$10 million gift from alumnus Spike Buckley to establish the center for sustainability education
The University of Colorado Boulder announced a landmark $10 million gift from alumnus Spike Buckley to establish the Buckley Center for Sustainability Education, marking a transformative leap forward in how sustainability is taught and practiced across campus.
Under this venture-style investment, the donation allocates $2 million annually over five years, serving as a powerful springboard for comprehensive curriculum innovation, faculty development, and immersive student experiences.
The official signing ceremony—hosted by Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock and Chancellor Justin Schwartz—spotlights the university’s committed leadership in sustainability education.
The newly created Buckley Center will adopt a hub-and-spoke model to coordinate and elevate sustainability-related academic initiatives across all colleges and schools on campus.
Its mission includes developing and integrating sustainability modules, learning tools, and course innovations across disciplines; launching faculty fellowships, curriculum ambassador programs, and performance awards to enhance teaching excellence in sustainability; and establishing the Buckley Scholars Program, a competitive initiative granting experiential learning, civic engagement, and career development opportunities for students deeply committed to environmental challenges.
Chancellor Schwartz celebrated the initiative, stating, “Spike’s remarkably generous gift will allow us to better support the growing number of students across disciplines who are seeking the knowledge, skills and experiences to lead and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
Mayock noted the Center’s role in fostering a “collaborative and dynamic environment for learning, research and real-world application.”
Spike Buckley, whose four-decade career as a real estate redeveloper spans both the U.S. and Canada, has long been a passionate advocate for climate solutions.
He founded the nonprofit Earth’s Call Fund in 2019 and One Earth Philanthropy in 2021 to support global environmental initiatives. His philanthropic leadership has earned national recognition, including the Earth Legacy Leadership Award from the American Renewable Energy Day Summit in 2019.
Buckley also serves on the boards of numerous organizations working across climate, public health, and technology sectors, reflecting a deep commitment to systemic transformation.
Buckley himself emphasized the unique potential of CU Boulder: “Thanks to recent initiatives, events and awards, CU finds itself uniquely positioned to take a leadership role among universities in the drive toward a more sustainable world… It is my fervent hope that CU students, faculty and alumni will ultimately see the Center for Sustainability Education as their vehicle to make the world a better place for future generations.”
CU Boulder is already a national model in sustainability, holding its fifth consecutive STARS Gold rating, ranked 11th in the U.S. for sustainability by QS World University Rankings (2024), and featuring prominently among global leaders in earth and atmospheric sciences. The university’s history of environmental leadership includes launching the nation’s first student-run Environmental Center (1970), the first campus recycling program (1976), early commitments to carbon neutrality (2007), and pioneering zero-waste programs in athletics facilities.
The Buckley Center builds on this foundation—leveraging CU Boulder’s interdisciplinary strengths and strategic vision to inspire a new generation of sustainability leaders.