Commitment to Sustainability Lands Pratt on List of 10 Most Environmentally Friendly Colleges

Interior view of Myrtle Hall, the first higher-education green building in Brooklyn, and a physical manifestation of Pratt's commitment to sustainable design education.

Pratt Institute was one of only 10 colleges and universities nationally to be recognized with a Climate Leadership Award by Second Nature and the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), an agreement between nearly 700 colleges and universities to promote sustainability through teaching and action.   

"These institutions are leading the way for the academic community by demonstrating how sustainable practices can be put into place on campus that have a long-term impact on creating a sustainable society for the benefit of all," said Dr. Anthony D. Cortese, president of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the ACUPCC.  "They have all shown tremendous creativity and an unrelenting commitment to integrate sustainable practices into their campuses and society as a whole."

Pratt was recognized for its leadership role in creating the Partnership for Academic Leadership in Sustainability (PALS), which has brought together 30 independent colleges of art and design and three state universities from across North America to integrate sustainability into academic programs. PALS was founded by Debera Johnson, executive director, Center for Sustainable Design Studies, academic director of sustainability, and visiting associate professor in the Graduate School of Planning.

The 10 recipients represent the diversity of institutions of higher education and are located throughout the United States. The winners were recognized in an award ceremony with their peer institutions at the ACUPCC Climate Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., on June 21 and 22.  

Text: Amy Aronoff
Photo: Alexander Severin/RAZUMMEDIA

Online Gallery Showcases Hundreds of Works by Pratt Alumni and Faculty

Visit the Gallery today to cast your vote for the most iconic images!

In honor of its 125th anniversary, Pratt has launched an online gallery featuring hundreds of iconic works of art, design, architecture, and writing created by Pratt faculty and alumni.

These works—from painting and sculpture to advertising campaigns and graphic novels—changed the world, becoming essential fixtures in popular culture and our daily lives.

Now, you can weigh in on your favorites.  

Visit 125.pratt.edu/gallery and cast votes for the items you deem to be the most iconic works of all time. You may vote for as many iconic works as you wish. The 125 works with the most votes will be featured in a special exhibition at Pratt Manhattan Gallery in November 2012.

Text: Abigail Beshkin
Photos: For credit listing visit the icons gallery.

Bruce Gitlin to Succeed Mike Pratt as Chair of Pratt’s Board of Trustees

Bruce Gitlin, president and CEO of MILGO/BUFKIN, has been elected chair of Pratt Institute's Board of Trustees, a position he will assume on July 1. Gitlin succeeds Mike Pratt, president and executive director of the Scherman Foundation, who has served as chair since 2007 and is a descendent of Pratt Institute founder Charles Pratt.

"Bruce Gitlin possesses both the business acumen and the art and design expertise to lead Pratt and build on the reputation that the Institute has developed as a leader in creativity and innovation for the 21st century," said Mike Pratt, who will remain on the Institute's Board as vice chair.

Gitlin, whose father graduated from the Pratt School of Engineering in 1936, has served on the Pratt Board since 1997, leading its Buildings and Grounds Committee as it has transformed the Pratt campus into a showplace of sculpture and design.   

 "With Pratt's international reputation for creative and academic excellence in fields ranging from architecture and design to information science, the Institute is poised to play a major role in transforming the way people experience, interact with, and sustain their environments," said Gitlin. "Pratt has already made a profound difference in Brooklyn's and New York City's social and cultural landscape, and I look forward to working with President Thomas F. Schutte and my fellow trustees to make Pratt a global model of socially conscious innovation."    

Gitlin is the third generation of his family to head MILGO/BUFKIN, the Brooklyn-based, internationally renowned metal fabrication company, and is also a major collector of contemporary painting and sculpture.    

A native New Yorker, he earned a bachelor of science degree in metallurgical engineering from Lehigh University in 1963. An avid sportsman, he is also a member of the board of directors of the Alaska Wilderness League, which promotes the preservation of the wild lands of Alaska. A former national-level college competitor in soccer, swimming, and rugby, Gitlin remains a serious skier, kayaker, and wilderness explorer. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, attorney Carol A. Schrager, and has three children.  

Text: Amy Aronoff
Photo: René Perez