It’s not every day that grounds equipment turns heads—but our robotic mower is doing just that. Students regularly stop to watch, ask questions, and learn how this quiet, electric machine is changing the way we maintain campus.
Funded through an Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) grant, the mower is already delivering results: reduced emissions, lower noise, and more efficient turf maintenance. By replacing gas-powered equipment, the college is cutting fuel use and advancing sustainability goals in a visible, everyday way.
What started as an operational upgrade has become a hands-on sustainability conversation starter—bringing innovation out of the background and into the student experience.
“Named Jay2D2, this mower represents the kind of forward-thinking approach we’re committed to at Spoon River College. It helps us maintain our campus more efficiently while reducing our environmental impact, and it’s been exciting to see how it’s sparked curiosity and conversations with students along the way,” says Mike Strauman, Chief Operations and Safety Officer at Spoon River College.
About IGEN
The Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) is a statewide collaboration of Illinois community colleges, formed in 2008 as a community college presidents’ initiative, with the goal of driving growth in the state’s green economy. It now includes all 39 Illinois community college districts and works to position the Illinois Community College System as a global leader in transforming education and the economy for a sustainable future.