About denise
Denise has been a Resident Director in Edmonds hall at Boston College for two years. She completed her undergraduate education at UC Irvine and earned a graduate degree in 
educational psychology from Northeastern University. She looks to make life at BC greener by turning off lights, recycling paper, and turning in cans and bottles to Officer Steve Bianchi for Cans Against Cancer.
Denise and her residents
Denise, as an RD, took a leading role in promoting BC’s energy conservation contest this past February. She sent emails to her residents and posted fliers explaining what the competition is, why it is important, and what students can do to be involved. Because the prize of the contest was a barbeque for the winning dorm, she kept an updated rankings meter in the entrance of the building that used paper hamburgers as benchmarks to remind students of the payoff. The new energy dashboard (bc.edu/dormenergy) also used hamburgers to demonstrate energy equivalents. Denise’s e-mails would remind students that turning of the light was the equivalent of a hamburger. Edmonds finished in second place in the contest.
She also works with her Resident Assistants to encourage students in Edmonds to practice good, sustainable habits. As part of BC is Green Week, two of her RAs were designated to promote the energy competition and other green initiatives, as well as going to students’ rooms to collect cans and bottles for Cans Against Cancer.
One more way Denise helps Boston College to stay environmentally conscious is by starting a new program called “Awkward Elevator Conversations,” in which she and other residents will discourage students living on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors from taking the elevator. This will not only help combat unnecessary energy usage, but also help to avoid awkward conversations with those living on the higher floors. This is a great way to promote conservation and exercise with a little humor!
advice
In her words, “If everyone did a little, no one would have to do a lot.” She advises that simple things such as turning off lights and recycling can make definite change if everyone does them. “It’s so simple, it doesn’t have to be a huge chore.”