Three years ago, when Robert College adopted its 2023–2028 Strategic Plan, one of its goals was both ambitious and practical: to explore how the school could reduce its environmental footprint while strengthening its financial sustainability. Today, that vision is producing electricity.
In spring 2026, the Robert College Solar Farm in Manisa officially became operational. Fully funded through designated donations from members of the RC community and friends of the school, the project is expected to generate approximately 1.9 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually – enough to meet Robert College’s entire electricity needs.
As concerns about climate change and responsible resource management became increasingly urgent, Robert College began exploring ways to align its operations with the values it seeks to instill in its students. The Solar Farm Project became one of the most tangible expressions of that effort.
The initiative reflected another important priority identified in the Strategic Plan: resource optimization. By offsetting a substantial portion of the school’s energy costs, the solar farm is expected to generate significant long-term savings. Those resources can then be directed toward RC’s educational priorities, helping strengthen scholarships and support future students.
The road from concept to completion required the efforts of many individuals over several years. Former Head of School Adam Oliver played an important role in advancing the initiative. Trustee Osman Nalbantoğlu RC 91, members of the Robert College Foundation and the solar company’s board, including Gonca Gürsoy Artunkal RC 85 and Ayşe Demirel Atakan RC 99, provided leadership throughout the process. The project also benefited from the guidance and support of Hüseyin Tığlı RA 71, Ümran Üngün RC 70, Korkut Öztürkmen RC 91, and many others who helped move the initiative forward.
Equally important was the generosity of the donors who believed in the project. Alumni, trustees, parents, and friends of the school came together to create a source of clean energy that would serve RC for decades to come. Their support enabled the project to move forward without requiring internal capital allocation from the school.
For students, the significance of the project extends beyond the electricity it generates. It offers a visible example of how long-term thinking can be translated into action. Just as previous generations invested in scholarships, facilities, and programs that continue to benefit students today, the solar farm represents an investment whose impact will be felt by future students, many of whom have not yet arrived on campus.
The solar farm is expected to operate for approximately twenty-five years. It stands as an example of what can happen when a community comes together around a shared goal. What began as an idea in a strategic plan has become a working source of renewable energy – one that will support Robert College, its students, and its legacy for years to come.
Solar Farm Project Leaders Osman Nalbantoğlu RC 91, TR Eczacıbaşı Family Bülent Eczacıbaşı Oya Eczacıbaşı, TE Emre Eczacıbaşı RC 02 Esra Eczacıbaşı Coşkun RC 07, TR Hüsnü Özyeğin RA 63 İpek Gürdamar Üstündağ RC 82 Hüseyin Tığlı RA 71 SUPPORTERS Gonca Gürsoy Artunkal RC 85, TR Seda Binbaşgil RC 79 and Hakan Binbaşgil RC 79, TR Mark Butler, TE Catherine Cuthell and David Cuthell, TE Erol Hakanoğlu RC 74, TR, Board Chair Patricia Hayot, TE Prof. Gülru Necipoğlu Kafadar RC 75 and Prof. Cemal Kafadar RC 73, TR Başak Ötüş Koraltürk RC 06, TR and Alpay Koraltürk RC 04 Kaan Okurer RC 92 Adam Oliver, Former Head of School Can Özbal RC 88 Prof. Çağan Şekercioğlu RC 93, TR
