Rising juniors and seniors at Miami University with a demonstrated interest in sustainability have the opportunity to earn a scholarship that covers tuition, room and board thanks to the Hannon Armstrong Foundation Climate Solutions Scholarship. 

Made possible through an initial $200,000 grant, the new needs-based scholarships will serve a cohort of up to five undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers related to climate action and sustainability. The program aims to provide financial assistance for high-achieving, sustainability-focused students from underrepresented communities at Miami and Morgan State University. Miami and Morgan State will administer the scholarships, and recipients will be encouraged to seek mentorship opportunities with Hannon Armstrong employees.

“We are deeply grateful to the Hannon Armstrong Foundation for their leadership and vision, which align with two important priorities for Miami University – sustainability and scholarship support for disadvantaged and underrepresented students," said Miami President Gregory P. Crawford. “Miami’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, and our alumni, have been at the forefront of environmental studies and research for more than 50 years. This scholarship will help provide more opportunities to a new generation of students, who will be called upon to solve the most critical challenges of our time.”

There are 300 geothermal wells under Upper Pond on Miami's Western campus (image by Scott Kissell).

Miami has spent 10 years on the path to carbon neutrality by transforming energy use on the Oxford campus. In September 2020, Miami signed the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments (PCLC) - Climate Commitment as a leader in environmental stewardship and campus sustainability. Over the last few years, Miami has achieved a 51% reduction in energy-based carbon emissions per gross square foot over the 2008 baseline, and achieved a Gold AASHE STARS rating in recognition of sustainability efforts. Miami has 29 Gold or Silver LEED-certified buildings on the Oxford campus. 

"Our foundation's announcement of its first grant to support sustainability-focused undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds serves as an important step forward in our journey to drive meaningful and sustainable impact at the intersection of climate action and social justice," said Hannon Armstrong Foundation President Jeffrey W. Eckel (Miami '80). "By providing critical financial support and mentorship opportunities to the next generation of climate leaders, we strengthen both our industry and the communities we serve."

The Hannon Armstrong Foundation's mission is to accelerate a just transition toward an equitable, inclusive, and climate positive future. Through its quarterly Social Dividend, Hannon Armstrong (NYSE: HASI) funds the Hannon Armstrong Foundation, which provides cash and in-kind support to programs that align with the company’s philanthropic priorities to preserve and restore natural resources and develop new solutions to pressing climate challenges; empower and create opportunity for marginalized individuals and communities; and strengthen the social fabric of the communities it serves to promote economic and climate resilience.