RIVER FALLS – The Princeton Review has once again recognized the University of Wisconsin-River Falls commitment to sustainability by including UWRF in its online resource, “The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition,” published Tuesday, Oct. 21.

UWRF has been consistently featured in the guide, which is accessible for free at princetonreview.com/college-rankings/green-guide and profiles 388 colleges that foster a culture of environmental responsibility and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.

“It’s always exciting to see our sustainability efforts recognized,” said UWRF Interim Chancellor John Chenoweth. “This honor reflects the university’s deep commitment to sustainability as a core value. We’re proud to lead by example-empowering students, faculty, staff, and our broader community to take shared responsibility for building a more sustainable future.”

The Princeton Review chose the colleges based on a survey the company conducted in 2024-2025 of administrators at 401 colleges about their institutions' sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The company also surveyed students attending the colleges about their "green" campus experiences. The school selections were based on more than 25 data points from the surveys.

“Our continued recognition in this guide is a testament to the passion and dedication of our students, employees and community partners who drive sustainability forward every day,” said Mark Klapatch-Mathias, UWRF sustainability coordinator. “While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we know this work is ongoing, and we’re committed to continuing the journey toward a more sustainable future.”

The Princeton Review’s Green Ratings are tallied on a scale of 60 to 99. UWRF received a Green Rating of 91.

“Among the hundreds of schools we surveyed for this project, UW-River Falls, which offers excellent academics, is also a stand-out for its record of environmentally responsible practices. We are delighted to recommend it to college applicants who want their ‘best-fit’ college to also be a 'green' one," said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief.

Inclusion in the guide is just one recognition of UWRF’s sustainability efforts. Others include:

• STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Gold rating in recognition of sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
• Tree Campus USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation.
• Bee Campus USA affiliation, recognizing efforts to sustain pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants and free of pesticides.

In addition, each April, the UWRF Sustainability Office partners with Hope for Earth, the city of River Falls, the School District of River Falls and a variety of other organizations to present Earth Fest, an opportunity for community members to learn, engage and take action.

To learn more about UWRF’s sustainability efforts, visit students.uwrf.edu/sustainability.

Submitted by UW-River Falls