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In July 2024, Rollins greenhouse manager Zari St. Jean won a travel grant to participate in the annual Association of Education and Research Greenhouse Curators (AERGC) conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Formed in 1985, the AERGC organization consists primarily of college and university plant-growth facility staff. For her presentation, St. Jean shared her personal journey into horticulture and highlighted her initiatives for Rollins’ greenhouse as well as connected with greenhouse managers across the country to discuss ways to immerse students in the world of horticulture without having a formal degree program.

“It was so nice to be able to see a mix of facilities that focus on the curriculum of plant science and horticulture while still optimizing the satisfaction plants can bring to people in a calming element such as the conservatory,” shares St. Jean. “I've received so much inspiration from attending the AERGC conference and found ways to incorporate more plant science into the biology department and share the love of plants with the whole Rollins campus.”

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