Student-participants in Temple’s Climate Justice Field School internship program spent their summers learning how to address wide-reaching climate-related challenges on a local scale.  

Organized by the Department of Geography, Environment, and Urban Studies, the Climate Justice Field School places undergraduate students in roles in Philadelphia-based organizations working to confront environmental injustices over the summer. Participants work 20 hours per week and receive a $3,000 stipend as well as biweekly professional development sessions. Rising juniors and seniors in all Temple schools and colleges with a 3.25 cumulative GPA are eligible.

The internship culminated in a community showcase sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Center for Sustainable Communities and Charles Library, during which students shared the impact of their work with the Temple community.  

Get to know some of the current students and recent alumni taking responsibility for tackling the causes and consequences of climate change in our own backyard.



Alisha Armstrong  
Graduation year: 2026 
Major/school: Environmental studies, College of Liberal Arts  
Hometown: Philadelphia  
Internship: Climate Resilience divison, the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability 

A proud North Philly resident, Armstrong found her passion for environmental justice during her internship with the Climate Resilience Division within the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability. During the internship, she focused on helping residents of Eastwick, a predominantly Black neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia that is currently dealing with chronic flooding, prepare for future flood events. Previously, she participated in an NSF-funded research internship in Florida and Hopkins Village, Belize, where she did fieldwork comprising community outreach and mapping of beach debris. 

“I really enjoy doing work that actually helps people, that has a direct impact on their quality of life. It’s about making sure no one gets left behind.”  



Lana Stoy  
Graduation year: 2025 
Major/school: Ecology, evolution, and biodiversity, College of Science and Technology 
Hometown: Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Internship: City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability 

During her internship in the City of Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability, Lana Stoy analyzed complex housing energy data to determine whether energy is being leaked.  

Her previous experience with environmental justice includes an internship at Temple’s Ambler Field Station, where she did research on the abundance and diversity of forest mushrooms following the tornado that struck the campus in 2021. She also worked as a conservation educator at the Philadelphia Zoo. Her interest in sustainability has been bolstered by study abroad experiences studying marsupials in Australia and endangered elephants in Kenya. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career that allows her to follow her passion for studying biodiversity.  

“I’m excited to pursue a career where I can be in the field, working hands-on with wildlife and ecosystems, because that’s where I feel I can make the biggest impact.”  



Jasmine Sanders  
Graduation year: 2025 
Major/school: Political science, College of Liberal Arts, minor in environmental studies 
Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Internship: The Good Energy Collaborative 

Jasmine Sanders’ Climate Justice Field School internship launched her into her post-graduate life. Following her internship with the Good Energy Collaborative, a group of community organizations fighting for environmental justice in Philadelphia and Chester, she secured a full-time position with the organization.

During her internship, Sanders worked with Solar Ag, a summer enrichment program that educates youth about solar energy, to install solar panels in community spaces in West Philadelphia. As a political science major, the internship was the perfect opportunity to blend her interests in politics, sustainability and community service. She plans to eventually go to law school to become an environmental lawyer.  

“Learning about environmental justice in a community sense—and how people are directly affected—really helped shape how I want to advocate for them in the future.”