The Sustainable Cornell Mix & Mingle on April 29 at Atkinson Hall brought together students, faculty, and staff for an afternoon of connection and conversation around campus sustainability. This year, the event also featured the presentation of the Student Sustainability Awards, recognizing undergraduate and graduate students whose leadership, projects, and initiatives advance sustainability at Cornell.
The ceremony also recognized graduating students for contributions throughout their college career by presenting them with green and gold honor cords to wear during graduation.
2026 award winners:
Rookie of the Year: Tanay Naik - Cornell Sustainability Consultants, Energy Transition Club,Future Civilizations Society, Cornell Business Impact Symposium
Member of the Year: Riley Anne Smith – Residential Sustainability Leaders
Graduate Student of the Year: Stephanie Tran - Tompkins County Amphibian Patrol (TCAMP)
Advisor of the Year: Emily Dunuwila - Nature Rx Club; Empathy, Assistance, and Referral Service (EARS)
Event of the Year: Cornell Business Impact Symposium – Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise, Entrepreneurship at Cornell, Cornell Sustainability Consultants, Energy Transition Club, Nexus, Impact Investing at Cornell, Johnson Food & Agriculture Club, SGE Club
Project of the Year: Cornell–Finger Lakes ReUse Impact Team
Resilience Award: Rania Wanandi – Society for Natural Resources Conservation
Community Outreach Award: Trisha Bhujle - Anabel’s Grocery, United Nations Millennium Changemaker, Laidlaw Scholar, Spotted on the Road
JUST Award - Lani Lin-Kissick - Student Assembly Environmental Committee, CURewild, Celebrate Urban Birds, Sunrise Cornell
Organization of the Year: Energy Transition Club (ETC)
*Lifetime Achievement Award: Emily Pape - Cornell Student Athletes for Sustainability