After graduating from Lesley University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Environmental Studies, Marcel Howard knew his studies were only just beginning. He took his growing passion for environmental policy to The New School in New York City where he embarked on an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management. From day one of his graduate program, Marcel felt prepared for the work to come.
“I quickly realized that I'd learned a lot at Lesley, and I was ahead of the game in many areas,” says Marcel. As an undergraduate student at Lesley, he completed internships at the Diversity/Civil Rights Office in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, as well as for Cape Cod Bay Watch, a program that works to address the harmful effects of coastal energy operations on water quality and marine life. “The internships at Lesley gave me the upper hand as I went to grad school," Marcel says.
At The New School, Marcel continued to gain first-hand experience working in environmental policy during field experiences at Tishman Environment and Design Center (TEDC), Commissioner’s Office of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), and the Urban Green Council (UGC). Through these experiences, he’s been able to lead projects that promote sustainability and climate change awareness, from facilitating The New School’s Climate Action Plan to helping curate New York City’s first-ever Food Waste Fair.
NYC Food Waste Fair 2017
Most recently at Urban Green Council (UGC), New York City’s go-to nonprofit for building sustainability, Marcel accepted a policy internship. His assignment is to assist in facilitating the 80x50 Buildings Partnership, which aims to develop policy recommendations to reduce building emissions in New York City. With building emissions making up 70 percent of New York City’s overall emissions, this research will play a key role in helping the city achieve its goal of reducing its emissions levels by 80 percent by 2050.
“I participate in the meetings and hearings that are involved with the partnership,” says Marcel, who’s looking forward to delivering his recommendations to the city over the summer. And now that he’s earned his master’s degree, the possibilities for what come after this internship are endless. He recently accepted a position as a data analyst with the Office of Sustainability in the New York City Department of Education.