Kean University is home to many organizations for students to join to connect with their peers while gaining new skills. One of the newest student organizations on campus is the Kean Gardening Club.
This club was founded at Kean when students noticed that some of the gardening space was either unused or overrun with weeds. They decided to start the gardening club to connect students that enjoyed this hobby while taking care of these issues. The goal of this club is to bring students together that share a similar hobby and one day revive the community garden on campus. Students do not need to have prior experience or knowledge in gardening, rather they are just asked to come with an open mind!
President Gianna Lepanto said, “Gardening is a hobby and a life skill. By teaching others to garden, we can give them a new source of enjoyment, a new hobby and perhaps spark a passion that will continue long after their time with our club.” She continued, “I love being able to share my passion for gardening with others and to give people a club where they can learn, relax and find like-minded people to spend time with.”
Through this organization, students can make connections with each other, but also learn valuable skills that could help one in the future. For example, students can grow their interpersonal communication. They could even grow their leadership skills by eventually taking an executive board within the organization.
The gardening club also offers students a sense of community on campus or even in a virtual sense if one is still studying remotely. Due to COVID-19, the gardening club is currently meeting and hosting events exclusively online to ensure the safety of the attendees. They have a general body meeting biweekly on Fridays at 3:30 p.m., with their next meeting transpiring on Feb. 26.
They hope to host more programming such as movie nights, Kahoots and eventually in-person events. They hope to expand their members' knowledge of gardening through educational and fun activities both indoors and outdoors.
Lepanto said, “I would love to leave a lasting mark here by starting up the community garden and it would be incredible if something I started led to a project like that, which all Kean students could participate in if they wish.”
For more information on the Kean Gardening Club, be sure to visit their Cougar Link. Here, students can stay up to date on their upcoming events. Also, students can request to join the club on Cougar Link to receive email updates regarding the club.
