Campus Sustainability is not just about recycling bins and turning off the lights.
Sustainability professionals translate big-picture environmental goals into the daily rhythms of campus life. They collaborate across departments, nudging everything from dining menus to building construction toward more responsible practices, while also helping students connect their values to real, tangible action. At their best, sustainability offices go beyond reducing a campus's carbon footprint. They help cultivate a generation of graduates who carry that sense of responsibility with them long after commencement.
Andrew James is the Sustainability Communications and Engagement Manager at Bentley University. Check out what he has to say about working in the Office of Sustainability.
What drew you to higher education specifically, rather than a similar role in another sector?
I had a number of unique and deeply formative experiences throughout my education and early professional development that genuinely changed the trajectory of my life. Because of those opportunities, I came to believe that education is one of the most liberating and transformative tools for creating meaningful change and impact for all kinds of people.
For a long time, I thought I would end up in politics. Then I considered teaching. Eventually, I found my niche in sustainability because it is such a rich interdisciplinary field that welcomes many different talents, perspectives, and skill sets. Sustainability also connected naturally with a lot of my personal interests and background, including environmental education, ecology, landscaping, and environmental ethics. It became a space where I felt I could combine communication, community engagement, systems thinking, and education into meaningful work.
What expertise, training, or credentials does your work require that people might not expect?
One area of expertise I’ve been especially grateful to develop is a strong foundational understanding of business and finance. Much of my academic and professional background originally stemmed from the liberal arts, humanities, environmental ethics, and education. Over time, I realized how important it was to also understand the business case for sustainability.
Being able to bridge those worlds has strengthened my approach significantly. It has allowed me to communicate sustainability not only as an environmental or ethical responsibility, but also as something deeply connected to organizational strategy, operations, resilience, and long-term institutional success. I think that combination of communication, systems thinking, and business literacy is something people do not always expect from sustainability work.
What's a skill or talent you bring to your role that wasn't in the job description?
I really enjoy creative work. I draw, paint, and love building things, and I think that creative mindset naturally carries into how I approach communications and engagement work. Because of that interest, I’ve had some really exciting opportunities to collaborate with Bentley’s Visual Arts Director, Danielle Krcmar, on developing unique art installations within the student center.
I also think creativity influences how I approach branding, storytelling, and visual identity within our office. Sustainability communication can sometimes feel overly technical or abstract, so I enjoy finding ways to make it more visually engaging, welcoming, and human-centered.
What do you wish more people understood about the role staff play in a college or university's success?
I wish more people understood just how collaborative higher education really is. The student experience is shaped by an enormous network of people working behind the scenes. Faculty, staff, administrators, facilities teams, student affairs professionals, custodial staff, dining workers, advisors, communicators, and so many others who each contribute in meaningful ways.
Coming from a student affairs background, I’ve always believed that some of the most impactful learning and development happens outside the classroom through mentorship, programming, support systems, and everyday interactions that help students feel connected and supported. Staff often serve as mentors, advocates, problem-solvers, and community builders, even if their work is not always highly visible.
At its best, a university succeeds because many different people with different forms of expertise care deeply about helping students grow, discover themselves, and succeed.
Andrew James is the the Sustainability Communications and Engagement Manager at Bentley University. He holds a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and an MS in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Do you have a colleague who is doing impactful work on a college campus? I’d love to connect and highlight their work!
