Barbara Kochon Receives Excellence in Innovation Award
01.29.2009
HOPEDALE, MA—Reversing the way a person thinks about the environment can be a daunting task, but it is one that Hopedale resident Barbara Kochon tackled when she urged Bay Path College in Longmeadow, MA to implement a recycling and energy conservation program. Kochon, who serves as assistant to Bay Path President Carol A. Leary, led the initiative and established the College’s first “Green” program last year, and her hard work did not go unnoticed. She was recognized last month as the 2008 recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Thinking.
“It is a wonderful honor to be acknowledged by the Bay Path College community for one of my true passions,” said Kochon, who was chosen by the Award Selection Committee. “The community, especially our student body, has been extremely accepting of the College’s new eco-friendly practices that not only enhance the Bay Path campus, but improve the environment we all share.”
Given annually to a Bay Path employee or a group of faculty and staff, the award honors those who have made a significant contribution, such as a process improvement, idea, or action, which has altered the College’s quality of service, innovative education, or operations for the better, or resulted in significant cost savings for the institution. Kochon, who was nominated by Bay Path’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement Kathleen Bourque, was the driving force behind the College’s Go Green Committee. She encouraged her colleagues to expand their focus from energy conservation and lower fuel and energy costs to include campus wide recycling efforts and other “green” initiatives.
“Barbara put a new and timely focus on waste reduction and recycling paper, plastic and aluminum products at Bay Path, and her dedication and determination has energized the Bay Path College community to ‘go green,’” said President Leary who presented Kochon with the honor during the College’s annual Employee Recognition Ceremony. In addition to the title, Kochon received $500, a plaque, and a place on the College’s Excellence in Innovative Thinking Honor Roll.
