Legendary labor organizer Dolores Huerta, cofounder with César Chávez of the United Farm Workers, spoke at Penn State's first annual Dolores Huerta Day of Service in 2019.
Penn State Shenango Student Affairs staffer Tony Paglia runs the gardens with the help of students and other staff and faculty. The space allows room for them all to destress and spend some time in the outdoors, but it also brings the benefits of fresh produce to campus.
Students can learn about the importance of medicinal plants at Penn State Fayette, where the garden includes a medicine wheel and additional crops with cultural significance.
An event celebrating the opening of the Penn State Berks campus garden included signs and presentations from student groups, and offered introductions to the world of gardening. That included tables to highlight the importance of pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Many of the student gardens at the Commonwealth Campuses offer the produce through farm stands and food pantries. The effort brings healthy food options to areas where people may not regularly have access to them, or might not have the resources to buy them. Students and community members alike benefit from the programs, which are open to the public.
