RADNOR, Pa. (December 12, 2013) — Cabrini College is one of only 17 colleges and universities nationwide to be recognized as a Fair Trade College, as determined by Fair Trade Colleges and Universities in partnership with Fair Trade USA. Cabrini earned its status in November 2013.
Fair trade is a global trade model that advocates for the purchase and sale of goods that were produced in an ethical, fair, and just manner.
At Cabrini, fair trade practices began in 2006, when student Meghan Hurley ’07 worked with the College’s food service provider, Sodexo, to bring fair trade coffee to the Radnor, Pa., campus.
Since then, the list of fair trade items sold on campus has grown to include sugar, chocolate, bananas, teas, quinoa and rice, among others. Administrators, faculty, staff, and students joined the efforts to make fair trade an established component of the College’s life.
Earning fair trade status formally acknowledges that Cabrini completed five steps, or “badges,” to embed fair trade principles and practices into the College’s policies and the social and intellectual life of campus. One of the “badges” requires schools to sponsor fair trade educational events and activities.
In 2013, Cabrini hosted a fair trade gathering of 10 area colleges and universities, and continually offers educational fair trade events and activities for students, faculty, and staff.
To increase awareness and build momentum for the fair trade movement on campus, Cabrini College received (with Saint Joseph’s University) a fair trade grant from Catholic Relief Services, followed by two back-to-back grants from Fair Trade Colleges and Universities.
In spring 2013, Cabrini students formed a Fair Trade Club and rallied the campus to complete the final “badge”—a resolution that reflects the College’s commitment to fair trade—which Cabrini achieved through 800 signatures from faculty, staff, and students.
Becoming a Fair Trade College aligns with the College’s Catholic, Cabrinian identity and helps fulfill Cabrini’s Education of the Heart mission that calls for a commitment to social justice, along with leadership development and academic excellence.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment that required extensive collaboration by many in our community over several years,” said Cabrini’s Interim President Deb Takes.
“Earning status as a Fair Trade College is just one more example—and a significant one—of how an Education of the Heart can be realized in every corner of life at Cabrini.”
Cabrini College alumni, community partners, students, faculty, and staff will celebrate their new fair trade status at an event on Jan. 16, 2014. Details of that event are forthcoming.
For more information about fair trade status and more, visit www.fairtradeuniversities.org.
Learn more about fair trade at Cabrini.
About Cabrini University
Founded in 1957 by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cabrini University is a Catholic institution that empowers students to become advocates of social change through an Education of the Heart, focusing on academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership development.
Cabrini enrolls approximately 1,300 undergraduates in more than 35 majors, pre-professional programs, concentrations, and minors on its serene 112-acre campus located 30 minutes from Philadelphia. The University also enrolls 900 students in graduate, doctoral, and professional studies programs at its main campus in Radnor, PA, and at five off-campus locations.