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ESF’s Student Environmental Education Coalition Honored as CNY’s STEM Outreach Organization of the Year
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Oct. 17, 2024 – The Student Environmental Education Coalition (SEEC) at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) was honored as STEM Outreach Organization of the Year by the Technology Alliance of Central New York (TACNY).
The award, presented at TACNY’s 24th Celebration of Technology Awards Banquet Oct. 15 honors organizations in Central New York that have increased interest in science or technology or expanded opportunities for people with limited access to science or technology.
“This honor reflects the dedication and passion our students have for educating and inspiring younger generations,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “Our students are not only enriching the lives of local youth but also strengthening the connection among science, nature, and society. We are immensely proud of SEEC’s achievements and the positive relationships these students sustain within our community.”
SEEC is a student-based club open to all majors at ESF that engages with Syracuse community groups to teach STEM and nature-themed lessons that encourage environmental stewardship in the younger generation.
The club works with local libraries, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and holds weekly sessions with Girls, Inc. at the YWCA. Last year the club educated more 1,100 people, conducted 33 programs, and completed more than 202 service hours through SEEC.
“The past couple of years we’ve been able to do longer programs with Girls Inc. bringing them to ESF’s Syracuse campus and to Heiberg Forest’s Science of Syrup weekend,” said Kathryn Resanovich, senior environmental education and Interpretation major.
The club also hosts events for ESF students such as professional development workshops, campfires, craft nights, and game nights. SEEC goes trips to places like the zoo, state parks, science centers, and the Adirondacks. Last year the club planned and co-hosted the National Association for Interpretation’s Northeast Regional Workshop at ESF, and raised funds for scholarships to make conference attendance more accessible for students.
“SEEC is an extraordinary STEM outreach organization,” said Shari Dann, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Studies. “Our students in SEEC exemplify the best qualities of long-term, sustained community engagement. These qualities include forming community-centered, lasting partnerships with organizations like Girls Inc. Such collaborative and inclusive work provides young learners repeated contacts with experiential learning opportunities that ESF can foster.”
Dann co-advises SEEC with Olivia Whitmarsh, outreach coordinator in ESF’s Open Academy.
TACNY works to facilitate community awareness, appreciation, and education of technology; and to collaborate with like-minded organizations across Central New York.
About SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.