Charting Opportunities and Challenges in Higher Education’s Climate Action Journey

About the Series

As a result of new technologies, financial pressures, growing student activism, and shifts in federal and state climate policies, campus climate and sustainability efforts continue to evolve. Join the American Council on Education (ACE) and Second Nature in a new series of webinars—Charting Opportunities and Challenges in Higher Education’s Climate Action Journey—tailored to help campus leaders, sustainability staff, and climate advocates anticipate challenges and identify opportunities to lead in this rapidly shifting policy landscape. Featuring higher education and climate experts, the conversation will explore how higher education can continue to lead on climate action by advancing clean energy, equity, and innovation while preparing students for a changing world.

Nov. 18: Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Campus Climate Leadership

November 18, 2025
2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

Sustainability has undergone major policy realignments over the past year, with a huge shift at the federal level from the Biden administration’s support to the Trump administration’s hostility to sustainability policies. This stage-setting webinar explored emerging trends, shared institutional perspectives, and laid the groundwork for the conversations to come.

Recording Available

SPEAKERS

Gregory Washington

President, George Mason University

Gregory Washington

President, George Mason University

Bob Kopp

Distinguished Professor, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University

Bob Kopp

Distinguished Professor, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University

Tim Carter

President, Second Nature

Tim Carter

President, Second Nature

Marisol Morales

Executive Director, Carnegie Elective Classifications

Carnegie Classification

Marisol Morales is the executive director of the Carnegie Elective Classifications, providing conceptual leadership and operational oversight to the elective classifications’ work. This includes the collaborative development of and responsibility for a...

Marisol Morales

Executive Director, Carnegie Elective Classifications

Carnegie Classification

Lande Ajose

Managing Director, Waverley Street Foundation

Lande Ajose

Managing Director, Waverley Street Foundation

Dec. 11: The Higher Education Clean Energy Projects Map: Lessons from 2021 Onwards

December 11, 2025
2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

This session will review and discuss Second Nature’s Higher Education Clean Energy Projects Map. This new map resource showcases the breadth of clean energy projects since 2021 that could have qualified for or used the Direct (Elective) Pay provision in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the lessons learned along the way. The webinar will also highlight geothermal installations as a case study for scaling clean energy solutions, exploring how institutions navigated technical, financial, and policy challenges. This memo overviews major sustainability-related changes included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Recording available

SPEAKERS

Lily Strehlow

Sustainability Coordinator, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire

Lily Strehlow

Sustainability Coordinator, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire

Megan Litke

Director of Sustainability, American University

Megan Litke

Director of Sustainability, American University

Kimberly Reeves

Executive Director, Center for Sustainability, Agnes Scott College

Kimberly Reeves

Executive Director, Center for Sustainability, Agnes Scott College

Bari Samad

Director of Communications and Marketing, Second Nature

Bari Samad

Director of Communications and Marketing, Second Nature

Daniels Theo

Climate Policy Manager, Second Nature

Daniels Theo

Climate Policy Manager, Second Nature

Monique Guillory

President, Dillard University

Monique Guillory

President, Dillard University

Jan. 29: Building the Climate Workforce: Higher Education’s Role in Equitable Green Jobs

January 29, 2026
2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

Colleges and universities are leading efforts to prepare the next generation of climate and clean energy workers across the continuum from apprenticeships to degree programs. This session will highlight workforce development models, funding opportunities, partnerships with industry and labor, and innovative approaches to equipping students with the skills needed to power this critical sector.

RegisterBuilding the Climate Workforce: Higher Ed’s Role in Equitable Green Jobs
January 29, 2026
2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

PartnerThis webinar series is hosted in partnership with Second Nature.