The work of the Lender Center for Social Justice will now have a global dimension as the result of a partnership with Syracuse Abroad.
Through a new initiative called Lender Global, each year one of the University’s abroad centers will be designated as the Lender Global Partner. In addition, three research fellowships will be awarded to students studying at that location.
Lender Global begins in Spring 2025 at Syracuse London with a focus on social and environmental justice. The student fellows will examine the themes of biodiversity and the rights of nature; climate justice for people of the global majority; and meaningful engagement with ethical travel.
Lender Center Director Kendall Phillips says the extension of the Lender Center’s social justice initiative via the Syracuse Abroad platform makes sense because most social justice issues exist beyond the United States. “This initiative aligns with the University’s goals of preparing students to be responsible global citizens and addressing the social and scientific issues that affect people everywhere. It helps raise awareness that social justice issues don’t begin and end at a country’s borders and that solutions can come from innovative thinkers and dedicated researchers anywhere in the world.”
Assistant Provost and Syracuse Abroad Executive Director Erika Wilkens says, “We are pleased to partner with the Lender Center on this innovative concept that enhances our current programming and supports experiential learning, innovative research and human thriving. It’s an excellent way for students to include unique research opportunities while they study abroad.”
Students will be mentored and guided in their research by Becca Farnum, an environmental activist-academic who is Syracuse Abroad’s London-based community engagement specialist, and Maggie Sardino ’23, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a Marshall Scholar. The fellows will be affiliated with Syracuse London’s Environment, Sustainability and Policy learning community, which allows students to take classes, live, intern, volunteer and engage in other activities alongside peers with similar interests.
In addition to working on their research and participating in the learning community, fellows will also collaboratively develop communication tools for future Syracuse Abroad students about how to be mindful of their ecological footprint and meaningfully engage with ethical travel, according to Farnum.
Spring 2024 students in the Syracuse Abroad London center program visit the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Wales as part of their examination of sustainable energy transitions and environmental heritage. (Photo by Syracuse London staff)
Farnum says London is an ideal location to study how major cities can creatively solve sustainability challenges. “London regularly ranks as one of the world’s Top 10 Sustainable Cities, is home to many of the world’s greenest buildings and is technically classified as a forest given its extensive green spaces, which comprise 47% of the city’s area. That’s why London makes a wonderful ‘living lab’ for this topic and why the London center provides a natural home for environmental, sustainability and policy studies.”
Troy Gordon, Syracuse Abroad director of global teaching and learning, says the social and environmental justice program is one of the Syracuse London center’s strengths. That focus comprises about 15% of the center’s curriculum—including a pre-semester traveling seminar on sustainability in Scandinavia, a course on climate change and environmental activism and a studio-based course on urban sustainability, in addition to its Learning Community for Environment, Sustainability and Policy. Students are also able to engage and learn in an exciting, green urban environment where social and environmental justice is a focal point and a true strength of the center, he says.
Students enrolled in the Spring 2025 London abroad program will be invited to apply for the fellowship.
Fall 2023 students from a geography course on environmental racism in the Syracuse London program volunteer at Calthorpe Community Garden. It is a green space in the heart of London supporting food security and cultural connection for migrant populations. (Photo by Syracuse London staff)
The Lender Center for Social Justice, made possible by a gift from Marvin and Helaine Lender, seeks to foster proactive, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to social justice issues of equity and inclusion. The Lender Global program is designed to prompt development of novel approaches and creative solutions to global challenges while considering the needs and capacities of the partner program and its host community, Phillips says.
Syracuse Abroad shares many of the Lender Center’s values and commitments, according to Wilkens. Consistently ranked among top study abroad programs in the U.S., Syracuse Abroad has a long history of meaningful community engagement, experiential learning and cultural exchange around the world. Quality academic experiences across professional and liberal arts disciplines are offered at six overseas centers in Florence, London, Madrid, Santiago (Chile), Strasbourg (France) and through a program in Central Europe.
Phillips and Wilkens say Syracuse Santiago will likely be designated as the 2025-26 Lender Global Partner, which would enable students to do research in English, Spanish or both languages.
