On Oct. 12, Penn State Global hosted a multi-campus synchronous Day of Service aimed at getting students involved in sustainability work in their communities.

More than 80 students from five campuses — Abington, Berks, Brandywine, Great Valley, and University Park — participated in four service experiences, including planting trees, invasive species removal, service work at the Dr. Keiko Mawa Ross Student Farm, and sustainable landscaping. This was part one of a two-event series that concludes with the Global Sustainable Action Conference on Nov. 16-17.

“The Sustainable Action Day of Service was a team effort with many contributors throughout the University,” said Olga Moskaleva, Southeastern Region Global Engagement Coordinator within Penn State Global. “Our focus on SDGs (the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals) is intentional and very personal, as all my colleagues are passionate about the goals. We appreciate all the collaboration and support to make this effort successful.”

Abington: Planting trees

Students at Penn State Abington participated in planting trees on campus, in collaboration with Professor Shelly Grinar. The outing was led by Rohan Sampath, the Sustainability Director of the Student Government Association.

“As we planted each tree and plant, we weren’t just enhancing our campus’s beauty, we were actively participating in Penn State’s broader sustainability initiatives and encouraging a worldwide commitment to sustainable practices,” Sampath said. “As we continue to grow our green legacy, I’m proud to see how initiatives like these bring together sustainability efforts, global awareness, and student engagement — core aspects of both [the Student Government Association]’s mission and the Penn State Abington Peer Action Global Learning Network‘s (PAGLN) goals.”

The effort represented a coalition of Penn Staters, including students, faculty, and staff. Gary Corsetti, the Grounds Supervisor, handled the ordering of the plants; Tristan Burgess, Grounds Team Member, coordinated the handling of the plants and supplies on the day of; and Youssef Elouardighi, a Student Worker for the Arboretum Project, provided support as well.

Brandywine and Great Valley: Invasive Species Removal

Students from Brandywine and Great Valley teamed up for invasive species removal at the Campus Garden on Brandywine’s campus. This project was a collaboration with the Chancellor’s Commission on Sustainability and the Center for Social Impact, as well as Zoia G. Pavlovskaia, Lecturer in Business at the Brandywine campus.

Becky Stanko, Sustainability and Community Impact Specialist at Great Valley, participated in the event.

“I wanted to be a part of Penn State’s impact on the commonwealth,” she said. “It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we work together and multiply our efforts!”

Emily Dozor, the Garden Manager; Anthony Montagna, from the Office of the Physical Plant at Brandywine; and the staff of Brandywine Student Affairs helped to make the event a success.

Students from University Park engaged in service work at the student farm, which included zinnia and other flower removal, pepper plant removal, and plastic mulch removal.

University Park: Service Work at the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm

Students from University Park engaged in service work at the student farm, which included zinnia and other flower removal, pepper plant removal, and plastic mulch removal. Smeal College of Business student Alan Bijoy participated in the day of service.

“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the student farm a few times now and I’ve grown quite fond of the place,” he said. “It being a student-run initiative inculcates this sense of community and school pride. Spending my Saturday uprooting peppers and flowers was not something I ever saw myself doing at university, but I’m so glad that I did!”

Ibrahim Al-hinaai, a student in the College of Engineering, signed up because he wanted to contribute to his community and also learn more about sustainability efforts at the student farm.

“This experience reminded me of the value of volunteering, and how small contributions can collectively make a big impact,” he said. “It was a great way to meet like-minded people, give back to the community, and learn more about sustainability efforts on campus.”

The efforts of Ayiana Biddle of AmeriCorps, Tate Geiger at the Student Farm, and Chisato Tada within Penn State Global contributed to the success of the event at University Park.

Berks: Transforming Sustainable Landscaping

The project at Berks was multifaceted, including invasive species (shrub honeysuckle) removal, Redbud Seedling planting, the creation of a flagstone path, and perennial plan foundation planting.

“It was a great experience with faculty, staff, and students coming together to do something positive for the environment and for our campus,” said Mahsa Kazempour, Associate Professor of Science Education and Sustainability Council Chair at Penn State Berks, who co-facilitated the Berks day of service along with Jayne Park-Martinez. “The students worked hard and felt a sense of accomplishment and pride in the work completed during those few hours. Many showed interest in continuing with such efforts.”

Park-Martinez and Kazempour led the effort and guided volunteers in completing the four activities, and Mike Mahon, Housing Manager, provided the tools and led the flagstone path creation.

Virtual Presentation

After the service projects were completed, all student participants joined together virtually for a presentation by Adam Waterbear DePaul, a Tribal Council Member of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, where he also holds the positions of Storykeeper and Coordinator of the Rising Nation River Journey. DePaul told the story of the Lenape nation, past and present, including its challenges and hopes, ways to get engaged, sustainability, and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. He spoke about them through the eyes of Indigenous peoples, why is it important to them, and how they care about keeping the traditions, language, communities, and stories alive. The talk also reflected the importance of the connection of nature and people.

Global Sustainable Action Conference: Nov. 16-17

The Day of Service was part one of Penn State Global’s student sustainability activities, with the second in the middle of November, the Global Sustainable Action Weekend. The weekend was comprised of two events, the Sustainability Weekend Kick-Off Event on Saturday, Nov. 16, and the third annual Global Sustainable Action Conference on Sunday, Nov. 17. This is the third year Penn State Global and Penn State Sustainability have worked together to host the conference.  

This year, the conference focused on U.N. Sustainable Development Goal No. 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The weekend opened with an interactive sustainability event on Saturday evening, featuring remarks by Mayor Ezra Nanes of State College, followed by the full-day conference on Sunday, which included a welcome session by Bill Hunter, the Founder and Director of the Lehigh University and United Nations partnership, and Director of the Office of Fellowship Advising student, faculty, and staff presentations.

Learn more at Penn State Great Valley.