By Lauryn Jelsema, Culture Editor
Brew and Renew event attendees in Albertus atrium – Photo by Onika Davis
On Feb. 19, from 12:00-1:00 p.m., the Center for Sustainability hosted its Brew and Renew event in the Albertus Atrium.
The event was organized by senior Ella Satterthwaite and led by Center for Sustainability intern Leah Rohr and the new center director, Jen Howell. Howell recently replaced Jessica Eimer-Bowen, who stepped down in the spring of 2025.
The hour was spent discussing new approaches to sustainability on campus following Eimer-Bowen’s resignation, over complimentary coffee and tea.
Meeting proposals included updating staff structure bylaws, forming a staff sustainability committee, and maintaining Aquinas College’s momentum in the Campus Race to Zero Waste.
AQ is a top performer in the annual Race To Zero Waste competition, an 8-week annual nationwide contest for U.S. and Canadian colleges to boost recycling and waste reduction, frequently ranking at the top nationally for food waste reduction and overall diversion rates among small campuses. AQ placed fourth nationwide in 2025.
In the discussion, Aquinas was referred to as an arboretum, an outdoor collection focused on the cultivation, study and conservation of trees and woody plants, due to its overwhelming collection of over 97 species of trees.
“Aquinas is becoming a place to showcase the trees, and the variety of them we have on campus,” said Elizabeth Jordan, a writer, editor and a member of AQ’s staff.
Future events were also discussed at Brew and Renew, such as the “Threads for Change: A Slow Fashion Makeover Event” in March of this year, where students will swap clothes. Additionally, the center is holding a program titled “We All Live Here” on April 25, though Howell could not disclose much information since the details of the event are still in the works.
Leah Rohrer, Jen Howell and Ella Satterthwaite (left to right) – Photo by Onika Davis
The Saint 