Purpose
Business Fellows are serving the needs of two community groups, Westfield Washington Schools (Hamilton County) and Unitarian Universalist Church (Muncie), each of which seeks to improve the environmental performance of its facilities and incorporate "green stewardship" ideals into its operations.  The Ball State University students are characterizing the needs of these two groups and providing researched recommendations to help them achieve their goals.

Action
The students worked with personnel from the two community groups and toured their facilities to characterize the greening needs for each group.  They conducted research into best practices and conducted background studies of demographic and other factors of the communities to inform recommendations about procedures or practices they could adopt to enable green stewardship. In the case of the church, its goal is to seek Green Sanctuary status within the nationwide church organization; the students' work is helping them along this path.  The schools are experiencing rapid growth, with new construction underway or planned; the students are enabling the facilities manager to identify design considerations to achieve enhanced environmental performance.

Results
Students are producing a slide presentation and report to help the Green Committee at the church identify improvements to its facilities and within its congregation to address environmental goals necessary to follow church principles for stewardship.  Students are writing a report to give the facilities manager of the schools that includes an environmental assessment and recommendations for operations and management of the present and future school facilities.

Faculty Mentor
James Eflin, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Partners
Westfield Washington Schools, Hamilton County; Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie

Students
Anelida Aponte; Ryne Brutus; Anthony Campati; Nicole Holt; Alison McReynolds; Lisa Nicklas; Gabrielle Olson; Emily Perchlik; Sheila Plank; Tessa Pobanz; Thomas Vittetau; Courtney Workman