Johannes Richter is a Business Administration undergraduate (Class of 2027). In addition to his studies here at Clarkson, Richter is a sustainability leader on campus, serving as the Student Manager of the CU Pantry. The food pantry, which started as a sophomore Honors project, is now managed by the Office of the Dean of Students. It is an amazing resource on campus for students, faculty, and staff. Richter shared with the ISE the following exciting updates:
“Since stepping into the role of Student Manager of the CU Pantry in September 2023, I’ve prioritized raising awareness of food insecurity on campus and improving access to fresh produce, family-sized meals, and culturally relevant foods. This year, I was excited to announce our new partnership with the Food Bank of Central New York (CNY), which enables us to offer a wider variety of food options to students in need. Recognizing the importance of food education, we’re launching a series of food workshops starting in spring 2025, which will range from cooking classes to skills-based sessions on maximizing pantry items. To support these initiatives, we’ve applied for the $20,000 LEAD Impact Grant from the Northern New York Community Foundation to fund food sourcing, pantry supplies, and workshop materials. The CU Pantry has made great strides this past year, and we’re always looking for supporters to join us in advancing this mission and spreading awareness to help even more students.”
This semester (Fall 2024), the Office of the Dean of Students is collaborating with the ISE to establish a Food Recovery Council on campus. Working with Sodexo and other campus representatives, the Food Recovery Council hopes to:
- Collaboratively develop and implement sustainable food recovery practices at Clarkson, addressing food waste and insecurity, while ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
- Efforts include: donating or repurposing food that would otherwise go to waste, such as overproduction and leftovers from catered events.
Stop by Price Hall to visit the CU Pantry, and reach out to Johannes if you’d like to get involved!
The Institute for a Sustainable Environment is working to feature sustainability initiatives, like Johannes’ efforts, taking place on campus. At Clarkson, we are committed to including sustainability in everything we do. If you have a project, story, or other sustainability work you’d like to share, please email Evelyn (laferrep@clarkson.edu).