June 05, 2009
Students enrolled in the Freshman Honors Theology course
taught by Associate Professor
Sally Kenel, Ph.D., discovered new meaning to the phrase
“getting your hands dirty.“ As part of their end-of-semester Academic-Service
Learning project, they collected and recycled unsold textbooks,
food and clothing, developed a carpool initiative, analyzed the
efficiency of water usage on campus, and climbed into several
dumpsters to separate recyclable waste materials (paper, cardboard,
bottles and cans) from bins located behind the Staten Island Campus
Center in an effort to create a “green” campus.
“By studying each these areas through a ‘green lens,’ the students
were able to apply the basic social justice dictum—look, judge,
act—to the particular setting of our campus,” says Dr. Kenel.
“I wanted to develop a project in which students can collaborate,
work for change and address the concerns of the larger
community.”
As a
continuance of the fall semester’s Senior Capstone Honors Theology
course, the “Go Green” proposals included a campus compost
initiative and a rain water collection system for watering the
lawn, as well as having Public Safety officers use battery-powered
golf carts instead of gas-fueled vehicles. The freshmen class was
challenged to connect classroom Catholic social teachings with
environmental issues. Students divided into three groups to
plan, design and execute programs to address the ecological
conditions on the Staten Island campus.
Honors 4001 student Emily Winters, who describes her experience as
“very inspiring,” presented an action plan to University
administrators at the end of the school semester.
“The service-learning project really stretched me beyond the
curriculum,” she says. “At first I thought this was just
another assignment and our ideas wouldn’t really be used, but I
couldn’t help but believe that if we came up with a constructive
solution, the school would have to put it into action! At the
end of the semester, we presented our projects to University
representatives and I felt that my voice was heard, and my hard
work made a difference. It gave me a sense of confidence to
believe that whatever future endeavors I may pursue, I can really
change the world.”
Senior Laura Pepenella credits Dr. Kenel for the amazing learning
experience. “Dr. Kenel’s service-learning course was by far my
overall favorite in my four years at St. John's. This project
helped to improve my networking and group interaction skills and
expand my knowledge on sustainability. My overall experience was
incredibly positive and I am glad to have collaborated with a class
I have grown so close to during my time here.”
Under the supervision of Thomas Goldsmith, St. John’s Director of
Environmental and Energy Conservation, a “Waste Characterization
Study” was undertaken by Student Sustainability Coordinators Kyle
Beltramini and Nathan Maupin. The two intrepid students made a
“dumpster dive,” slipping on gloves, climbing into several
on-campus dumpsters, opening trash bags, separating three-day’s
worth of refuse and calculating the volumes of recyclable materials
recovered.
“Recycling fights global warming climate change,” says Goldsmith.
“The EPA’s WasteWise program provides the rules, guidelines and
numbers for recycling as a way to prevent greenhouse gas emissions
by reusing and avoiding landfilling. Hopefully the example of our
Staten Island students will encourage others to do their part to
reduce waste and increase recycling efforts.”
VISA
Academic Service-Learning enhances the educational experience of
St. John’s students and is a major component of the University’s
2009-2013 Strategic Plan. It’s also a part of the Vincentian
Institute for Social Action (VISA), which was launched by the
University to more visibly embed St. John’s Catholic and Vincentian
mission into the educational experience of its students. VISA
provides an organizational focus for a variety of new and ongoing
programs through which faculty and students can work together to
explore the causes of and develop solutions for poverty and social
injustice throughout the world.