RELEASED: November 12, 2009

By Abby Malik

DANVILLE, KY—Centre College continues to receive recognition for its dedication to environmental sustainability.

On Nov. 10, E.ON., the parent company of Kentucky Utilities and Louisville Gas & Electric, presented Centre and its students with the company's favorite non-residential customer award for students' efforts with the Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station. This was the first presentation of the award.

In 2007, more than three-fourths of Centre students voted for the creation of a Green Fund, an initiative that requires students to pay an annual $20 surcharge on their tuition to purchase renewable energy credits from the local Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station, located near Harrodsburg, Ky.

(These funds help subsidize the station's production of electricity which is much cleaner but more expensive to generate than that created at coal-powered plants.)

This partnership is E.ON's first with a Kentucky higher education institution and the first time a college or university in Kentucky has privately funded local renewable energy sources in order to offset its carbon emissions. The $20 tuition surcharge went into effect this term.

"This is real youthful idealism, putting your money where your mouth is," said Ken Slattery of E.ON., who presented Centre with the award, to a crowd gathered for the award presentation. "It's a real impact we congratulate you for today."

To put students' efforts into perspective, Slattery said the amount of clean energy subsidized by the students from the hydroelectric plant is equal to roughly 25 percent of the entire energy generation of the Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station.

Centre President John Roush addressed the students in the crowd, applauding them for being "focused on doing the right thing."

"Centre quietly has emerged as a leader in sustainability," Roush said. "Students led the way on this initiative. And at Centre, this is one of the single-most important things we do—showing students what it is to live responsible lives as it relates to the environment. And it's evident within classrooms, with students, with members of our board, our faculty and staff and as our students leave Centre and go on to lead fulfilling lives."

Laura Brach '10 of Perrysburg, Ohio, spoke at the ceremony as a representative of ECCO, Centre's Environmentally Conscious Centre Organization. In 2007, Brach helped garner support from the student body for the Green Fund, and ECCO was one of the original promoters of the initiative.

"Centre students should be very proud of themselves," Brach said. "It's apparent we have the power to make change."

Chase Warner '10 of Lexington, Ky., also spoke at the ceremony. Warner, president of the Student Government Association, said that the Green Fund's approval by 85 percent of students was the highest voter turnout of any student election.

"Centre is at the forefront of sustainability efforts on college campuses, and it's exciting for students," Chase said. "The student voter turnout for this was astonishing."

The award, a one-of-a-kind glass piece, was, coincidentally, created by Brook Forrest White, Jr. '91, who owns Flame Run Glass Studio and Gallery in Louisville, the largest glassblowing studio in the region.

For more information on Centre's sustainability efforts, click here.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail leigh.ivey@centre.edu with your feedback.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.