{"id":8465,"date":"2022-10-26T15:27:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T19:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/officeofcommunityengagedlearning\/?page_id=8465"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T17:49:09","slug":"environmental-justice-and-food-security","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/officeofcommunityengagedlearning\/community-engaged-learning-opportunities\/environmental-justice-and-food-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmental Justice and Food Security<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Cary Institute<\/b><\/h3>\n

https:\/\/www.caryinstitute.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Address: <\/strong>Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Tpke, PO Box AB, Millbrook, New York 12545<\/span><\/p>\n

Non profit, 30+ team members<\/p>\n

Action Areas: <\/strong>Ecosystem Science and Environmental Education<\/span><\/p>\n

About:<\/strong> Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is a non-profit ecological research institute. Cary Institute is dedicated to understanding how ecosystems work. Our scientists are global experts in the ecology of: freshwater, forests, disease, and cities. Through collaborative efforts, we apply our science to policy and management that protects the environment and improves human wellbeing. Our Educators develop and lead programming for students of all ages and educators in both formal and informal education settings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Position Descriptions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ecology Education Intern:<\/strong> Join the Cary Institute education team to work to foster ecological literacy in our community. The Ecology Education Intern will be mentored by and work collaboratively with education staff to implement programming for K-12 students. This includes, but is not limited to, supporting field trips, schoolyard ecology programming at area schools, and other education programs. The Education Intern will develop skills and confidence in working with children in outdoor settings, learn effective pedagogy for teaching ecology with a wide range of audiences, and develop skills in program management and learn about different options for future work and study in ecology education. The Education Intern will join our rich community and network of research scientists, scientific support staff, communication and grant experts, and educators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GIS Project:\u00a0<\/strong>Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies has a variety of GIS data layers created using ArcGIS software for their 2200-acre property.\u00a0 However, there is no central repository for these layers that makes them available to the entire Cary community.\u00a0 In addition, Cary Institute has switched from using ArcGIS to QGIS software, and integration of ArcGIS format data into QGIS is needed. The student will assist the Manager of Field Research Facilities in compiling to a central repository those existing GIS layers for the Cary Institute property. In addition, the student will assist with updating some layers, creating new layers, and creating some property maps to serve the changing needs of the Cary Institute community. This project will allow Cary Institute to better use and steward its property.<\/span><\/p>\n

Field Research History Management:<\/strong>\u00a0The student will assist the Manager of Field Research Facilities in reviewing past annual research reports and compiling relevant portions of them into an existing Field Research SQL database. This will provide an up-to-date one-stop historical record of on-site research which will be made available to the Cary scientific community. The student efforts will facilitate future ecological research by making the existence of historical research projects and data known to new Cary and visiting scientists.\u00a0 The student will also help use the updated database to create summary reports about on-site research to help guide future property-use strategic planning efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you interested in getting involved with The Cary Institute? <\/b>Visit here for your next steps.<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Revive College Hill Park Coalition<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

https:\/\/www.rchpc.org\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Non-profit, 5-10 team members<\/span><\/p>\n

Address:<\/b>149 N Clinton Street, Poughkeepsie, NY<\/span><\/p>\n

Action Areas:<\/b>Environmental Justice and Food Security, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Access to Nature<\/span><\/p>\n

About: <\/b>The mission of the Revive College Hill Park Coalition (the Coalition) is to foster healthy, outdoor spaces for all to gather, celebrate, and recreate. The Coalition works to support environmental initiatives, and Poughkeepsie\u2019s history at the Park. A local historic landmark, College Hill Park is located in the heart of the 5th Ward of the City and is notably the largest city park and the highest point in the city, offering a beautiful 360-degree view of the local landscape. In recent year there has been an increase in reactivating the park due to it close proximity to the Walkway, it natural beauty and its rich historic and cultural importance to black history in Poughkeepsie. The Revive College Hill Park Coalition is an entirely volunteer organization made up of local experts and residents who are working to increase awareness about and advocate for the park.<\/span><\/p>\n

Position Description:<\/b>The College Hill Park Steward will assist coalition members with raising awareness and responsible stewardship of College Hill Park. These duties include participating in gardening days at the historic Lown Memorial Pollinator Garden, assisting with a current ongoing project that is focused on creating interpretive bilingual signage for the park, and assisting with communication efforts to the local community through social media and creating fliers, tabling, and other activities. The ideal intern would have an interest in nature and gardening as the position would require working outside. Graphic design experience and a comfort with translating Spanish to English for signage is desirable. The intern will also need transportation to the Park.<\/span><\/p>\n

Desired Skills: <\/b>Bilingual Spanish-English, Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Copywriting, Fact-checking, Gardening\/farming experience, Graphic design, Writing<\/span><\/p>\n

Hours: <\/b>4hrs\/week<\/span><\/p>\n

Positions Available: <\/b>1<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you interested in getting involved with College Hill Park? <\/b>Visit here for your next steps.<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/b>Riverkeeper<\/b><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.riverkeeper.org\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/b>Non-profit, 30+ team members<\/span><\/p>\n

Address: <\/b>20 Secor Road Ossining, New York 10562 (remote work is possible)<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>Action Areas: <\/b>Environmental Justice and Food Security, Public Health, Environmental science and advocacy<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>About: <\/b>Riverkeeper protects and restores the Hudson River from source to sea and safeguards drinking water supplies, through advocacy rooted in community partnerships, science and law.<\/span><\/p>\n

Position description: <\/b>Our organization has availability to accept students to work either on our Science Team or our Advocacy, Policy and Planning Team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n