Since its founding 50 years ago, the Baltimore Woods Nature Center has provided residents of and visitors to Central New York with the opportunity to explore its 182 acres of land and six miles of trails. Its mission – like Le Moyne’s – is to educate. To that end, the staff members at Baltimore Woods, including Executive Director Mary Kate Intaglietta ’03 and Marketing Coordinator Stacy Drake ’87, offer a variety of programs aimed not just at teaching its guests about nature, but also encouraging them to be good environmental stewards.
The alumnae say their work is a natural extension their time on the Heights.
“At Le Moyne, we were taught to be men and women of service to others. We were encouraged to ask ourselves, ‘How can you make a difference?’” recalled Intaglietta. “Working for a nonprofit organization like Baltimore Woods is a great way to give back to the community and to contribute to its future.”
Le Moyne recently formed a partnership with Baltimore Woods that strengthens the connection between the two. Both the College of Arts and Sciences and Madden School of Business are sponsors of the Baltimore Woods Nature in the City program, which brings hands-on lessons in environmental science to Syracuse City School District students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The Baltimore Woods educators, who are state-certified teachers, share lessons about critical topics such as the water cycle with the students while also encouraging them to care for the earth.
“The program is such a natural fit with the mission of the College and supporting the education of children,” said Hilary McManus, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological sciences and a member of the board of directors at Baltimore Woods. “It gives children hands-on experience in nature, which is wonderful in an era when they have so much screen time.”
Jim Joseph, dean of the Madden School of Business echoed those sentiments.
“Le Moyne is a proud member of the Central New York community, and Baltimore Woods is one of our community’s natural treasures,” he said. “Education and sustainability are at the heart of both of our mission.”
In addition to its sponsorship of Nature in the City, Le Moyne has had three undergraduate students complete summer internships at Baltimore Woods. They have worked with the staff there in marketing, public relations, social media, graphic design, fundraising and even summer camp management.
"We love having interns from Le Moyne,” said Drake. “These students come to us instilled with that same 'Le Moyne spirit of giving' that Mary Kate and I discovered through our undergraduate years at Le Moyne. They come to us with congenial personalities, strong work ethics, and an eagerness to gain real world experience in their fields of study."
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