Department of PT Receives Recycling Grant
Students encourage greener campus
by Lucero Castellanos-Aguirre
Each fall the Berrien County Parks Department offers a recycling grant. This year it was awarded to the Andrews University Department of Physical Therapy.
“It is called the Berrien County School Recycling Grant,” said Penny Sisson, the department’s operations assistant. She explained that all eligible Berrien County schools have the opportunity to receive a grant of up to one thousand dollars towards this recycling initiative.
“I wrote the grant requesting nearly $580 to purchase ten 23-gallon blue recycling containers,” says Sisson. “We were awarded the grant for the full amount requested at the end of October.”
The department’s students have added a new class officer position to help with some new student-led initiatives. One is the Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator (COVC). Sophomore Samantha Callahan is this year’s COVC and has put together a committee of eight other students.
“I am working with this committee to initialize and maintain our recycling program,” stated Sisson. “Our plan is to place a recycling container next to each trash can around campus with clear instructions regarding what may be put in them.”
The department encourages the recycling of paper, aluminum, cans, plastic bottles and glass. Physical therapy students, along with the department’s student employees, will be in charge of the containers’ maintenance.
“Students have shown an interest in recycling since I came to work here five and a half years ago,” shared Sisson. “We have taken steps to ensure it is maintained long term—including adding this responsibility to my job description.”
Sisson indicated that they have purchased real tableware for the department to avoid using paper plates and plastic forks for department lunches and events.
On Thursday, Nov. 20, the department received the recycling containers that were ordered. This will be the start to the department’s vision to better the Andrews campus through recycling.
To learn more about the Department of Physical Therapy, visit andrews.edu/pt.
