JMU Celebrates Campus Sustainability Month with Inclusion in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges

JMU was included in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition, which profiles colleges that foster a culture of environmental responsibility and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.

The Princeton Review, an educational services company, chose 388 schools to include in the guide based on its survey of college administrators and students attending the colleges. The Princeton Review calculates schools’ Green Ratings on a scale of 60-99. Those that earned a Green Rating score of 80 or higher were chosen for the Guide. JMU earned a score of 91. JMU has been included in every edition since the guide's inception in 2009. 

The recognition coincides with Campus Sustainability Month - an international celebration of sustainability in higher education each October which is promoted by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Throughout the month, colleges and universities engage campus stakeholders in environmental stewardship and sustainability. JMU is an active member of AASHE and was recently recognized as a Top Performer in AASHE's Sustainable Campus Index, in the area of Research.

Students are central to JMU's sustainability achievements.  In the spirit of Campus Sustainability Month, students are encouraged to participate in three priority JMU sustainability initiatives:

• Enroll in courses that prepare students with the knowledge and skills to tackle sustainability challenges. JMU offers over 169 courses that include sustainability as well as 7 minors and 7 concentrations that include environmental sustainability. In preparation for Spring 2026 registration in a few weeks, students may find many sustainability-focused and sustainability-inclusive courses listed by JMU's Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World.
  
  

• Ride and from campus on the bus, which is always fare free. The Dukes Ride campaign promotes the benefits of commuting on the bus, including cost savings, convenience, and reducing environmental impact compared to driving and parking on campus. A recent episode of the Being the Change Podcast (S3 EP4: Ride the Bus!) highlights the effort by an interdisciplinary team of JMU faculty, staff, and students to promote commuting by bus.
  
  

• Engage in many JMU sustainability activities, such as those offered through student organizations, undergraduate research, internships, alternative breaks, volunteer opportunities, and study abroad programs.