Raritan Valley Community College has been recognized as the top community college in the United States for sustainability efforts in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index.
A publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall, and in 13 specific impact areas, as measured through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
With more than 1,200 participants in 56 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance.
This is the 11th year in a row that RVCC has been recognized nationally for its sustainability efforts, earning a gold ranking in 2025 as an Overall Top Performer among Associate & Short-Cycle Institutions and had the highest score of any U.S. community college.
In addition to recognizing the overall top performers, educational institutions were also ranked by specific impact areas. Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken earned gold for buildings and grounds, and Princeton University earned gold for public engagement.
RVCC President Michael J. McDonough said his college is honored that its proven track record in reducing its carbon footprint has been acknowledged by AASHE.
“The college’s commitment to sustainability is one of the central themes of its new, five-year Strategic Plan, which calls on RVCC to ‘lead with sustainability by embedding environmentally responsible practices within educational experiences and every aspect of campus operations,’” McDonough said.
RVCC has cut its campus energy emissions by 58% since 2005. The College is River Friendly, as well as a Bee Campus USA affiliate and Monarch Watch certified. RVCC has three solar installations, a greenhouse, 12 new publicly available electric car charging stations, a green roof and a green wall, numerous pollinator gardens, a rain garden, three rainwater harvesting systems, and three buildings built to LEED standards.
“All of us at AASHE are delighted to highlight Raritan Valley Community College in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Your innovative and high-impact initiative demonstrates what is possible when colleges and universities embrace sustainability as a core value. By modeling bold action, your institution inspires peers across higher education and strengthens the collective progress we are making toward addressing global sustainability challenges.”
About RVCC
Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College offers approximately 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training and professional development courses.
Photo caption: Solar panels outside of RVCC’s Workforce Training Center. – Image courtesy of RVCC.
