Aguilar honored by AASHE for sustainability leadership

Olivia Aguilar, Leslie and Sarah Miller Director of the Miller Worley Center for the Environment at Mount Holyoke College, has been recognized for her sustainability leadership with an Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Fellows Award. Aguilar, who is also an associate professor of Environmental Studies at the College, is one of 16 winners worldwide to be honored with the 2025 AASHE Sustainability Awards for their outstanding contributions to environmental, social and economic well-being.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be awarded as an AASHE sustainability fellow in this inaugural year,” said Aguilar. “I think, more than anything, it highlights the steadfast commitment that the Miller Worley Center for the Environment has toward being a leader in climate justice and bringing the community together around this issue with initiatives like the Community Commitment to Climate Justice and the Summit on Feminist Leadership in Climate Justice.”

The annual AASHE Sustainability Awards honor innovators who are driving environmental stewardship in higher education. The Fellows Award is a new addition to the awards, and no more than 10 individuals will be selected each year.

To be considered for the Fellows Award, sustainability professionals in higher education who have five or more years of experience must meet several criteria. They must be managing or have implemented one or more high-impact projects or programs; be contributing to or have developed tools, models or frameworks used to advance sustainability; have made meaningful contributions to the body of knowledge in higher education and have dedicated substantial time to building a campus sustainability community.

“The 2025 AASHE Sustainability Award winners exemplify the innovation, leadership and dedication needed to drive meaningful change in higher education sustainability,” said Meghan Fay Zahniser, executive director of AASHE. “Their achievements, spanning diverse institutions and initiatives, highlight the power of collaboration and creativity. We applaud these outstanding individuals and organizations for their vision and impact, and we celebrate their contributions to building a more just and sustainable future.”