Skidmore welcomes two new sustainability professionals
Two new staff members, Levi Rogers and Rachel Willis, have joined the staff of the
Sustainable Skidmore program. Designated as sustainability fellows, Rogers and Willis
have two-year appointments under a grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
“Rachel and Levi will expand the sustainability work we can carry out on campus for
students, faculty, and staff,” said Riley Neugebauer, Skidmore’s sustainability coordinator.
“They both bring different and relevant experiences and skills to this work, which
will help us educate and engage others toward the goal of a more sustainable future.”
Levi Rogers and Rachel Willis
Rogers recently earned an MBA in sustainability from Antioch University New England
and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire in environmental
conservation, with a focus on sustainable agriculture. While at Antioch, he worked
with the City of Keene, N.H. to assess the feasibility of an aquaponic greenhouse
fueled by recaptured methane. He also completed a research project on the sustainability
challenges faced by institutions of higher education.
Rogers worked as a sushi chef in New Hampshire and helped make the restaurant more
sustainable through local food partnerships and sourcing from sustainable fisheries.
At Skidmore, Rogers will work on communications strategy and implementation, a sustainable
office certification program, alternative transportation options, and overseeing the
student garden and composting efforts.
Willis graduated in 2012 with an environmental science degree from Allegheny College,
where she assisted the college’s sustainability program on many fronts. She was the
director of sustainability for student government and helped create a green living
community within residential life, becoming that program’s the first R.A. She also
helped create a sustainability tour for the admissions office. She also participated
in various projects related to community development in Meadville, Pa., where the
college is located.
At Skidmore, Willis will work on the student sustainability rep (S-Rep) program, which
provides peer-to-peer education and outreach in the campus residence halls. The S-Reps
help to carry out such programs as Skidmore Unplugged, a three-week energy-conservation
competition among buildings on campus that has grown to become a competition among
schools as a part of the Campus Conservation Nationals. Willis will also help to develop
a sustainability tour for Skidmore, manage the North Woods stewards program, and co-manage
the Skidmore Student Conservation Corps.