USGBC-LI presents winners of 2009 Scholarship Awards - Dec. 13

The United States Green Building Council - Long Island Chapter (USGBC-LI) gathered on December 13 to present the winners of the USGBC-LI 2009 Scholarship Awards. The event was held at Carlyle on the Green at Bethpage State Park. Four scholarships totaling $7,500 were awarded to college-level USGBC-LI chapter student members that are from Long Island or currently attend a College or University on Long Island. Students were asked to provide their college transcripts, a letter of recommendation and an essay on their environmental solutions to one of the four following topics: President Obama's Alternative Energy Plan; Rules and Regulations Impacting America's Carbon Footprint; Organic Water Pollution on Long Island; and Green Building Initiatives. The scholarship winners are: Platinum Scholarship - $2,500 Lowell Dickerson, Senior at the Webb Institute Major: Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Platinum Scholarship - $2,500 Andrew Latchman, Junior at the Webb Institute Major: Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Gold Scholarship - $1,500 John Botos, Senior at Stony Brook University - Southampton Major: Environmental Studies Silver Scholarship - $1,000 Raphael Bergman, Junior at Stony Brook University - Southampton Major: Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning Paul Cataldo, LEED AP, co-chair of the USGBC-LI Green Schools Committee said, "We are extremely excited and proud to present the USGBC-LI 2009 Scholarship Awards and recognize the students of Long Island who truly are engaged in future of sustainability. This group of students are individuals who are driven, passionate and focused on green initiatives and ultimately represent the mission and vision of the USGBC-LI itself." The brunch featured a speech from Dr. James Quigley, Ph.D., lecturer and faculty director of The Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning Department at Stony Brook University. Dr. Quigley instructs both environmental planning and political science courses at Stony Brook Southampton. Dr. Quigley served as director of the Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College, CUNY from 2003 to 2007, and director of the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability from 1998 to 2002. He also taught environmental studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey and Portland State University in Oregon. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. USGBC developed the LEED building rating system, which is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. USGBC's core purpose is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. USGBC-LI works to bring these values to the communities of Long Island.