Two Montclair State students recently completed research internships in sustainability that are helping the City of Newark and NJ TRANSIT become greener and healthier. The hands-on experience was made possible by a new educational program called \u201cWork to Succeed\u201d and the University\u2019s academic, corporate and public partners.<\/p>\n
Through a generous donation from NJM Insurance Group, the University\u2019s PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies was able to pilot work experiences and mentoring in meeting the challenges of energy efficiency and food insecurity.<\/p>\n
Samuel Hall, a senior Physics major, and Portia Calo, a junior majoring in Nutrition and Food Science, were the first recipients of the NJM Sustainability Awards. Both say they hope to continue making contributions to greener living and enacting positive change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to leave a handprint on the earth by giving back instead of a carbon footprint,\u201d says Calo, who worked to get fresh fruits and vegetables into the homes of city residents. \u201cIt is important to me that the generations coming after us have a sustainable world.\u201d<\/p>\n
In future endeavors, Hall hopes to focus on the proper management of resources and the environment. \u201cPart of the reason why sustainability is interesting,\u201d he says, \u201cis because it requires several different perspectives to be considered, which often leads to collaboration across multiple disciplines.”<\/p>\n
According to Amy Tuininga, director of the PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, the mentored academic program connects classroom learning to graduate and professional school preparation and career readiness. \u201cI am very happy to see students succeeding through the off-campus partnerships, enabling this important educational component of their academic careers to jump start the next stages,” she says.<\/p>\n
Hall was partnered with Steven Jenks, manager of Energy and Sustainability Programs at NJ TRANSIT, on resource and tool development of advanced energy technologies. It\u2019s a continuation of the type of work he completed last summer as a member of the University\u2019s Green Team, contributing to an atmospheric emissions flow chart for PSE&G.<\/p>\n
Calo, who serves as a Food Sustainability Ambassador with the Institute, assisted Newark\u2019s Chief Sustainability Officer Nathaly Agosto Fili\u00f3n on coordinating and researching support for farmer\u2019s markets, community gardens and food access. The experience was particularly beneficial in building stronger relationships between community partners and City Hall, she says.<\/p>\n
The University\u2019s PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies supports both student and faculty efforts in a variety of research and community projects. \u201cWork to Succeed\u201d is its latest program, an initiative that provides opportunities to bridge classroom experience with real work experience identifying sustainable solutions, Tuininga says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hands-on experiences they gain through this program better positions them for employment or graduate school,\u201d adds John Hardiman, NJM\u2019s public affairs director. \u201cThe initial feedback from the first two students was outstanding and we look forward to the next phase of this evolving initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n
This summer, Calo will be a member of the Green Team internship program continuing work on sustainability solutions. As a recent graduate of Montclair State, Hall\u2019s future includes a career in sustainability and graduate studies.<\/p>\n
\u201cProper management of resources and the environment is critical to our future across the world,\u201d Hall says. \u201cIt’s important to consider how individuals, businesses and local governments can play a role in helping.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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