided into three groups to support the design of potential marketing approaches at the Nature Inn. Two groups will focus on website design and function, eco-tourism certifications, and benchmarking against comparable national and local hotels. The third group will devise a comprehensive marketing strategy for the Inn that includes flyers, press releases, etc.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: The Nature Inn
Compost Program Marketing for the State College Borough
Building on past research from an SCC project in spring 2015, students will create a marketing plan to increase the sale of borough compost to residents and businesses. The plan will include possible channels for sales and marketing materials.
Course: BA 442: Sustainable Behaviors of Consumers, Firms, and Societies
Faculty: Karen Winterich
Partner: State College Borough
Stormwater Design of Suburban Park and Park Hills
Three teams will create plans to mitigate stormwater issues in Suburban Park and Park Hills. Students will propose solutions to erosion and flooding problems that are both cost effective and meet the needs of the community.
Course: BE 467: Design of Stormwater and Erosion Control Facilities
Faculty: Heather Gall and Megan Marshall
Partner: Ferguson Township
Methane Digester Feasibility Study
Students will evaluate the feasibility of a methane digester in State College. They will consider whether the project is economically viable under the assumption that the collected methane gas would be sold to electric companies and the left over, nutrient rich fertilizer could be sold to the community.
Course: BE 467: Design of Stormwater and Erosion Control Facilities
Faculty: Heather Gall and Megan Marshall
Partner: State College Borough
Local Economic Resiliency Dashboard
Students will conduct background research on the design for a local economic resiliency dashboard. The dashboard would be used for communities to determine the economic strength. The project will focus on identifying the components of such a dashboard, potential audiences, and data sources for creating the tool.
Course: CED 475: CED Integrated Capstone
Faculty: Tim Kelsey
Partner: New Leaf Initiative
PR Plan for Online Farmers’ Market
Students will create a plan to increase awareness and support of the Friends and Farmers Cooperative. The plan will target University faculty and staff, students, and the general community and determine the best channels to reach these audiences. It will utilize storytelling as a major marketing strategy and define how the campaign can be measured for impact.
Course: COMM 473: Public Relations Campaigns
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: Friends and Farmers
PR Plan for Sustainable Food Systems Program
Students will create a PR campaign that determines how to engage various audiences in the Sustainable Food Systems Program. It will include what specific messaging to use dependent on audience and how to communicate these messages in an effective way.
Course: COMM 473: Public Relations Campaigns
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Partner: Penn State’s Sustainability Institute, Sustainable Food Systems
GHG Inventory of Penn State Commuters
Students will develop a method to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of Penn State student and staff commuters. The project will utilize Penn State specific data such as CATA miles and population changes at University Park. The method will be replicable to Commonwealth Campuses.
Course: EGEE 495: Energy and Sustainability Policy Internship
Faculty: Brandi Robinson
Partner: Penn State’s Office of the Physical Plant
Residential Stormwater Management
Students will hold a residential stormwater management workshop with Ferguson Township. The workshop will educate homeowners about problems associated with stormwater runoff, tools they can use to reduce runoff, and encourage them to adopt best management practices.
Course: ERM 497A: The Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Faculty: Matt Royer
Partner: Ferguson Township
CNG Vehicle Wrap
Students will design a vehicle wrap for two new compressed natural gas vehicles to be used on campus. The wrap will include elements that communicate the environmental friendliness of the vehicles as an educational component.
Course: GD 304: Practical Communications
Faculty: Ryan Russell
Partner: Penn State’s Transportation Department
Student Sustainability Attitudes, Values, and Behaviors
Students will design, conduct, and analyze a survey that will aid in understanding undergraduates students’ knowledge, concern, and behaviors related to the environment. The survey will be distributed to roughly 10,000 students and provide correlations between various demographic information and environmental awareness, perceptions, and actions.
Course: HDNRE Colloquium
Faculty: Alan Graefe and Jim Finley
Partner: Penn State’s Sustainability Institute
Role of the Arts in Workforce Skill Development
Students will collect research on how the arts contribute to healthy, productive workplaces and how the arts have been incorporated. With this information, the project will develop strategies and models for businesses to include the arts in their workforce skill development.
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: Penn State’s Performing Arts Council
Employee Engagement for Sustainability
Students will benchmark MiniTab against other businesses in regards to employee engagement. Specifically, the project will focus on sustainability and corporate recycling. The resulting product will be a set of recommendations that will help MiniTab improve employee engagement and competitiveness.
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: MiniTab
Sustainability Employee Training
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Partner: State College Borough
Green Power Marketing Part II
A past SCC project in spring 2014 determined residents’ interest in purchasing green power. The project will add to this past research by testing the effectiveness of different messages that will determine how signing up would be improved. Possibly options could be educating residents about the relevance of choosing an energy provider and providing assistance to sign up.
Course: PSYCH 297: Senior Seminar in Psychology
Faculty: Janet Swim
Partner: State College Borough
Energy Planning in the State College Borough
The borough seeks to understand the local perception of a community-based energy generation system. Students will help by identifying stakeholders, relevant issues, and potential opportunities, planning and facilitating discussions, and summarizing their findings in a final report.
Course: SKILS 972: Mediation of Environmental and Public Conflict
Faculty: Lara Fowler
Partner: State College Borough
Fall 2015 Projects
Impacts of Development on Stream Health and Trout Fishing
Students in CED 309 will create maps and other tools to help educate local leaders and the general public about the impacts of development and land use on Spring Creek Watershed and its role as an economic asset to the community.
Course: CED 309: Land Use Dynamics
Faculty: Kate Zipp
Community Partner: Judi Sittler, Spring Creek Watershed
Economic Loss Due to the Emerald Ash Borer
Students in CED 309 will estimate the loss of ash trees to the emerald ash borer, explore strategies to maximize the value of removed trees, and analyze the impact of tree loss on property values and the perceptions of public investment in tree planting.
Course: CED 309: Land Use Dynamics
Faculty: Kate Zipp
Community Partner: Alan Sam, State College Borough
Residents’ Attitudes Toward the Spring Creek Watershed
CED 475 students will design, conduct, and analyze a survey to determine residents’ awareness of Spring Creek Watershed, their knowledge and use of stream-friendly behaviors, and their attitudes toward policy options which would help maintain a healthy watershed.
Course: CED 475: Integrated Capstone Experience
Faculty: Tim Kelsey
Community Partner: Judi Sittler, Spring Creek Watershed
Water Quality Monitoring of Halfmoon Creek and Buffalo Run
Students in ASM/ERM 309 will install water monitoring equipment at Halfmoon Creek and Buffalo Run to measure dissolved oxygen, water level, and rainfall. They will create technical maps of land uses in the watershed and create a comprehensive report of the water quality and land use findings.
Course: ASM/ERM 309: Measuring and Monitoring of Hydrologic Systems
Faculty: Heather Gall
Community Partner: Ann Donovan, Centre County Conservation Corps
State College Borough Pedestrian and Vehicular Safety Awareness
COMM 473 students will create a campaign to raise awareness and provide information to motorists and pedestrians of State College. The campaign will promote safety throughout the borough and enhance the borough’s reputation as a pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly community.
Course: COMM 473: Public Relations Campaigns
Faculty: Tara Wyckoff
Community Partner: Chief King and Captain Wilson, State College Police Department
Operational Traffic Performance on the Atherton Street Corridor
Students in CE 423 will focus on the operational performance of the Atherton Street corridor from Park Avenue to Beaver Avenue. Teams will collect data at signalized intersections, such as signal timing, and create recommendations to improve vehicle travel throughout the corridor. The students will specifically discuss how their data and recommendations might influence the safety performance of the Park Avenue and Atherton Street intersection.
Course: CE 423: Traffic Operations
Faculty: Vikash Gayah
Community Partner: Amy Kerner and Captain Wilson, State College Borough
Traffic Safety at Park Avenue and Atherton Street Intersection
Students in CE 528 will evaluate the safety Atherton Street by identifying signalized intersections with potential for safety improvement by applying the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual safety management process. Specifically, safety problems at the Park Avenue and Atherton Street intersection will be diagnosed by applying this framework and reviewing video data.
Course: CE 528: Transportation Safety Analysis
Faculty: Eric Donnell
Community Partner: Amy Kerner and Captain Wilson, State College Borough
Bike Path Location Evaluation
The State College Borough plans to build a bike connector path along Easterly and Westerly Parkway between the State College Area High School and Easterly Parkway Elementary. A group of students in CED 309 will analyze the best options for construction of the bike path, taking into account intersecting streets and curb cuts for driveways, as these impact both safety for pedestrians and cyclists as well as project costs.
Course: CED 309: Land Use Dynamics
Faculty: Kate Zipp
Community Partner: Alan Sam, State College Borough
Expansion of the Discovery Space Children’s Museum
Students in ARCH 431 will create a design for the Allen Street Civic District. Specifically, students will focus on redesigning the former Verizon Building on Allen Street to accommodate an expansion of the Discovery Space Children’s Museum and to provide a cultural and community hub for the State College Borough.
Course: ARCH 431: 4th Year Studio
Faculty: Lisa Iulo and Eric Sunderland
Community Partner: Edward LeClear, Discovery Space Children’s Museum
Human Resources Sustainability Training Modules
Students in LER 460 will create training modules for existing or onboarding new employees. Relevant information will include the definition of a sustainable community, past and present sustainability initiatives of the State College Borough, and details to incorporate these initiatives into employees’ work.
Course: LER 460: Human Resource Ethics
Faculty: Tom Hogan
Community Partner: Cynthia Hanscom, State College Borough
Renewable Energy Policy Benchmarking
Students in CED 475 will determine feasible renewable energy sources for the borough to explore, research current borough rules and regulations, and make recommendations for what the borough should do to encourage greater use of renewable energy sources.
Course: CED 475: Integrated Capstone Experience
Faculty: Tim Kelsey
Community Partner: Mark Whitfield, State College Borough
Cost-Benefit Analysis of LED Street Lights
Students in PHIL 118H will use existing data about street lights in the borough to estimate current energy use and current GHG emissions attributable to street lights, calculate the cost of switching to LED lights, estimate energy and GHG emission reductions from switching to LED lights, identify potential rebate/funding sources to help defray the cost of switching to LEDs, estimate cost savings and payback.
Course: PHIL 118H: Environmental Philosophy
Faculty: Mark Sentesy
Community Partner: Alan Sam, State College Borough
Images and Narratives
Sharing the SCC Story
Capturing the story of the SCC and its affiliated projects and collaborators through photographic narratives.
Faculty: Steve Rubin
Course: PHOTO 402: Photographic Narratives | College of Arts & Architecture - School of Visual Arts
Community Partner: State College Borough
Contact:
Ilona Ballreich
ixb20@psu.edu, (814) 599-6000
Projects at our Campuses
Penn State Abington
- A student internship to characterize and develop plans for environmental justice and waste diversion sites.
- Go Green Rewards Card: Expand the number of local businesses that currently accept these reward cards for gifts or discounts.
- Buy Local Campaign: Work with Abington Township Economic Development Committee to endorse a Buy Local Campaign focused on the economic and social benefits of buying local.
Penn State Altoona
- Re-imagining Public Libraries as Learning Communities: Use narrative and survey methods to capture the individual histories and roles within the community of the eight Blair County libraries to inform their [libraries’] strategic planning.
- Canal Jam II: A celebration of Altoona’s canal heritage through music, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, that will emphasize environmental sustainability.
- Rural Impact County Challenge (RICC): A literature review and research of RICC, a joint National Association of Counties-Robert Wood Johnson Foundation effort to combat rural child poverty, specifically “youth disengagement” in Blair County.
- Mobile Story Maps: Enhance and expand historical story maps to complement the Blair County WalkWorks program in Williamsburg, Hollidaysburg Canal Basin Park, and Hollidaysburg.
- Lower Trail Mobile App Project: Create an enhanced trail experience by enabling access
Penn State Beaver
- Campus Garden: The Campus Green Team and students with Pathways to Success will construct five 4 ft. by 8 ft. raised bed gardens, twenty straw bales, and six barrels containing various vegetables and herbs so that the produce can be donated to the Salvation Army to help supply their food banks with locally grown food.
- Community Tables with the Homeless: Students will solicit quality meals from local restaurants and will sit, eat, and enjoy conversation with homeless clients of the Salvation Army.
- Food Rescue Initiative: Create a mobile app to be used to connect restaurants wanting to donate excess food with the Salvation Army’s food bank.
- Digitized Food Map: Develop a map showing local key food-related items to help connect county residents with local growers.
- Food Bank Kiosk: Design and construct an outside food kiosk accessible by food donators and recipients through a Penn State card swipe system to increase food donations.
Penn State Behrend
- Community Garden: Address local food insecurity by developing a community garden and community-based food systems.
- Waste Not program: Strengthen the Penn State Behrend’s Waste Not program, a program in which food is donated from the campus dining hall to the Erie City Mission.
- Outreach: Create collapsible cold frames to give away to community groups to help promote growing personal food gardens, as well as outreach regarding issues such as nutrition, diabetes, and walking.
Penn State Brandywine
- Pumpkin Days Maze: Construction of a sustainability-themed children’s maze using recycled papers for Tyler Arboretum Pumpkin Days Maze to educate visitors about recycling.
- Hunger awareness event at Penn State Brandywine/Media Food Bank: A multi-semester project where student-built food structures will be donated to increase awareness about hunger and food insecurity.
- Augmented reality game: Digitize Ridley Creek State Park’s existing Tree Identification Quiz to develop an augmented reality gaming project that can be used via a mobile app.
Penn State University Park
Contact:
Ilona Ballreich
ixb20@psu.edu, (814) 599-6000
Faculty
Lauren Abbott
Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management
Lee Ahern
Advertising and Public Relations
Nathaniel Belcher
Architecture
Birgitta Baker
Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management
Rob Berghage
Department of Plant Science
Landscape Architecture
Peter Buck
Education
Robert Brooks
Geography
Jeffrey Brownson
Energy and Mineral Engineering
Ed Coulson
Economics
Eric Donnell
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Stuart Echols
Landscape Architecture
Jim Finley
Ecosystem Science and Management
Erik Foley
Smeal College of Business
Lara Fowler
Penn State Law
Lori Frances
Biobehavioral Health
Heather Gall
Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Civil and Environmental Engineering
Alison Gernand
Nutritional Sciences
Alan Graefe
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
Denson Groenendaal
Architecture
Michael Hills
College of Information, Science, & Technology
Tom Hogan
Human Resource Management
Lisa Iulo
Architecture
Heather Karsten
Plant Science
Timothy Kelsey
Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education
Megan Marshall
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Martin McGann
Plant Science
Brandi Robinson
Energy and Mineral Engineering
Matt Royer
Agriculture and Environment Center
Steven Rubin
School of Visual Arts
Ryan Russell
Graphic Design
Mark Sentesy
Philosophy
John Spychalski
Supply Chain and Information Systems
Eric Sutherland
Architecture
Janet Swim
Psychology
Ross Weinreb
Architecture
Karen Winterich
Marketing
Tara Wyckoff
Advertising and Public Relations
Brent Yarnal
Geography
Kate Zipp
Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education