Published October 03, 2024
In This Sustainability Course, New York City Is Your Classroom
No matter what you major in at NYU, you have opportunities to take experiential courses that get you out of the classroom and into New York City. There, you’ll explore, learn, and engage with the local community.
In Professor Mary Leou’s course, Using Nonformal Resources to Teach Science and Sustainability, NYU students embark on excursions to community gardens, museums, recycling plants, and more. They learn how to use nonformal experiences to educate diverse populations on science and sustainability in urban environments. And though the course is geared toward students studying environmental science or education, it’s open to all academic backgrounds. What’s more, it even fulfills one of NYU’s science requirements!
“It takes a whole community to create a vibrant, sustainable city,” says Professor Leou. She has been developing urban environmental education programs for three decades. “The more we know about our urban community, the more effective citizens we will be.”
Connecting with the Community
For Bryan Flores, a Liberal Studies sophomore who plans to major in Environmental Studies, the course has led to more meaningful learning experiences. “I learn best when I can move around and truly engage with what I am studying,” says Bryan. “Having a class that constantly moves allows me to connect what I’m learning with what’s being put into action in the environment.”
A trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens was a favorite expedition for Bryan and his classmates. While there, they interacted with educators in the Children’s Garden who gave them a tour of the garden, compost operation, and indoor cooking space. Additionally, students learned about different herbs and plants used around the world for culinary and medicinal purposes.
“I got to try some of the produce maintained by the kids who engaged with that space,” says Bryan. “It was great to see the kids’ hard work flourish. It also gave me a better idea of programs in place to make the outdoors educational and fun.”
A City of Lessons
On a trip to Lentol Garden, a community garden in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, students witnessed the impact nonformal educational experiences can have on individuals and communities. The garden, a fenced-in area shaded by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, is an oasis for diverse plant species. But it wasn’t always so full of life. Ten years ago, Professor Leou designed a program for high school students to engage with the garden. The students earned money to plant and weed while learning about urban agriculture and sustainability. As a result of their efforts, Lentol Garden transformed into the thriving community garden it is today.
“Environmental issues are complex and interdisciplinary,” explains Professor Leou. “By engaging students in service-learning projects, on-site discussions, and community science, they become active learners. And they discover ways in which they can be active participants.”
Other class periods feature trips to the Hudson River Park Trust, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Balcones Recycling plant. Students also embark on an independent excursion to a location of their choosing.
From Day Trips to Lifelong Skills
“My favorite thing about this class is that it is not limited to NYU’s campus,” says Alfred Zhang, a junior majoring in Nutrition and Food Studies at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. “Any place in New York City can become our classroom.”
For many students field experiences during this course act as gateways to internships and career opportunities. “Students have become environmental educators, program developers, curriculum designers, project directors, and more,” says Professor Leou. This was the case for Emily Bustrum, a 2024 Gallatin School of Individualized Study graduate who concentrated in food and sustainability in the urban environment. After taking the course as a junior, she realized her desire to continue working in the world of nonformal education. As a result, she became a camp counselor in the Adirondack Mountains and now works in New York City as a cooking instructor and an after-school educator for a program focused on animal education.
“Professor Leou described nonformal education as everything that happens outside of a traditional classroom setup. That description encapsulates the work I want to continue pursuing,” says Emily. “Since taking this class, I’ve only become more passionate about its content.”
Along with this course, Emily took advantage of as many courses that got her off campus as she could while at NYU. She describes these courses as some of her most fulfilling NYU experiences. If you’re interested in courses that utilize New York City as your classroom, there are many others to explore!
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