Search button
  • About McMaster
    • Home
    • News
    • Research & Innovation
    • Giving to McMaster
    • Working at McMaster
  • Study
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Continuing Education
    • Admission Requirements
  • Visit
    • Tours
    • Campus Maps
    • Campus Safety Services
    • Events
  • Connect
    • University Directories
    • Media Inquiries
    • Research Centres & Institutes
    • McMaster Global
    • Alumni

Student Support

  • Campus Safety Services
  • Equity & Inclusion Office
  • IT Support
  • Office of the Registrar
  • Ombuds Office
  • School of Graduate Studies
  • Student Wellness Centre
  • Student Affairs

Tools

  • Academic Calendars
  • Avenue to Learn
  • Campus Maps
  • Faculty and Staff Directory
  • Find an Expert
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Mosaic
  • Safety App

Faculties

  • DeGroote School of Business
  • Engineering
  • Health Sciences
  • Humanities
  • Science
  • Social Sciences

On Campus

  • Athletics & Recreation
  • Campus Store
  • Housing & Conference Services
  • Hospitality Services
  • Libraries
  • Student Success Centre
McMaster University McMaster logo

Office of the AVP & CTO

  • Home
  • CTO
    • CTO
    • Our People
    • McMaster Women in Tech
  • IT Updates
    • Resources
    • IT News
  • IT Strategy
    • IT Strategy
  • IT Governance
    • IT Governance At McMaster
    • Information Technology Student Advisory Committee
  • IT@Mac
    • UTS
    • Telecom
    • More IT Services
    • McMaster Byte Size
    • Connectivity Newsletter
  • IT Security
  • Contact Us
  1. Home
  2. From code to conifers: McMaster IT staff cultivate community and sustainability on Earth Day

From code to conifers: McMaster IT staff cultivate community and sustainability on Earth Day

An IT staff member digs the ground with a shovel.
Minh Pham, a Software Developer at UTS, digs up dirt in preparation for new plants.
Posted on April 29, 2024
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

In a heartening display of community spirit and environmental stewardship, IT staff at McMaster University traded their keyboards for garden shovels this Earth Day. A team gathered at the west entrance of the McMaster Divinity College to transform a simple patch of grass into a flourishing garden.

The initiative, organized by the University Technology Services (UTS) social committee, saw staff members, led collaboratively by Derek Konieczny and other committee members, plant conifers and a serviceberry tree. These plants were generously donated by the McMaster Athletics and Recreation Department and UTS, chosen for their low maintenance and environmental benefits.

“It’s more than just planting trees; it’s about growing as a team and contributing to sustainability,” said Derek Konieczny. “It feels great to step out of the office and make a tangible impact on our environment.”

IT employees shovel woodchips out of a wheelbarrow.
(R-L) UTS employees Princy Olakkengil, Deepa Mathew, and Adam Murray work together to add new life to the front lawn at McMaster Divinity College.

Princy Olakkengil, another UTS team member, added, “Seeing our collective effort take shape has been really rewarding. This garden is a small but powerful symbol of what we can achieve together.”

By the afternoon, the area had been transformed. The new garden not only beautifies the entrance but also serves as a living symbol of how collective effort can lead to positive change.

This initiative was one of many ways McMaster community members recognized and celebrated Earth Day at McMaster. To read more about Earth Day at McMaster, visit the Daily News.

 

 News Category

Related News

News Listing

IT Notice – Increase in ClickFix Social Engineering Attacks

News Category

March 13, 2026

Women in Tech: Spring 2026 Series Highlights McMaster Leaders Shaping the Future of Technology

News Category

March 6, 2026

Innovation Meets Leadership: McMaster and Cisco Spotlight Women’s Health and Technology

News Category

November 6, 2025

Office of the AVP & CTO

Support & Contact

Office of the AVP/CTO

Contact Us
Location: Burke Science Building

Policies

Information Security Policy
Information Storage Guidelines
Mac ID Terms and Conditions of Use

Accessibility

McMaster University is committed to providing websites that are accessible to the widest possible audience. If you require any content on this website in an alternate format, please contact the UTS Service Desk and we will respond as promptly as possible.

If there is an AODA web accessibility issue with this website, please report it to Media Production Services using our AODA bug reporting form.

This website is powered by MacSites

McMaster logo
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • 1280 Main Street West  Hamilton, Ontario  L8S 4L8
  • (905) 525-9140

© 2026 McMaster University