Coppin State Study Links Hands-On Learning to Environmental Justice Gains
- Study published July 31, 2026, by Dr. Johnny Rice II and Dr. Mercy N. Shenge
- Research highlights HBCUs' role in environmental justice leadership
- Students showed gains in public health and advocacy skills
- Focus on environmental health in underserved Baltimore communities
- Findings appear in International Journal of Translational Medical Research and Public Health
New research from Coppin State University confirms that getting out of the classroom and into the community is the most effective way to train the next generation of environmental health leaders.
The study, published July 31 in the International Journal of Translational Medical Research and Public Health, provides concrete evidence that hands-on learning significantly boosts student skills in public health, research, and advocacy.
Dr. Johnny Rice II and Dr. Mercy N. Shenge authored the report, which argues that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world environmental crises.
Their work highlights how student-led research directly impacts underserved communities that have long suffered from environmental neglect.
"Our work demonstrates that experiential learning can prepare students to become leaders who improve environmental health and advance equity in the communities they serve," Rice said.
This research comes at a critical time.
Cities across the United States are grappling with extreme heat, aging water infrastructure, and pollution-related illnesses that disproportionately affect minority neighborhoods.
The study suggests that the solution to these complex problems lies not just in policy, but in how we train the people who will eventually enforce that policy.
The researchers found that students who engaged directly with community environmental issues developed a much deeper understanding of systemic inequities than those who stuck to traditional textbooks.
Coppin State, located in the heart of West Baltimore, serves as a perfect laboratory for this type of education.
The surrounding area has faced decades of industrial disinvestment and housing discrimination, resulting in stark health disparities for its residents.
By turning these challenges into learning opportunities, the university is creating a blueprint for other institutions aiming to make a tangible difference.
The study evaluated students who participated in community-engaged research projects.
These students did not just read about lead poisoning or air quality; they measured it, mapped it, and presented solutions to local stakeholders.
The results were clear.
Students showed marked improvement in their ability to analyze complex data and communicate scientific findings to the public.
They also reported a heightened sense of responsibility to advocate for communities that are often voiceless in city planning debates.
This approach transforms students from passive observers into active agents of change.
It challenges the traditional academic model that often prioritizes publishing in obscure journals over solving immediate problems.
The researchers conclude that HBCUs, with their historical mission of service, are the ideal vehicles for this pedagogical shift.
They possess a level of community trust that predominantly white institutions often struggle to earn.
This trust allows students and faculty to access neighborhoods and gather data that outside researchers might never see.
The implications of this study extend far beyond Baltimore.
As the federal government pours billions into climate resilience and environmental justice initiatives, there is a growing demand for a workforce that understands both the science and the sociology of environmental health.
Coppin State is proving that this workforce can be grown from within the communities that need it most.
The study published on July 31, 2026, serves as a validation of the "learning by doing" philosophy that has driven the university's public health programs for years.
It offers a data-backed rebuttal to critics who question the value of experiential learning in hard sciences.
The data shows that students involved in this hands-on approach are not just learning; they are leading.
They are identifying environmental hazards, organizing community cleanups, and pushing for policy changes that protect the most vulnerable among us.
This is the future of environmental education.
It is messy, it is complex, and according to Dr. Rice and Dr. Shenge, it is essential for building a more equitable and healthy society.
West Baltimore Crisis: Why Traditional Classrooms Failed the Neighborhood
To understand why the Coppin State study matters, you have to look at the ground beneath the university's feet.
West Baltimore is a case study in environmental inequality.
The area is plagued by higher rates of asthma, lead exposure, and heat-related illness compared to the wealthier, whiter neighborhoods just a few miles north.
For decades, traditional academic institutions treated these issues as abstract data points.
Researchers would sweep in, collect samples, and leave, publishing papers that did nothing to help the residents breathing the toxic air.
This "parachute science" approach created a deep rift between universities and the communities they were supposed to serve.
Residents stopped trusting outsiders with clipboards.
They stopped participating in studies.
And the environmental problems continued to worsen.
The Coppin State research breaks this cycle by rooting the students in the community before they even begin their scientific work.
The study details how students who live and learn alongside affected residents develop a more nuanced understanding of environmental health.
They learn that an asthma spike isn't just a number on a chart; it is a child missing school and a parent missing work.
They learn that a vacant lot isn't just an eyesore; it is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a mental health stressor for the block.
This level of context is impossible to teach in a lecture hall.
The research highlights the specific environmental challenges facing Baltimore.
- The city's "heat island" effect makes some neighborhoods up to 20 degrees hotter than surrounding areas.
- Aging lead pipes contaminate drinking water in thousands of older homes.
- Proximity to major highways exposes residents to dangerous levels of particulate matter.
These are not hypothetical problems.
They are daily realities for the people Coppin State students are training to serve.
The study argues that addressing these crises requires a workforce that looks like the community and understands the cultural context of the suffering.
Traditional public health programs have historically failed to recruit and retain students from these marginalized backgrounds.
The result is a profession that is often ill-equipped to handle the socio-economic drivers of poor health.
Dr. Shenge's work points out that experiential learning acts as a retention tool.
When students see the direct impact of their work on their neighbors, they are more likely to stay in the field and less likely to drop out of difficult science programs.
The study draws a direct line between the hands-on curriculum and the graduation rates of minority students in STEM fields.
It suggests that relevance is a powerful motivator.
Students are willing to tackle the toughest chemistry or biology concepts if they know those concepts will help them clean up a local park or test a well for contaminants.
This shift in pedagogy is transforming West Baltimore from a victim of environmental injustice into a hub of resilience.
The research documents specific instances where student interventions led to tangible improvements.
In one case, student-led testing of soil in community gardens led to the removal of contaminated topsoil, allowing residents to safely grow fresh vegetables again.
In another, student data presentations convinced the city council to allocate funds for green infrastructure in a flood-prone corridor.
These victories might seem small on a national scale, but they are monumental for the families involved.
They prove that environmental health is not a distant, abstract concept.
It is immediate and actionable.
The study warns that without this type of grounded, community-focused training, the next generation of environmental leaders will continue to fail the communities that need help the most.
They will have the technical knowledge but lack the cultural competence to apply it effectively.
The Coppin State model offers a way forward.
It treats the community not as a lab rat, but as a partner.
And it treats the student not as a vessel for information, but as a future advocate for justice.
This is the fundamental shift required to tackle the environmental health crises of the 21st century.
Dr. Rice and Dr. Shenge: The Science Behind Community Engagement
The methodology used by Dr. Johnny Rice II and Dr. Mercy N. Shenge offers a rigorous look at how experiential learning alters student outcomes.
Their study, published in the International Journal of Translational Medical Research and Public Health, did not rely on anecdotal evidence.
Instead, they tracked students over multiple semesters, measuring their skill acquisition and confidence levels before and after participating in community-engaged projects.
The researchers focused on three core competencies: technical research skills, public health literacy, and advocacy ability.
They found that growth in all three areas was significantly higher in the hands-on cohort compared to the control group.
"We saw students who were terrified of public speaking stand up at city hall and demand action on lead abatement," the study notes.
"We saw biology majors who had never thought about zoning laws become experts in urban planning."
This transformation is the core of their findings.
Rice and Shenge argue that environmental health is inherently interdisciplinary.
You cannot understand a contaminated water source without understanding the hydrology, the local government's infrastructure budget, and the historical zoning decisions that placed the industry there in the first place.
Traditional siloed education struggles to make these connections.
A chemistry class teaches the molecular structure of lead.
A sociology class teaches the history of redlining.
But it is the hands-on experience that forces the student to weave these threads together.
The study details a specific project where students investigated air quality near a busy trucking route.
The students had to set up air monitors, analyze the particulate data, and then conduct door-to-door surveys to see how residents were coping with the dust and noise.
This required them to be scientists, statisticians, and community organizers all at once.
The research shows that this multifaceted challenge accelerates learning.
Students learn faster because they have to.
The real-world stakes demand competence.
If they mess up the data collection, the community loses a chance to prove its case to the EPA.
If they mess up the communication, the community won't trust them next time.
Dr. Shenge emphasized the role of HBCUs in this process.
"Our institutions have always been about lifting up the community," she said.
"This research just provides the data to show what we have known in our hearts for generations."
The study also addresses the burnout often seen in public health professionals.
By connecting students deeply to the community and showing them tangible results, the experiential model fosters a sense of purpose that protects against despair.
Environmental health work can be discouraging.
The problems are vast, and the resources are often scarce.
However, the study found that students who engaged in hands-on advocacy reported higher levels of hope and resilience.
They saw small wins.
They saw a neighbor install an air filter because of their recommendation.
They saw a child's asthma attacks decrease after a mold remediation project they helped coordinate.
These small victories fuel the stamina needed for a long career in the field.
The researchers utilized a mix of qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys to reach their conclusions.
They analyzed student reflections, peer reviews, and faculty evaluations.
The data paints a picture of pedagogy in action.
It shows that students are not empty vessels.
They bring their own lived experiences to the table, which enriches the research process.
In many cases, students from Coppin State