Turning Ideas into Impact: Announcing the 2026 Sustainable Hawk Fund Recipients

From integrating Indigenous perspectives into sustainability to developing new opportunities for climate education, this year’s Sustainable Hawk Fund recipients are bringing forward innovative projects that will strengthen Laurier’s culture of sustainability across the campuses.

Open to all students, staff, and faculty, the Sustainable Hawk Fund provides up to $30,000 annually to support initiatives that advance the goals of Laurier’s 2023-2028 Sustainability Action Plan including climate action, waste diversion, and community engagement. Since 2015, over $199,000 has been awarded to Laurier community members to bring their projects to fruition.

The diverse range of projects created by the 2026 recipients demonstrates the many ways sustainability can take shape across the institution and highlights the entrepreneurial spirit of Laurier’s students, staff, and faculty.

The 2026 Sustainable Hawk Fund recipients

A Way Forward: Sustainability through Decolonization and Reconciliation (Emily Daniel)

This university-wide gathering on the Waterloo campus will focus on reconciliation and decolonization by connecting Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, students, staff, and faculty in meaningful dialogue about environmental stewardship and sustainability through Indigenous perspectives. Participants will hear from a keynote speaker, specializing in land-based education and engage with a variety of sustainability topics explored through an Indigenous lens.

By creating opportunities for reflection, learning, and relationship-building, this project aims to deepen understanding of how Indigenous knowledges passed through generations can inform sustainable futures.

The Book Buffet (Patricia Kousoulas)

At Laurier’s Milton campus, Patricia Kousoulas is launching the Book Buffet, a community-driven book exchange designed to encourage sharing, reuse, and learning. Students, staff, and faculty will be able to donate, exchange, and discover books free of charge.

As the Book Buffet grows, Kousoulas aims to expand its collection to include resources related to Laurier programs while highlighting works by Indigenous authors and other equity-deserving voices.

Green Hawk Learning Initiative (Chiedza Dune & Elaina Manarin)

Recognizing the importance of climate and environmental literacy across disciplines, Chiedza Dune and Elaina Manarin are leading the Green Hawk Learning Initiative. This project aims to develop self-directed learning modules that provide students with accessible information about sustainability, Laurier’s climate action goals, campus-specific carbon reduction efforts, practical sustainable behaviours, and Indigenous knowledge systems.

Available to students from both environmental and non-environmental programs, the modules will be designed to increase awareness of climate issues and empower participants to take meaningful action in their academic and personal lives.

CARE Conference (Danielle Law)

The Child and Adolescent Research and Education Lab’s Youth & Community Connections Conference returns for its fourth year, continuing its focus on knowledge mobilization, wellbeing, and social-emotional learning (SEL).

The conference will bring together more than 200 students, staff, youth, and community members on Laurier’s Brantford campus for workshops, youth-led discussions, panel sessions, and keynote presentations. Planned and facilitated by Laurier students with guidance from faculty members, the event creates opportunities for participants to explore current SEL research, learn about local programs and services, and build connections across sectors.

Career Clothing Closet (Bethany Correia)

The Waterloo campus Career Clothing Closet is aiming to address both affordability and sustainability by providing access to professional attire for students and new alumni. This initiative will create a dedicated space stocked with donated business casual and professional clothing that can be accessed free of charge for interviews, networking events, job fairs, and other career-related opportunities.

Building on the success of a similar initiative run by Brantford’s Career Centre staff, the Career Clothing Closet promotes the reuse of clothing, reduces textile waste, and helps remove financial barriers for students preparing to enter the workforce.

Continual Sustainability Enhancements for Athletics and Recreational Audiences (Chad Van Dyk)

Building on a previous Sustainable Hawk Fund project, this initiative will transition paper-based facility inspection processes to digital systems and expand the use of electronic game sheets across intramural leagues, sports, and recreation programs. Working with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the project will leverage new recreation and facility management software to reduce paper consumption and streamline operations.

Applications for the 2027 Sustainable Hawk Fund will be reopening this fall, now is the time to start thinking about how you can make a lasting impact on campus! Already have an idea about how to make Laurier more sustainable, but not sure of what steps can be taken. Reach out to the Sustainability Office at sustainability@wlu.ca to discuss next steps or receive guidance on bringing your project to life.