With a nickname like the Hilltop, it seems implausible that Georgetown would ever receive an award for being friendly to cyclists.

Yet, earlier in the academic year, Georgetown became the first school in the District of Columbia to be recognized as a bike-friendly university by the League of American Bicyclists. Through free bicycling classes, helmet giveaways and ample bike storage on campus, Georgetown received Bronze-level certification, the lowest of four levels of certification offered by the biking organization.

While this award commends Georgetown’s actions to make campus more bike-friendly, our biking culture is still regrettably lackluster. Reserved bike paths are sparse on our campus, and only a small percentage of Georgetown students and commuters use bicycles on the Hilltop.

But whether or not this recognition was deserved, it reminds Georgetown of the benefits of having a bike-friendly campus. Encouraging students to use bicycles is a productive, if minimal, way to counter Georgetown’s isolation from the rest of D.C. and promote sustainability.

The League of American Bicyclists has made clear its faith in us, and Georgetown should do its best to live up to those expectations.