Baruch Community Explores Sustainability in Action on Governor’s Island

November 19, 2025

More than 60 Baruch College students, faculty, and staff recently crossed New York Harbor to Governor’s Island for an immersive look at environmental sustainability in practice. Hosted by the nonprofit Earth Matter NY, the field trip provided a firsthand view of urban composting, soil restoration, and zero-waste initiatives shaping the future of sustainable cities.  

Organized by Baruch’s Experiential and Community Engaged Learning (ExCEL) office, the November 7 event connected campus learning to communities and the impact of environmental challenges.

Real-World Engagement

For ExCEL Director Anthony Maniscalco, the trip represents the power of connecting students with local organizations making a difference.

“The ExCEL office sought to collaborate with Earth Matter as part of our efforts to expand partnerships with nonprofit and other organizations working to improve life in New York City,” Maniscalco said.

Earth Matter is one of 13 organizations that ExCEL is partnering with during the academic year. This spring, the pool of opportunities for students will include the Van Alen Institute, Center for Book Arts, LOVE Mentoring, Girls Write Now, CITYarts, and Breakthrough New York.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

At Governor’s Island, Earth Matter educators explained the transformation of food and organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. They expressed how students can get involved through internships, apprenticeships, and collaborative research projects, all which connect directly with disciplines across Baruch’s three schools—from environmental planning, cost-benefit analysis, and natural and social sciences.

For Amna Chaudry (’26), a SEEK and Honors student majoring in biology at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, the visit had personal resonance.

“It is important to be aware of what we can do to protect our environment, as well as know what organizations around us are doing,” Chaudry explained. “My career goal is to become a physician and a healthcare provider’s responsibility is to educate people about science.”

Rinchen Lama (’25), an MPA candidate at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, saw the experience as a direct extension of her academic work.

“I am currently writing my capstone research on curbside composting in NYC, and I learned that compost piles can get to extremely hot temperatures – around 140 degrees Fahrenheit,” Lama said. “I would like to work in environmental policy and want to see composting be more successful throughout the five boroughs.”

‘Developing Tangible Skills and Professional Confidence’

Experiential learning opportunities help students transform theoretical knowledge into practical knowledge, develop cultural competence and empathy, and build networks that strengthen their resumes.

Samantha MacBride, an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Public Affairs at the Marxe School who has been an Earth Matter advisor since 2022, was instrumental in arranging Baruch’s visit to Governor’s Island and integrating classroom learning with hands-on practice.

“Community-engaged and experiential learning are among the most powerful ways we can equip our students to thrive amid society changing at an unprecedented pace,” MacBride says. “Experiences like this help students develop the tangible skills and professional confidence they need to succeed in their careers.”

She added, “My hope is to establish an enduring relationship between Baruch’s ExCEL Office and Earth Matter—one that fosters ongoing collaboration, mutual enrichment, and a shared commitment to preparing students to lead in a rapidly changing world.”

Strengthening Baruch’s Community Engagement

This visit to Earth Matter aligned with Baruch College’s steadfast commitment to improving sustainability and climate change, such as with the institution’s Annual Conference on Climate Research, Teaching, and Collaboration; the Climate Studies Faculty Cluster; and the Climate Scholars Program that started at Baruch in 2020 and later expanded to include other CUNY colleges.

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