1. One Student’s Story: Keiko Stobaeus
Whether she is in class or leading sustainability efforts on the world’s largest campus,
one thing is sure: Keiko Stobaeus is no ordinary student.
An animal science major and anthropology minor, Keiko has made her mark at Berry
College – while helping Berry lessen its mark on the environment. She has excelled as the
sustainability coordinator for the Green Team, a student initiative committed to helping Berry go
green. Among other projects, the Green Team has promoted recycling in residence halls and
water conservation all across the campus.
Student involvement has been cited as a major factor in Berry’s continued improvement
on the College Sustainability Report Card, an annual report that issues a letter grade for green
initiatives at colleges and universities all across the United States and Canada. Berry earned a B+
on the 211 report. Of the 322 institutions evaluated for the 2011 report, only 16 percent scored
higher.
Berry’s sustainability program flourishes with help from the Green Team, and the Green
Team has thrived under Keiko’s leadership. But she is the first to admit that her success would
not be possible without the firsthand work experience and generous financial aid opportunities
that Berry offers.
“I couldn’t be here without the donations and the scholarships that I’ve received,” she
said. “I am definitely appreciative of the generous people who are part of Berry’s community.”
It is these people who have given her the opportunity to make an impact on the college. It
is with the help of her donors that she can be extraordinary.
By Alyssa Hollingsworth, student writer