Surrounded by beauty and opportunity.
Position | INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT: #SQUADGOALS - High Point University |
Everything has a purpose. From the inspirational quotes and sculptures of historic figures along the Kester International Promenade to the water features throughout, every aspect of High Point University's campus is strategically designed to surround students with learning opportunities.
This includes the 26 gardens, 3,500 taxa of plants and more than 600 varieties of trees in the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
The gardens spread throughout campus and are constantly expanding with an overall goal of increasing plant diversity. Through collaboration from committee members, the landscape team, volunteers and students, the gardens have grown, literally, at an impressive pace.
As envisioned by First Lady Mariana Qubein when she spearheaded their development in 2006, HPU's gardens blend seamlessly with the buildings and spaces they surround. They showcase the beautiful natural gifts God has provided while offering unique educational opportunities for students and visitors alike.
AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
The arboretum and gardens deepen and further inspire learning that takes place within classrooms by serving as an outdoor learning lab for research in the natural environment.
Working with Jon Roethling, curator of the gardens, faculty find plant specimens for their research without having to leave campus. Rather than using prepackaged samples from lab kits, students get the hands-on experience of collecting their own samples.
They also are inspired to ask questions about the plants growing around them.
Dr. Niky Hughes, assistant professor of biology, and a group of students have studied an elephant ear plant called 'Mojito' found on campus to learn why some plants have pigmentation on the top and bottom surfaces of their leaves. Their results, published in the international journal Planta, show that the pigments act as sunscreen for the plants.
She and senior Sarah Forget are also studying Christmas fern to learn why the plant lays its fronds flat against the ground during winter. They have found that this helps regulate temperature and humidity, reducing stress to the plant during cold weather.
Hughes' colleague, Assistant Professor Cindy Vigueira, is conducting a study of the genetic relationships between the many varieties of Liatris, also known as blazing stars or gayfeathers. She hopes to start a breeding program to develop improved garden cultivars for this group.
There's also a study underway by Dr. Dinene Crater, biology...
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