GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College is making it easy for architectural technology students and community members to be green by offering a new class this spring: Sustainable Principles (ADCG 150).
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The offering will not only prepare students for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate exam but also allow them to take this exam for free.
"The class will be an interesting look at what the whole green movement is about, including the history of the movement, sustainability principles and LEED techniques," said Luke Jumper, coordinator of L&C's Architectural Technology program.
Jumper is also the advisor of a newly formed L&C student club, the Sustainability Association, which will be electing officers within the next couple of weeks. Randy Meyer, L&C student and founder of the club, thought the organization was necessary for life on an environmentally friendly campus.
"Many students voice their opinions on sustainability and green issues," Meyer said. "The Sustainability Association gives students a forum where they can express those concerns. The goal is to bring faculty, staff and students together to work on these types of issues."
Because L&C is offering the Sustainable Principles class and has a campus club devoted to the same green values, the college is eligible for the Community Green program administered by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Once a Sustainability Association member, L&C students who take the Sustainable Principles class will be given free LEED learning materials and allowed to take the LEED certification exam, which typically costs $350, for free.
"Our goal is, by the end of the class, students will be able to pass the LEED Green Associate exam and become part of the 'green' workforce," Jumper, who will teach the class, said.
A LEED accredited professional himself, Jumper is interested in passing on the knowledge he has obtained as an architect while furthering the development of the sustainability movement in the Riverbend area. He has worked for large and small architectural firms and on projects that range from single-family homes to multi-billion dollar military facilities.
"Being an architect is not as sexy as it seems on television," Jumper said. "But, it is a remarkably rewarding discipline with many avenues to contribute."
Jumper, who began working at the college in 2007, finds teaching at L&C just as rewarding.
"Lewis and Clark allows instructors to develop classes our students need to respond to a changing work environment," Jumper said. "When the concept I am trying to teach a student finally clicks and I see it in his or her reaction, that is a pretty hard moment to beat."
Those wanting to enroll in the Sustainability Principles class, or any other Lewis and Clark offering, can call the Enrollment Center at (618) 468-2222.
Photo Cutline: Luke Jumper, the coordinator of L&C's Architectural Technology program, is interested in furthering the development of the sustainability movement in the Riverbend area. Photo by S. Paige Allen
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