2021 New York Study Tour

Written by: Brianna Kreft ‘22

The Empire State, the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps. No matter what you call it, New York City is a city full of vibrancy, culture, and history. Over winter break, the McCarthy Center took advantage of all the learning opportunities the city has to offer, by taking a group of ten students on a five-day long study tour of New York City. The group not only visited the sites, but also learned about sustainable urban living, New York history, economics, and much more. Additionally, the students met with CSB+SJU alum and McCarthy Center supporters who live and work in New York.

The study tour hit the ground running on the first day in New York. After touching down at LaGuardia, maneuvering the subway for the first time, and unpacking in the hotel, the group walked to dinner at Angelo Bellini. There, students were not only met with delicious Italian food, but great conversation with two St. Ben’s alum: Skylar Gast, CSB ‘21 and Sameera Sheikh, ‘19. Skylar told the group about her work as an audit and assurance assistant at Deloitte, while Sameera shared her experiences working as an inbound advisor for the Fulbright Program. Sameera. Both Skylar and Sameera are past McCarthy Center student employees, and they enjoyed telling the group about their highlights from working at the Center. Students were impacted the most by hearing Sameera’s testimony of what it was like to attend CSB+SJU as a student of color. She spoke of the hardships she felt, but was also very genuine when she told the group that the McCarthy Center was her safe haven on campus. Her vulnerability in sharing this showed the group the importance of creating safe spaces on campus for all students. The students also learned the important lesson that one does not need to study abroad to experience culture. Sameera emphasized that if students are simply open to embracing those around them, one can learn about the different cultures in their own backyard. Another lesson that the students learned from Skylar and Sameera was the importance of working for a company or organization that allows you to grow within it and has opportunities for promotions. The students walked away that night with new insights, lessons, and of course, full bellies.

Students enjoy first meal in New York City with CSB alum Skylar Gast '21 and Sameera Sheikh '19

The second day of the study tour began at the 9/11 Museum and Memorial. The group walked through the exhibits at their own pace, learning about the events of 9/11 from videos, artifacts, and personal stories from those who lived and experienced the tragic events of that day first-hand. After exiting the museum, the students had a new found appreciation for the toughness of New York City and its inhabitants, and a better understanding of a key piece of American history. Many of the students in the group had not even been born when 9/11 took place, so the museum opened their eyes to the many different reactions that Americans had on that day. On the way out of the exhibit, the adults in the group shared their own memories of 9/11. In this way, the students were able to better understand the importance of passing down stories and experiences with those of the next generation. Next on the agenda for the day was a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Boarding a ferry in Battery Park, the group sailed to Lady Liberty herself, taking in both her beauty and that of the New York city skyline. Once at the Statue, students toured a museum that recounted the building of the Statue of Liberty, and the story of American freedom that she has come to represent. The group then hopped back on the ferry to travel to Ellis Island, and the National Immigration Museum. Housed inside the restored building of the former immigration complex, the Museum documents the rich story of American immigration through a collection of photographs, heirlooms, and exhibits. Students even had the chance to research whether their ancestors were some of the twelve million immigrants who arrived in America via Ellis Island. The museum was thought provoking and moving, as it celebrated the promise and possibility, but also the complexities and contradictions of the migrant journey of America. In today’s society, immigration is an extremely controversial topic, and something that the McCarthy Center has focused on in years’ past. Hearing about the origin of American immigration was reinvigorating for the Center’s student workers and inspired future discussion. A beautiful sunset ferry ride guided the group back into the city, where delicious Mexican food was waiting for them at Toro Loco. At dinner, the group recounted their favorite moments from the day.

Students meet at Chelsea Market with CSB alum Emily Heinz Bina '11

Another jam-packed day began with a walking tour of the High Line led by Dr. Matt Lindstrom. The High Line is a public park built on a historic rail line elevated above the streets in the Meatpacking district of New York City. Students learned how the park is a demonstration of sustainable urban living, where visitors can experience nature, art, and design. The tour also prompted important discussion about urban gentrification. What was once a run-down neighborhood, the Meatpacking district was transformed into one of the most expensive areas to live in New York City by the High Line, thereby displacing its original inhabitants. Students compared this gentrification to that of St. Joseph. With new additions to the town like Bad Habit Brewing, Krewe, and upscale apartment buildings, the group realized that gentrification is taking place within our own college town. Thus, the High Line walking tour opened the students’ eyes to potential problems within their own backyard. The group walked the oneand-a-half-mile long High Line to Chelsea Market—an indoor food and retail marketplace featuring diverse merchants. There, the group met with Emily Heinz Bina, CSB ‘11. She answered the students’ questions about her work for the Onion, the Huffington Post, the Atlantic, and Katie Couric Media. Emily shared her work experiences and advised students to make themselves indispensable, even when working unpaid internships or lower-level positions. Impressed by Emily’s tenacity and bravery, the students learned that CSB+S- JU’s liberal arts education can truly work in your favor, as it makes you a well-rounded student who is capable for any job opportunity thrown your way. From Chelsea Market, the group made their way to the Financial District for a historic tour of Wall Street and the American economy. Students learned about everything from the origin of Wall Street, to the billion-dollar institutions that influence today’s global economy. This tour was very important to the students, as it showed them how the American economy affects almost every aspect of our daily lives. The group discussed how inspiring it was to hear that the backbone of American economics was built by immigrants, and how important it is to bring back this knowledge to CSB+SJU and the McCarthy Center’s work. Overall, the day’s activities opened students' eyes to think both globally and locally about the problems we face in our daily lives.

On the last full day of the study tour, the group started the day with a scavenger hunt of the city. Broken into three teams, the students walked to Carnegie Hall, the Central Park Carousel, the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument in Central Park, the Bethesda Terrace, the Loeb Boathouse, the Met Museum, and the Guggenheim. Along the way, each group took fun photos and videos for a series of challenges at each spot. Some favorites were the horse impressions at the Central Park Carousel and the slow-motion runway walks at the Met. While silly, the scavenger hunt built comradery among the group—making fools of yourself in public will do that! The scavenger hunt ended at the Museum of the City of New York, where the group explored exhibits about the history of the city, NYC activism, and—a crowd favorite—old arcade games. The NYC activism exhibit was especially impactful to the group, as the students were able to learn about everything from LGBTQ+ rights, to immigration activism, to the Black Lives Matter movement. As it is the McCarthy Center’s mission to promote political and social activism, this exhibit emphasized the importance of the entire study tour, and reinvigorated students in the social justice issues they are personally most passionate about. From the museum, the group traveled to Lexington Social for tapas and conversation with Mary Beth McCarthy. Mary Beth—Eugene McCarthy’s niece—entertained students with stories of her time on the campaign trail, non-profit work, and run-ins with celebrities. She even shared some of Senator McCarthy’s original campaign materials. From these, students saw how dedicated Eugene McCarthy was to serving the public, and how proud he would be of his namesake carrying that same commitment still today, through the McCarthy Center.

The next morning consisted of packing up, enjoying some morning free time, and heading to Ragtrader for one last meal in New York City. There, the group recounted their favorite memories and moments from the trip, and students shared what they did during their free time. Some highlights were walking the Brooklyn Bridge, attending Broadway shows, visiting Columbia University, eating authentic NYC deli and pizza, and seeing the Rockefeller Christmas tree. More importantly, however, the students shared all the important lessons they learned over the five days. The 9/11 Museum taught the importance of perseverance. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island gave a unique perspective on modern-day immigration debates. The Museum of the City of New York renewed the students’ quest for social justice. The meals with alum showed that each CSB+S- JU student has a different story, and a different experience of their time in college, and that each student should be treated with kindness and dignity. And, finally, the city taught students the importance of diversity of peoples, cultures, experiences, and opportunities.

As the tour wrapped up, the students went their separate ways from the airport, each taking with them these lessons and a new-found love for political activism and public service. The McCarthy Center student workers and advisors were reinvigorated in their mission to provide learning opportunities like these for spring semester. In the end, everyone walked away with lifelong memories, new friends, and, of course, some I <3 NY gear.

CSB+SJU Students explore Central Park during NYC Scavenger Hunt