Category Archives: Awareness

Riverbend Environmental Education Center

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

Situated on 30 acres in Gladwyne, PA, Riverbend Environmental Education Center “teaches environmental principles to children in Southeastern Pennsylvania through a direct connection with nature, inspiring respect for our natural world and action as aware, responsible and caring citizens”.

Services/Programs Provided:

Riverbend offers a variety of programs for the community, including educational programs for K-12 aged youth, summer and year round campus, Scout programs, nature clubs and additional family themed events.

Student Opportunities:

Riverbend relies on the talents and skills of volunteers who contribute to the Center in various ways. Opportunities in the areas of Special Events, Habitat and Facilities, Animal Care, Marketing, Administrative Support, and Education have been available in the past. To learn more and view up to date listings, visit https://riverbendeec.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer. Internships can be found at https://riverbendeec.org/job-opportunities.

Website:  http://www.riverbendeec.org/

Address: 1950 Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035
Phone: 610.527.5234

Next City

Updated on 10/14/19

Mission:

Next City, formerly Next American City, is a non-profit media organization dedicated to connecting cities and informing the people who work to improve them, especially young emerging leaders.

Services/Programs Provided:

Next City provides daily coverage of public policy and current affairs from an urbanist perspective online at http://nextcity.org. In addition to online journalism, the organization produces events including an annual urban leadership conference.

Student Opportunities:

Get published! Next City welcomes stories on issues of urban sustainability that you feel passionate about and have thoroughly researched. For info on where to send pitches, writing samples, op-eds, photographs, illustrations, other art, or proposals for a reporting assignment, visit https://nextcity.org/pitch.

Bryn Mawr students have partnered with Next City on Praxis III courses, and summer internships are regularly offered, with applications opening in March in past years. Contact Nell Anderson (nanderso@brynmawr.edu) regarding Praxis courses, and check the Next City website for current internship listings. Next City also has a searchable national jobs database if you are job-seeking.

Address: 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 902, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Phone: (215) 546-4128

Email: info@nextcity.org.

Energy Vision

Updated 10/9/19

Mission:

Founded by Bryn Mawr alumna Joanna Underwood, Energy Vision is a New York-based national nonprofit organization that seeks to “analyze and promote ways to make a swift transition to pollution-free renewable energy sources and to the clean, petroleum-free transportation fuels of the future.” The organization’s strategy is to educate the government, businesses, students, and other citizens about the environmental and economic risks of our current dependency on fossil fuels and to analyze and create awareness regarding cleaner, more sustainable alternatives, such as hydrogen-based fuels. Among Energy Vision’s top priorities is weaning the 10 million buses and trucks on U.S. roadways off of polluting diesel fuel.

Services/Programs Provided:

Energy Vision uses media and the internet to generate visibility for pathways to sustainability by targeting areas with dense populations and high levels of vehicle-related air pollution, organizing workshops and giving demonstrations of natural gas-fueled refuse trucks to communities, and linking communities to companies that can help them plan fuel-switching initiatives.

Student Opportunities:

To learn more about current opportunities, email admin@energy-vision.org, call (212) 228-0225, or join Energy Vision’s mailing list by entering your email at https://energy-vision.org. The volunteer application form can be found at https://energy-vision.org/get-involved/.

Energy Vision
138 East 13th Street
New York, New York 10003
212-228-0225

Philadelphia Zoo

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

The Philadelphia Zoo, the first of its kind in the U.S., aims to advance discovery, understanding and stewardship of the natural world through exhibition and interpretation of living animals and plants. An accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Philadelphia Zoo has a reputation for excellence in conservation and scientific research.

Programs/Services Offered:

The Philadelphia Zoo curates a diverse range of living creatures, leads endangered species conservation and research projects, and also enables the public to experience the great diversity of nature.  Many educational programs for kids, families and adults including classes, workshops, seminars and camps are offered.

Student Opportunities:

Bryn Mawr students have been involved with the Philadelphia Zoo in a number of ways, including Praxis III courses, volunteer work, and internships. To learn more about structuring a Praxis III course, contact Nell Anderson, the Civic Engagement Office Praxis Coordinator, at nanderso@brynmawr.edu.

As volunteers, students have the opportunity to work with a variety of programs, depending on the needs of the Zoo at any given time. These programs include AFZ Camera Club, Conservation Stewards, Camp Counselors (March- May), Zoo Docents, and many others. Current information is available at http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/participate/Volunteer/Adults.htm. Potential volunteers must submit an online application and pass Criminal Background, Child Abuse and FBI Background checks. Contact the Civic Engagement Office for help with this process.

Internships in areas including animal care, conservation, zoo administration, and development are regularly offered. Check out http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer/Career-Internships.aspx for current openings, position descriptions, requirements, and applications. You can also call 215-243-5200 or email zoointerns@phillyzoo.org for more information.

Address: 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104-1196
Phone: 215-243-1100

Harriton House

Updated: 10/14/19

Mission:

Harriton House is a historical site and local cultural gem, dating back to 1704. This site and adjoining land was the home of Charles Thompson, the first and only Secretary to the Continental and Confederation Congresses. Harriton House is surrounded by a park, gardens and a stream, in addition to a site apiary and a thriving bee keeping program.

 

Programs/Services Offered

Harriton House offers instructional tours of the site for groups on a daily basis. They also host a wide variety of camps for children and educational programs for adults, including visiting lecturers and opportunities to learn beekeeping, woodturning and blacksmithing.

 

Student Opportunities:

There are opportunities for volunteers in areas of building maintenance, assisting in group tours, and helping with educational programming. Those interested in learning more about Harriton House should contact Curator Bruce Gill or Assistant Kayla Block at (610) 525-0201 or info@harritonhouse.org.

Address: 500 Harrition Road, P.O. Box 1364, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Phone: 610.525.0201

Website: http://www.harritonhouse.org/

The Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

Founded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences is America’s oldest natural history museum and a world leader in biodiversity and environmental research. The mission of the Academy is to encourage and cultivate the sciences, explore the remarkable diversity of the natural world, and share these discoveries with the public through innovative exhibits, publications, and educational programming.

Programs/Services Offered

The Academy of Natural Sciences offers educational programs, camps, workshops and exhibits for visitors of all ages, including  the annual George Washington Carver Science Fair and the Women in Natural Sciences Enrichment Program.

The Academy also encompasses the Center for Environmental Policy (CEP),  a key player in the environmental and sustainability community of the greater Philadelphia region. Bringing together scientists, policy makers, and the general public around issues of critical environmental importance, the CEP provides non-partisan, science-based information on key environmental issues, promotes solutions, and builds awareness. The CEP offers regular public programs held at the Academy on relevant topics, and also serves as a logistical hub for local working groups organized around sustainability issues.

Student Opportunities:

The Academy of Natural Sciences offers both volunteer and internship opportunities.

Volunteers can serve as exhibit guides, research assistants, or can help in the  live animal center and children’s summer camp. Browse current listings at http://www.ansp.org/get-involved/volunteer.

The Academy regularly offers internships related to exhibition development and management, as well as opportunities to take part in scientific research (see http://www.ansp.org/research/fellowships-endowments/research-internships/).

Address: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 299-1000