Princeton Review Lists Frostburg State University Among "Greenest Colleges"

The Princeton Review highlights Frostburg's commitment to both green education and lifestyle, highlighting the Learning Green

Frostburg State University is one of the 322 most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company known for its college rankings, ratings, guidebooks and test prep, profiles FSU in the fourth annual edition of its free, downloadable book, "The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges."


The Princeton Review chose the schools for this guide based on a 50-question survey it conducted in 2012 of administrators at hundreds of four-year colleges, analyzing the schools' course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation to measure commitment to the environment and to sustainability.

In the guide's profile on FSU, The Princeton Review highlights Frostburg's commitment to both green education and lifestyle, highlighting the Learning Green, Living Green initiative that addresses multiple sustainability aspects, a wide variety of academic opportunities for green-minded students, its off-grid Sustainable Energy Research Facility (SERF) for the study of renewable energy technologies, student involvement in environmentally focused organizations and institutional policies designed to reduce energy consumption and waste.

"I am so proud of students, faculty and staff for ensuring, through their numerous efforts, that Frostburg State University maintain a strong commitment to sustainability and addressing climate change, which has led to us being highlighted in ‘The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges,'" said FSU President Jonathan Gibralter. "This has included everything from securing LEED Gold certification on our beautifully renovated student union center to organizing a variety of great educational events for our campus that allow our community to critically examine environmental issues. I know this tremendous momentum in making sustainability a part of our institutional identity will only grow in the years ahead."

FSU, which was first listed among Princeton Review's Green Colleges in 2010, received an 87 rating out of a possible 99.

FSU and Gibralter have both been widely recognized for commitment to sustainability. Gibralter is a charter signatory to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment and has been a member of its steering committee since 2010. FSU was recently designated a Tree Campus USA, a national program of the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota Motor North America, Inc., for meeting five core standards for sustainable campus forestry. The University was listed in the 2012 edition of Sierra magazine's ranking of the nation's "Coolest Schools," which salutes U.S. colleges that are helping solve climate problems and making significant efforts to operate sustainably. In 2011, FSU was recognized for its commitment to sustainability and environmental education with a Second Nature's Second Annual Climate Leadership Award for Institutional Excellence in Climate Leadership.

Published just before the April 22 celebration of Earth Day, the 215-page guide is the only free, comprehensive resource of its kind. It can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide.

"We are truly pleased to recommend Frostburg State University, along with all of the fine schools in this book, to the many students seeking colleges that practice and promote environmentally responsible choices and practices," said Robert Franek, senior vice president and publisher of The Princeton Review.

Franek noted his company's recent survey findings indicating significant interest among college applicants in attending "green" colleges. "Among 9,955 college applicants who participated in our 2013 ‘College Hopes & Worries Survey,' 62 percent said having information about a school's commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school," he said.

The school profiles in the guide feature essential information for applicants – facts and stats on school demographics, admission, financial aid – plus write-ups on the schools' specific sustainability initiatives. A "Green Facts" sidebar reports on a wide range of topics from the school's use of renewable energy sources, recycling and conservation programs to the availability of environmental studies and career guidance for green jobs.

The Princeton Review created its "Guide to 322 Green Colleges" in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, with support from United Technologies Corp., founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools.

Situated in the mountains of Allegany County, Frostburg State University is one of the 12 institutions of the University System of Maryland. FSU is a comprehensive, residential regional university and serves as an educational and cultural center for Western Maryland. For more information, visit www.frostburg.edu or facebook.com/frostburgstateuniversity. Follow FSU on Twitter @frostburgstate.

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