ATLANTA — Georgia State University’s immediate past Student Government Association president, James Wilson (B.S. ’25), was recently recognized as the College Student Winner by the Global Sustainability Awards’ North American chapter for his leadership in creating and launching Wear It Forward, a program that helps Georgia State students participate in commencement while reducing environmental waste.
Launched in November 2025 by Wilson, a current Master of Public Administration candidate, Wear It Forward collects donated graduation regalia from alumni and graduating students and loans the items at no cost to future graduates facing financial challenges. The initiative reduces barriers some Panthers face when planning to walk at commencement while promoting sustainability through the reuse of caps, gowns and stoles. Wilson was specifically recognized in the category of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 — reducing inequalities.
“Wear It Forward demonstrates how students can create innovative solutions that support both people and the planet,” Wilson said. “The goal has always been simple: Ensure every student who has earned the right to walk across the stage has the opportunity to do so, regardless of their financial circumstances.”
Wear It Forward was developed through the university’s Campus Sustainability Grant Program, which is administered by the Sustainability office and funds large- and small-scale projects to advance campus sustainability through education, research, service and operations.
These sustainability grants are funded through student sustainability fees with more than $700,000 being awarded since 2022 to dozens of campus projects spanning sustainable dining, water-saving lab innovations, recycling equipment, micromobility upgrades like bike racks and repair stations and many more.
Since its launch, Wear It Forward has received more than 100 regalia donations and supported dozens of student graduates. During May 2026 commencement, Wear It Forward provided regalia to 48 graduates, including 25 students who received complete regalia sets and additional students who borrowed graduation stoles to pair with donated gowns.
The impact has been significant. Among program participants, 92 percent reported they could not comfortably afford graduation regalia on their own. By borrowing donated items instead of purchasing new regalia, students collectively saved more than $2,800.
In addition to its financial benefits, the initiative has delivered notable environmental benefits. During the May 2026 commencement season alone, Wear It Forward diverted approximately 50 pounds of textiles from landfills and reduced an estimated 75 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions through the reuse of graduation apparel.
The program reflects Georgia State University’s commitment to student success, sustainability and access by helping ensure that financial barriers do not prevent students from celebrating one of the most important milestones in their academic journey.
The global recognition comes at a time of great momentum for Georgia State’s Sustainability office.
Construction is now underway on a charging park for what will soon be one of the first-ever all-electric bus fleets at a college or university in the Southeast.
Other recent notable sustainability accomplishments at Georgia State include:
• Certified Silver by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
• Bee Campus USA certified at the Decatur Campus.
• Tree Campus Higher Education certified at the Clarkston and Atlanta campuses.
• 2025 Gold Award and Grand Prize Winner in Sustainability due to waste reduction efforts, National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS).
• Diverts about 700 tons of recycling material across more than 13 different waste streams annually.
• Diverted about 930 pounds of textiles from PantherSWAP last fiscal year.
To donate to Wear it Forward (with regalia or financially), email [email protected].