The University of Pittsburgh honored students, faculty, staff and groups at its 2026 Pitt Sustainability Awards ceremony on April 24. The annual event recognizes members of the Pitt community whose work advances the goals of the Pitt Sustainability Plan.
The plan organizes Pitt’s sustainability work across three areas: stewardship, exploration, and community and culture. The general Pitt Sustainability Awards celebrate Pitt faculty, staff, students and groups who make extraordinary impacts on campus sustainability.
The Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award recognizes one Pitt student annually who has demonstrated exemplary leadership and dedication to advancing sustainability. This year’s winner is Rachel Garcia (pictured, second from right), a recent graduate of the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences who served as managing student director of the Student Office of Sustainability and co-chaired the Zero Waste Working Group. After graduation, she will pursue an environmental law degree at Vermont Law and Graduate School.
Other awards include:
- Student Awards: Mare McGrory, a senior in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
You can read the full story on Pittwire.