Science learning and public engagement career panelists at CCNY. (From left to right: Mariza Dannang, Adriana Caminero, Malika Khalsa, Jaileen Jaquez, Artiola Islami)
The new Science Learning and Public Engagement program, by the School of Education at The City College of New York, is a major designed to develop expertise in STEM education for non-formal environments, curricular and instructional design, communications media and non-profit program management. Students in this major can work in a variety of fields, including zoos, city parks, museums, botanical gardens, environmental centers and health and nutrition outreach.
To inspire current students pursuing careers in non-formal science, the School of Education hosted a career panel featuring professionals and CCNY alumni who spoke about their non-formal science career journeys. Panelists included Adriana Caminero, Mariza Dannang, Artiola Islami, Jaileen Jaquez and Malika Khalsa.
Since her undergraduate studies at Binghamton University, Caminero worked as an urban park ranger for NYC Parks. She led workshops for public speaking at the NYC Parks Public Programming Summit and at the 2018 New York State Outdoor Educators Association Conference. She served as sergeant for the Bronx Rangers for three years.
“I’m kind of fangirling sitting next to Adriana [Caminero] because I’ve been wanting to work with parks for so long,” said Dannang, who began at CCNY in the engineering program, but as her interests changed—she switched to the science learning and public engagement major. Last summer, she was a Green Girls College intern at The City Parks Foundation working with students in Queens. Upon graduation this spring, she plans to pursue a career in environmental education.
Similarly, Islami, a senior, interned with the New York Academy of Sciences. She recently started an internship at the New York Aquarium working with sea lions.
Upon graduation this spring, Islami hopes to pursue a career in educational programming at the Wildlife Conservation Society, headquartered at the Bronx Zoo, and create a non-profit that teaches kids about the variety of science-related careers aside from doctors and engineers.
“When I was younger it was either you’re a doctor or an engineer, and people are really showing that there’s more to that,” said Islami.
CCNY alumnae, Jaquez, worked as an outdoor educator at Wave Hill and as a substitute teacher for the Browning School. At the American Museum of Natural History, she worked as the middle school programs coordinator in the Department for Youth Initiatives and is currently the program manager at Black Girls Code.
Panelist Khalsa graduated from St. John's University with a bachelor’s degree in childhood education. As the education director for Salvadori Center, Khalsa leads development of curricula, collaborative, hands-on and project-based STEAM residencies, and after-school programs.
“Don’t be afraid to try new things,” Islami advises students. “I was shown that I could do something else besides being a veterinarian.”
About the City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Elena Johnson/ Ashley Arocho
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