The College of Arts and Sciences Goes Green

A group of 20 Core III students in CHEM 3551 have turned environmental theory into meaningful action through the Waste to Worth composting project, an innovative initiative designed to demonstrate how academic work can address real-world sustainability challenges. 

The Waste to Worth project was inspired by the principles of Green Chemistry, the values of Laudato Si’ (Pope Francis's call for environmental stewardship), and the "Ten Green Commandments of Laudato Si’," particularly the call to “protect the planet as our common home.” For Nada Khan, Ph.D., who taught this newly developed Core III for the first time this semester, this project was more than a classroom exercise. It was an opportunity to teach sustainability, build community and foster practical environmental action without overburdening already overwhelmed students. “This was meant to relieve stress, not add to it,” Khan noted. “I wanted students to get to know each other and collaborate on something meaningful.” 

The inspiration for the project came from student Aditya Kasina, who is a member of Seton Hall’s Sustainability Committee. He shared that the committee was planning to implement a biodigester in the campus cafeteria starting in August 2025. With this spark, Khan tasked the class with a real challenge: designing a composting system for campus. The students responded with enthusiasm and creativity, organizing themselves into five groups: GINGKO, HARMONY, BLOSSOM, FROGS and SUMMIT, and working closely with Victoria Pivovarnick co-chair of Seton Hall’s Environmental Sustainability Committee and with Associate Vice President of Facilities and Business Affairs ground crew Jeff Truskowski as well as faculty members Judith Stark, Snow, and Murphy. 

Students took charge of the entire process: planning, documenting and assembling compost bins. With Khan’s support, they installed three compost collection bins: two at Starbucks locations and one near the smoothie station in the campus café. Food scraps from the cafeteria were collected regularly by student groups, who rotated responsibilities and maintained detailed records of their work. 

The compost generated through this system did not go to waste. It was donated to Seton Hall’s Prayer Garden, where it enriched the soil and helped support plant growth, a full-circle effort that embodied the values of care and stewardship emphasized throughout the course. The soil donation to the prayer garden happened on the last day of classes for the semester. The students organized a small celebration and invited those who had supported the project from the beginning. They were especially thrilled to see Pivovarnick, Truskowski and Dean Farina there, watching proudly as the students spread the nutrient-rich compost in the garden.

Beyond reducing landfill waste and promoting environmental consciousness, the project helped students form friendships, learn teamwork, and feel a deeper connection to the Seton Hall community. Despite being a science-based course, Core III is open to students of all disciplines, and this diversity helped make the collaboration even richer. “I was amazed by how professional and timely the students were,” said Khan. “They really took ownership of the project.” 

The success of Waste to Worth also depended on the support of several Seton Hall staff and faculty, including Victoria Pivovarnick and Jeff Truskowski, whose help was essential in getting the bins and systems in place. 

What began as a classroom project quickly became a campus wide symbol of sustainable progress and student leadership. It is a reminder that even in the face of academic stress, young people can and will step up to protect the planet when given the tools, support and trust to lead. 

As Seton Hall continues to foster environmentally conscious initiatives, Waste to Worth stands as a model for how academic coursework can transform not just minds, but communities and ecosystems, one compost bin at a time. This project served as a bridge between science, the humanities and environmental sustainability, bringing together diverse disciplines to work toward a common goal, protecting the planet.

The compost project didn’t end there, it opened the door to a new path. Pivovarnick connected Khan with a newly formed Sustainability Club, created by Seton Hall students who were seeking collaboration with someone in the science department to conduct soil amendment research on the prayer garden soil in preparation for growing herbs. As a result, Khan’s green chemistry students are now researching soil amendment using both compost and the prayer garden soil. If this research proves successful, Khan plans to expand the project by offering future students the opportunity to study soil produced from the campus biodigester, continuing the cycle of sustainability through science and education. 

Categories: Campus Life, Science and Technology