EIU Media Relations

Eastern Takes Third in International District Energy Association Video Contest

A team of Eastern Illinois University students made a respectable showing, coming in third only behind Princeton and Harvard in the International District Energy Association’s first campus energy video contest.

A video produced by Keith Sutterfield of Effingham, Wesley Smith of Chicago and Bobson Mercier of Ft. Myers, Fla., was chosen over entries from New Hampshire’s Dartmouth College, Texas A&M and the University of Connecticut.

“We congratulate these students in bringing EIU into the same league as the Ivy League schools in the nation,” said Ryan Siegel, EIU’s campus energy and sustainability coordinator.

Gary Reed, director of Facilities Planning and Management, formally accepted the award on behalf of the students during the association’s annual Campus Energy Conference, held earlier this month in Washington, D.C.  The award included a framed certificate and a cash prize of $100.

“Congratulations to the students and their advisory support staff in the Center for Academic Technology Support (CATS) for this great effort and the resulting award,” Reed said.  “This is yet another testimony of the dedication to efficient and environmentally responsible operations supported by the EIU campus community.

“This particular award reflects on our students’ appreciation for the efforts toward sustainability demonstrated through continuous improvements in campus operations and infrastructure.  The EIU example continues to be a leading model in energy use optimization and environmental responsibility.”

The video competition was sponsored by the IDEA to promote student engagement in distributed energy concepts and applications.  Student submissions were judged by the IDEA board for content and communications effectiveness in delivery of the focal message.

Sutterfield said that, while none of the three students had a lot of knowledge about Eastern’s Renewable Energy Center, they thought it would make a great subject for a video.  The three men compiled a list of people who were involved with the plan and contacted them about interviews.

“The whole process took several weeks to complete,” he said.

He commended Michael Babcock, a graphic designer with CATS, who “served as a great mentor to us all.”

The EIU video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9_iZcd0YJA&list=UUcii8ZN-2lH9Dy2yL9Q3E7A&index=1&feature=plcp.