Marist Nurtures Relationships with Local Community Through New Writing with Nonprofits Class
Students receive feedback from Land to Learn on their project. Photo by Benson Delaney 鈥27/麻豆视频.
May 12, 2026 鈥 Marist expanded its Hudson Valley community partnership work this semester with Writing with Nonprofits, a new English course connecting students directly with local organizations. Created by Dr. Catherine Chaterdon, the special topics course quickly filled as students jumped at the chance to support nonprofits through purposeful writing and hands-on community work.
The class partnered with three Hudson Valley nonprofit organizations: , , and . With the help of the Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership, it continued Marist鈥檚 longstanding partnerships with CCDR and DCPC and fostered a new one with Land to Learn.
Cultivating Gardens and Relationships: Land to Learn
Left photo: (from L-R) Tori Hegenauer 鈥27, Kiki Wiehe 鈥26, and Tazaliyah Barnes 鈥28 at an Earth Day Event. Right photo: Jenna Labadessa 鈥28 (left) and Luke Feury 鈥26 (right) interact with kids during a garden lesson. Photos courtesy of Land to Learn.
Land to Learn cultivates connection to food, land, and community by engaging youth in hands-on, garden-based education that nourishes health, ecological awareness, and collective well-being.
Working closely with Nicole Porto, Executive Director of Land to Learn, and Erin Giunta, Outreach Manager, the students developed three projects: responses for future grant applications, a pitch deck (visual presentation), and a campaign for the coming up on May 20.
鈥淭he students鈥 contributions are truly helpful, and we hope to engage more Marist students in projects and internships in the future,鈥 said Porto.
Beyond writing, the students traveled to Beacon and Kingston to participate in garden lessons at local elementary schools and attend an outreach event on Earth Day.
鈥淚 chose to work with Land to Learn because it鈥檚 really important for kids to spend time in nature rather than stay cooped up in a classroom,鈥 said Tazaliyah Barnes 鈥28, a Psychology major. 鈥淭hrough this experience, I ended up getting a better understanding of the Hudson Valley community around me.鈥
Embracing and Welcoming Differences: Dutchess County Pride Center (DCPC)
Avery Van Damme 鈥28 points to her group鈥檚 booklet with Erick Johnston 鈥26, Stella Qadeer 鈥28, Laura Rettus 鈥26, Sarah Gurskis 鈥26, and Lili Bidlo 鈥26. Photo by Benson Delaney 鈥27/麻豆视频.
DCPC is a nonprofit that provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. Their goal is to improve the health, safety, and well-being of the entire LGBTQ+ community in Dutchess County.
鈥淏eing able to see what we鈥檝e produced with everything polished was incredibly rewarding,鈥 said Sarah Gurskis 鈥26, an English major who worked with DCPC. 鈥淭his class is great because we鈥檙e building skills for future job opportunities and adding to our resumes.鈥
Karen Marder, Executive Director of DCPC, finds Marist students to be hard working and considerate of the impact that they are making when assisting small non-profit organizations.
鈥淒utchess County Pride Center has always appreciated our close relationship with 麻豆视频,鈥 said Marder. 鈥淲e cherish the connections we have made with both the students and professors and look forward to many more years of working together.鈥
Supplying the Resources for Success: Casa Comunitaria De Recursos (CCDR)
From left to right: Amy Ghattas poses with Tom Quinones 鈥28, Kayden Vanarsdale 鈥27, Jacqueline Dicenzo 鈥28, Lauren Uliana 鈥26, Aileen McGovern 鈥27, and Brooke Hubert 鈥28 in front of their presentation. Photo by Benson Delaney 鈥27/麻豆视频.
CCDR works to create an inclusive environment where everyone can access the tools needed to reach their full potential and contribute positively to society. Currently, they are working towards providing resources to Spanish-speaking individuals and families.
鈥淭he most inspiring part of this project was watching students use creativity and compassion to build something that could genuinely help people feel seen, supported, and connected,鈥 said Amy Ghattas, Assistant to Gabriela Vega-Matthews, Executive Director of CCDR. 鈥淓ducation is most impactful when learning leaves the classroom and enters the community.鈥
Tom Quinones 鈥28 worked with CCDR, serving as his group鈥檚 point of contact and communicating directly with the community partner to coordinate meetings, share drafts, and ask questions.
Contributing to a group of 6, he researched resources with Spanish-speaking employees for migrants in Dutchess County. Through the process, he gained experience in professional communication and community outreach.
鈥淚鈥檓 a second-generation immigrant, so I鈥檓 able to understand a lot of the struggles that the Latino and migrant community face from day to day,鈥 said Tom, an English major.
Working with Community Partners
Students, staff, and community partners gathered in the Henry Hudson Room in Fontaine to view student presentations and enjoy light refreshments at the course鈥檚 end. The celebration provided an opportunity for students to network with the other nonprofits connected to the class and further bond with their own community partners.
Dr. Chaterdon built the course on the idea of writing with nonprofits, rather than for them, to create meaningful partnerships in which students and community organizations could learn from and support one another equally.
鈥淚 wanted this class to be a true collaboration between the students and the community partners that was reciprocal and mutually beneficial,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was very impressed by both the quality of writing and the relationships the students formed with their community partners.鈥
Dr. Chaterdon looks forward to adding this special topics course to the English Department鈥檚 yearly offerings.
