Media Contact: Cherie Yurco;
CMYurco@DallasCollege.edu
For immediate release — Oct. 16, 2023
(IRVING) — As part of its commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Dallas College is hosting its 13th annual Sustainability Summit with exhibits, speakers and information on eco-friendly initiatives.
Earlier this year, Dallas College was recognized with a 2023 Leadership Award for its overall sustainable purchasing program from the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council. The award looked at Dallas College’s understanding, commitment, results, innovation and transparency in sustainable purchasing.
This year’s summit, titled
Let’s Make a Difference, Together!, will be held at
North Lake Campus Performance Hall (P building), Wednesday, Nov. 1, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. It will also be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Community members, faculty, staff and students are invited for an admission-free day of education and conversation about sustainable practices.
Four dynamic sessions will focus on local, citywide, statewide and national sustainability initiatives and how each of us can do our part to make the world a better place. The first session on sustainability in higher education features members of Dallas College’s own Sustainability Department.
Keynote speaker William Kamkwamba built an electricity-producing windmill using spare parts and scrap. His inspiring story became a book translated into nearly 20 languages and a Netflix film.
“We are pleased to host this annual event that has reached so many people. This year, we are focused on how personal and local action expands into global impact,” said Garrett Rosser, energy manager for Dallas College Facilities Management. “It is important for us to see what is happening across society and how our actions and efforts can work together for good. This is especially apparent in the story and message from our distinguished keynote speaker. We want attendees to be inspired and encouraged to continue making choices that will lead to a more vibrant tomorrow.”
The day’s sessions will culminate with a
keynote address from Malawian inventor and author William Kamkwamba. Forced to drop out of high school at age 14 during a famine, Kamkwamba continued his studies through a village library. Working from one photo in a textbook, he built an electricity-producing windmill using spare parts and scrap. His story, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” has been translated into nearly 20 languages and has sold more than one million copies. It was also adapted into
a Netflix film.
At this year’s summit, attendees will discover sustainable practices that can be easily integrated into their daily lives and provide them with a sense of empowerment to ignite change within the community, state, nation and beyond.
Summit Agenda:
- 8-9 a.m. — Registration, breakfast, mingling with exhibitors
- 9-9:30 a.m. — Welcome presentation
- 9:45-10:30 a.m. — Seeds of Change: Nurturing Sustainability in Higher Education
- 10:45-11:30 a.m. — Sustaining the Heart of Texas: Impact in the City of Dallas
- 11:30 a.m.-12:45 a.m. — Lunch (free for preregistered, in-person attendees)
- 1-1:45 p.m. — Texan Trailblazers: Leading Sustainability in the Lone Star State
- 2-2:45 p.m. — Pioneering Nationwide Progress: Sustainability’s Impact on the United States
- 3-4 p.m. — Keynote speaker William Kamkwamba
Dallas College’s 2023 Sustainability Summit brings communities together to learn, connect and leave empowered with sustainable methods to change the world. For more details and to register to attend virtually or in person, visit DallasCollege.edu/SustainabilitySummit.
# # #