Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to further operationalize sustainability education at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (UHM) through a review of past actions and situate these in the context of Education for Sustainability themes and the UHM mission in the State of Hawai'i. Design/methodology/approach: This paper describes activities that created the conditions for introducing sustainability projects and curriculum at UHM. Through participant observation in meetings and workshops and the review and analysis of materials related to campus sustainability, the paper compiles information to consider the extent to which these inform current initiatives and the direction of sustainability education at UHM. Findings: This case study is not an exhaustive review of campus activities since UHM has been undergoing administrative restructuring, but it indicates that campus-wide initiatives are building the critical mass toward fulfilling the objective to become an active participant in higher education for sustainability. Originality/value: The paper provides information on activities to inform readers interested in trends to establish sustainability research and instruction at institutions of higher education. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)