Wearing mint green T-shirts made partly from recycled plastic bottles, members of the University of Miami community gathered in the heart of the Coral Gables Campus on Friday morning, stood arms-length apart, then linked hands around Lake Osceola in a symbolic hug—the 18th time this Earth Day tradition has taken place.
Following the Hug the Lake tradition and a performance of the Alma Mater by members of the Hammond Butler Gospel Choir, President Julio Frenk marked Earth Day with the official launch of the University’s Climate Resilience Academy, made possible through a $5 million contribution from Eric Levin, which also establishes the Eric T. Levin Endowed Chair in Climate Resilience
The Climate Resilience Academy “will educate the next generation of scientists and advocates as we help deliver solutions to climate change, its impacts, and related stressors in partnership with industry, government, universities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders,” Frenk said.
Frenk also announced the winners of the Roberta “Bosey” Fulbright Foote Prize, which was created to honor members of the University community who have made a meaningful contribution to the beautification, sustainability, or shared spaces of the University’s campuses.
This year’s recipients are Terri Hood, assistant director of the ecosystem science and policy undergraduate program and senior lecturer in the Department of Geological Sciences, and undergraduate student Gustavo “Gus” Tovar, chair of the Student Government Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) Agency.
Hood was commended for transforming an area of the John C. Gifford Arboretum into the Sustainable Suburbia Garden, which now is being used to teach members of the University community how to create their own sustainable gardens at home. This year, Tovar collaborated to create a monthlong Earth Month celebration at the University, and he worked on a project for the garden known as the Earthbench, which was constructed using 400 pounds of single-use plastic waste and natural materials.
“It means so much to me to be a recipient of this award,” Tovar said. “This award is not just for me but my team at ECO. Serving as the 2021-22 chair of ECO has been a huge honor and privilege. I am so grateful and humbled to be able to celebrate this award on an amazing Earth Day.”
