Maggie Sardino ’23 double majored in writing and rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and citizenship and civic engagement in A&S | Maxwell. As an undergraduate, Sardino was a research assistant with A&S’ Engaged Humanities Network (EHN), was both a Coronat and Remembrance Scholar, and studied in Victoria, British Columbia, as a Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink intern in 2022.
As Syracuse University’s fifth Marshall Scholar, Sardino has been pursuing master’s degrees in digital humanities at King’s College London and applied anthropology and community development at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Students from Syracuse London’s Sustainable Urbanism course examining the role of community-driven spaces in urban sustainability at Phoenix Garden in London
During her time abroad, she has also remained connected with Syracuse University. This spring, Sardino is part of Lender Global, a fellowship offered by the Lender Center for Social Justice and Syracuse Abroad. As a research mentor, Sardino is working with student fellows to explore how London creatively tackles sustainability challenges. Her work on that project aligns with the University’s mission to empower students to become global citizens who are prepared to lead in a rapidly changing world.
She is also a teaching assistant for the Sustainable Urbanism class at SU’s London Center, where she is bringing some of EHN’s Environmental Storytelling Series into the curriculum.
Below, she reflects on her experience in London:
How have your master’s studies been so far? Has that experience solidified your career aspirations?
Maggie Sardino (MS): My master’s studies have been absolutely transformational, and I have cultivated a more global perspective on the issues important to me. My studies have solidified my goals of wanting to become a professor working at the intersections of storytelling, communication and social justice, while helping me to recognize that I want to focus specifically on urban redevelopment.
What has been your favorite aspect of studying abroad in London?
(MS): It would have to be the connections I have made. During my master’s program at King’s College London, I was able to build a network with people from around the world. The relationships I have fostered have challenged me to situate myself in a much broader context and think more critically about the responsibilities I have as a citizen of the United States.
Maggie Sardino walks the stage during King’s College London’s graduation ceremony, having earned her degree in digital humanities
Can you describe the subject matter of the course, Sustainable Urbanism, that you’ve been helping to teach?
(MS): For me, it is a way of thinking about urban spaces that emphasizes environmental, economic and social sustainability and resilience. Sustainable urbanism is about recognizing that every piece of infrastructure, every economic exchange, every human interaction, every political decision contributes to the sustainability of our cities.
What important lessons are students taking away from that course?
(MS): Students walk away with a range of tools such as community mapping, policy analysis and creative writing that prepare them to continue to think critically about what sustainability means and how they can integrate it into their future professional and personal journeys.
How did your experience with Environmental Storytelling Series of CNY inform your work with that class?
(MS): The Environmental Storytelling Series has been fundamental to my teaching. I give lectures introducing how storytelling can be a powerful tool in advocating for sustainable urbanism. I often use the ESS learning guides as examples of how storytelling can allow us to think differently about our environment and connection to it. My experiences with science communication and environmental justice in the Environmental Storytelling Series of CNY has also helped with the mentorship work I am now doing through the Lender Global Fellows program.
How do issues of sustainability compare between London and Syracuse?
(MS): Many of the issues of sustainability, especially as it relates to environmental injustice, exist across both contexts. There are definitely differences in scale between the two cities, which present distinct challenges for sustainable urban planning, and the transportation systems are vastly different. I think these overlaps and divergences make the course so special. By the end of the course, students have a much broader understanding of environmental issues, as well as an appreciation for the importance of social, economic and cultural contexts when addressing climate change.
How has Syracuse London enhanced your experience?
(MS): Syracuse University’s London Abroad Center has been an incredible resource to me throughout the last year and a half. It has been a way for me to feel connected to my community in Syracuse, while fully embracing the opportunities available in a city like London. I would particularly like to thank Dr. Becca Farnum for her mentorship and guidance, Dr. Helen Kearney for giving me an opportunity to teach with and learn from her, and Professor Brice Nordquist for his continued support. I would also like to thank the Lender family for supporting the Lender Global research program.
Where to next after you wrap up your studies in London?
(MS): After I finish my master’s program at Goldsmiths, University of London, I will be headed back to the U.S. to start a Ph.D. program. My hope is to conduct research at the intersections of communication, urban redevelopment and gentrification. I would like to collaborate with communities who are at risk of displacement and disproportionately impacted by environmental injustice. Ultimately, my goal is to become a professor conducting research and engaging in storytelling that contributes to more equitable and just cities.
Sardino holding a calf during a Syracuse University trip to Lockerbie, Scotland. As a former Remembrance Scholar, she describes visiting Lockerbie—the site of the plane crash caused by a terrorist bomb that claimed the lives of 35 Syracuse students—as a particularly powerful experience.
