Director of Sustainability
Brandon M Hoover
Director of Sustainability
bhoover@messiah.edu (717)796-1800 Ext. 4785
My motto for work and service is that redemption is participatory, and requires us to work on redeeming both people and our places. For me the best way to do that is through a sustainability framework. In my unique role as the Director of Sustainability, I provide leadership to both the Office of Sustainability and the Sustainability Studies major, both of which cultivate an ethos of civic and ecological citizenship through experiential learning and institutional sustainability planning. Essentially this means my work has me all over campus, from working in the garden or managing composting efforts to teaching. I have a passion for educating students to become more engaged citizens, both socially and ecologically. My teaching and research focuses on community and urban development, with a particular focus on food systems, economic geography, local policy, and human-environment interactions.
Sustainability Program Coordinator
Student Sustainability Engagement Coordinator
Micaela (Mica) Nieves
Student Sustainability Engagement Coordinator
sustainability@messiah.edu (717) 796-1800 X 4784
Mica is a senior Sustainability Studies major with concentrations in Conservation and Agriculture and Community Development. As the Engagement Coordinator, Mica collaborates with clubs and organizations on campus and abroad to foster connections surrounding Sustainability. Mica looks forward to deepening our conversations about Sustainability to include topics like reconciliation and inclusivity, while also hoping to help students strengthen their relationships with each other. Mica is passionate about social justice, especially in regards to its intersection with Sustainability. She also loves medicinal plants and hopes to study medicinal botany in the future. Lastly, she is the Vice President of La Alianza Latina, and co-president of Earthkeepers, so make sure to stop by their club meetings and say hello!
Waste Coordinator
Aleesa Wu
Waste Coordinator
sustainability@messiah.edu 717-796-1800 X 4784
Aleesa Wu is a second year Engineering major. She enjoys tree climbing in sunny weather, sledding when it snows, and just generally being outside. This is her first year working as the Sustainability Office's Waste Coordinator. She plans on actively engaging with the students at Messiah, as well as educating them on how they can reduce their waste.
Communications Coordinator
Elisabeth Kolb
Communications Coordinator
sustainability@messiah.edu 717-796-1800 X 4784
Elisabeth is a sophomore Public Relations major with a minor in Pre-Counseling and Therapy. As Communications Coordinator, she works to create and maintain content for the Office of Sustainability’s social media pages, website, and newsletters. Her hope for this year in managing those pages is to help teach students about Sustainability and what they can do to make campus more sustainable. In addition to working for the Office of Sustainability, Elisabeth also manages the Instagram page for PRSSA, a student-led club for those pursuing or who have interest in careers involving Public Relations. Some of Elisabeth’s favorite things include coffee, houseplants, embroidering, painting, and making tea for her friends.
Biodiversity Coordinator
Savannah Beyer
Biodiversity Coordinator
sustainability@messiah.edu 717-796-1800 X 4784
Savannah Beyer is a Junior Environmental Science major. Her interests include reading and hiking, when she is not working on homework. As the new Biodiversity Coordinator, Savannah is looking forward to working on our second pollinator meadow. Through this she hopes that the flowers grown add to Messiah’s brightness.
Grantham Community Garden Coordinator
Phalika Oum
Grantham Community Garden Coordinator
sustainability@messiah.edu 717-796-1800 X 4784
Phalika Oum is a junior Sociology major with Anthropology concentration and minors in Environmental Science and History. As the Garden Coordinator, she takes care of garden produce, bees, chickens, as well as host farm stands, manages CSA, and recruits community volunteers. Phalika hopes to use her interest in agroecology and diaspora to advocate for food sovereignty and reconnection to ancestral lands. In her spare time, Phalika forages and listens to Tiny Desk concerts.
