West Chester Green Team Honors Two WCU Sustainability Stewards
Two West Chester University employees were recently honored by the West Chester Green Team (WCGT). WCGT recognized Josh Braid ’00, manager of Grounds Maintenance and Moving Services,
and Nur Ritter, stewardship manager of the Robert B. Gordon Natural Area for Environmental
Studies, with male gardener honors as it celebrated the region’s outstanding gardeners.
Both Braid and Ritter are members of the University’s Sustainability Council and serve on several of its subcommittees as well as on other University committees.
Braid is manager of WCU’s grounds maintenance and moving services, where he leads dynamic teams in landscaping and heavy equipment operations, committed to creating a safe and beautiful campus for students, educators, and visitors. He has worked at the University since 2010.
“I would like to share this recognition with the 20 people in our department who do the hard work in making campus look great,” he said.
Braid has more than 20 years of experience in professional landscaping and 13 years in management and has cultivated a diverse skill set in facilities maintenance and operations at the University.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and holds post-baccalaureate credits in general science and secondary education from West Chester University and is currently pursuing a master’s in public administration here.
Ritter became the second stewardship manager for the University’s Robert B. Gordon Natural Area for Environmental Studies (GNA) in 2016. He is part of the team in the University’s Office of Sustainability (OoS).
He is responsible for implementing the GNA’s strategic plan; designing and implementing restoration activities and invasive species control measures at the GNA; supervising student workers and volunteers; establishing a native plant nursery; seed collecting and processing; and conducting general botanical surveys. His additional responsibilities include budget management, facility maintenance, coordination of research and education activities within the GNA, coordinating outreach, and contributing to the GNA’s web and social media presence.
He earned his bachelor’s in botany and a doctorate in natural resources, both from the University of New Hampshire.
The WCU Office of Sustainability has partnered with WCGT for a number of years and expanded the collaboration by co-hosting four events this fall. WCGT is a non-governmental civic organization in Chester County that works to educate the public and establish and nourish local green initiatives.
Read the WCGT’s October newsletter here.
Learn more about the University’s Office of Sustainability (OoS) here.