Memorial Scholarship

The Colleen Ahern-Hettich Engaged Earth Literacy Scholarship was established to honor the legacy of former Earth Ethics Institute director, Colleen Ahern-Hettich.

Colleen served as the director of the Earth Ethics Institute from 2004 until her retirement in 2018. During that time, she made remarkable contributions to both the College and Miami-Dade County by expanding the institute's educational programs and significantly increasing its impact. Under her leadership, Colleen worked with MDC faculty and staff to create the Global Sustainability and Earth Literacy Studies (GSELS) program. During her tenure, approximately 80 professors offered 1,700 GSELS courses, reaching roughly 40,000 students. Colleen’s work in Earth Literacy, sustainability education, and community engagement has left a lasting mark on the South Florida community.

The Colleen Ahern-Hettich Engaged Earth Literacy Scholarship will be awarded annually to students who share Colleen's passion for Earth Literacy and demonstrate a commitment to shifting the paradigm through collaboration and creativity.