Rachel Schauer, program manager in the Office of Sustainability Initiatives, has received the 2026 Staff Member (Re)Cognition Award from the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS). The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a commitment to enriching their campuses and communities through sustainability leadership, collaboration, and meaningful change.
Schauer was nominated by Dr. Maria Dahmus, director of the Office of Sustainability Initiatives, for her leadership of the Student Sustainability Leadership (SSL) program. Through the SSL program, Schauer creates opportunities for students to develop as leaders while fostering collaboration, reflection and a shared commitment to caring for our common home. Schauer and her student team have advanced campus sustainability through reuse and waste reduction initiatives and sustainability outreach and education on campus, and they have deepened engagement beyond campus through initiatives such as the Sustainability Professionals Network.
In addition to mentoring students, Schauer has helped build partnerships across campus to foster a culture of sustainability and to advance the university’s sustainability goals. Her involvement with sustainability networks, including UMACS, has further strengthened sustainability collaboration and shared learning across the Upper Midwest.
