Sharon Bort, of Green Brook, 'paving the way' as one of Clark University's inaugural LEEP Project Pioneers

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Sharon Bort, of Green Brook, is a Clark University LEEP Pioneer.

WORCESTER, MA (11/16/2012)(readMedia)-- Sharon E. Bort, of Green Brook, N.J., is one of 46 Clark University students selected to serve as a LEEP Project Pioneer-the first class of students conducting projects under LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice), Clark's model of education that combines a robust liberal arts curriculum with life-changing world and workplace experiences.

The LEEP Pioneers have been working closely with faculty mentors as well as Clark alumni and organizational partners on projects of shared interest or leading-edge research and analysis. The projects, some of which started this summer, and others which will commence during the 2012-2013 academic year, allow the students to creatively address actual problems and apply their knowledge in authentic workplace settings before they graduate. The LEEP Projects span the full breadth of academic studies, from arts/humanities to natural and social sciences.

Bort worked at Recology, Inc., in San Francisco, Calif., and focused on e-waste - typically the discarded components of computers and other electronics - that create toxic hazards. She conducted research on the recycling of specific commodities like e-waste and latex paint, and created an educational module about going "waste-zero" and linking recycling to such issues as climate change and water quality.

"Making connections between your garbage and big issues like climate change is not always so obvious," Bort said.

Bort placed second in the 2012 Hervey Ross Oratorical Contest for a speech she delivered about her project. A video of this speech is available online at http://clarkvoices.clarku.edu/2012/11/01/leep-pioneer-sharon-bort/.

"Clark's LEEP Project Pioneers initiative is the inaugural run for an exciting new feature of our undergraduate curriculum. LEEP Projects provide opportunities for students to blend academic learning with professional development," said Colin Polsky, associate dean for undergraduate research and active pedagogy and associate professor of geography. "LEEP Projects not only allow Clark students to dive deep into a topic about which they are passionate, but also require students to learn how to communicate about the topic to multiple and diverse audiences."

Bort is a member of the Class of 2014 at Clark, majoring in global environmental studies. On campus, she is involved with the Democrats of Clark University (DCU), Clark Sustainability Collaborative, STAND, and she served as an intern with Sustainable Clark. Bort is also a Presidential Scholar. Earlier this year, she and a classmate were awarded $1,500 from Clark's U-reka! Big Idea Contest for their idea for Sustainable Containables, an initiative they proposed to increase the rate of recycling on campus.

Bort is a graduate of Watchung Hills Regional High School. She is the daughter of Edward and Deborah Bort of Green Brook.

Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a small, liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale. Clark's faculty and students work across boundaries to develop solutions to contemporary challenges in the areas of psychology, geography, management, urban education, Holocaust and genocide studies, environmental studies, and international development and social change. The Clark educational experience embodies the University's motto: Challenge convention. Change our world.

www.clarku.edu