Rowan Student Sees Success After Launching Environmental Club

In 2017, Rowan College at Burlington County student Hana Katz launched the college’s environmental club. Since then, it has gone on to become an active member of the community, according to college officials.

“Off-campus, we did everything from trash clean-ups along the Delaware River, to tree plantings in Mount Holly, to assisting the Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees, to working with the P.I.N.E.S. program in Whitesbog,” Katz, of Mount Holly, said. “On-campus, I invited speakers to teach students about wildlife tracking, outdoor survival, solar energy and the workings behind clean water filtration at the Mount Laurel Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA). We also started a sustainable herb/veggie garden at the Mount Holly Campus.”

She also secured her first real job in the STEM department of the college as a student worker. By fully immersing herself in the student experience, the college said she was able to build lifelong connections that lead to many opportunities.

The same year she launched the club, she was recruited to be the first "Young Women's Representative" of the Burlington County Women's Advisory Committee, where she works to mentor women, advertises women's programs and promotes gender equality throughout our county. She still serves on the committee.

Katz graduated from Rowan College at Burlington County in the spring. She is now pursuing a degree in environmental sciences at Jersey City University. She is now a part-time employee with the National Park Service, and spends her free time painting, volunteering or traveling.

“I am working a very fun job at The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as a GIS (Geospatial Information Systems) analyst. My position encompasses working directly with park administration and utilizing computer science to better understand the history and archaeology of the area,” Katz said.

In the future, Katz hopes to pursue a career in environmental resource management. She is extremely passionate about protecting clean water and air rights, and her ultimate dream would be to pursue a career in environmental law or to work for an organization that promotes environmental sustainability, such as the UN Environment Programme.

She also hopes to keep volunteering in Burlington and Hudson counties while finishing her bachelor’s degree and eventually earning her master’s degree.