Celebrating our sustainability

As I sit down to write this, I’m thrilled to share that College of the Atlantic has once again been named the #1 Green College in the nation by The Princeton Review—for the tenth consecutive year.

Rankings rarely capture the full depth of what makes a college truly special, but this distinction reflects the very heart of COA’s mission. Our #1 Green College ranking is a mission-aligned recognition of the creativity, care, and hard work that every member of our community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, families, and friends—brings to this place. It’s an honor we can all celebrate together. I hope you will take the time to read the full write-up about this news.

Beyond the college’s environmental progress towards a fossil fuel-free campus, The Princeton Review recognizes COA as a leader in sustainability because of the heavily human element of our work and academics here. The evidence that social sustainability is centrally important to our community is evidenced in the recent COA Economic Impact Analysis report prepared by RKG Associates, Inc., in collaboration with the Musson Group.

The report underscores how deeply COA is woven into the fabric of Mount Desert Island and the wider region. Each year, our students, employees, visitors, and operations generate more than $17 million in economic activity across Hancock County. Beyond that, the college supports nearly 200 local jobs—both on campus and in the surrounding community—while drawing students and families who contribute to the island’s cultural and economic vitality year-round.

Just as meaningful, the report highlights the social and environmental ripple effects of our presence: our investment in renewable energy, sustainable food systems, and public access to land and waterfront; our partnerships with area schools, nonprofits, and small businesses; and the way our students and alumni engage locally through internships, community projects, and civic life.

Taken together, the #1 Green College ranking and the economic impact report reflect the same truth: COA’s sustainability is both environmental and human—rooted in the well-being of our people, our island, and our world.

These stories of impact come at a time when we’re thinking deeply about COA’s future—how to ensure that generations of students can experience, learn, and launch their lives from this singular education. These same questions guided the COA Board of Trustees when they gathered on campus for their fall meeting on October 17 and 18.

As we discussed at that meeting, higher education has changed radically over the past decade. Many institutions have struggled to adapt, but COA has an extraordinary opportunity to do more than survive—we can thrive. Our human-ecological approach to learning has never been more relevant. The world needs our graduates’ capacities for creative problem-solving, collaboration, and care.

Still, we have work to do. For all its magic, COA is an expensive college to run. Our farms, islands, boats, and deeply experiential learning model don’t come with economies of scale. We need to build modern operational systems and budgets that reflect the real cost of what we do, while remaining nimble enough to respond to change. Yet, even in this challenge, I see opportunity. Rather than focusing on limits, we can embrace a mindset of abundance, rooted in trust, collaboration, and creativity.

At our best, COA is a place where openness and evolution go hand in hand, where shared values, vision, and spirit move us forward. I see that every day in the dedication of our community, and I know that the sun is rising for COA.

Recently, I had a lovely encounter that reminded me of our roots. While tending the garden outside my home, I met a neighbor who turned out to be the nephew of Father Jim Gower, one of COA’s founders. We talked about his uncle’s deep belief that peace should be the foundation of this college, and how that spirit still lives here today in our traditions, our gatherings, and our students’ passion for change.

That conversation was a powerful reminder that our work is not just about sustaining a college. It’s about carrying forward a spirit of peace, vision, and persistence that began long before us, and that I trust will continue long after.

With gratitude,

Sylvia