About the Rowan University Arboretum
The Rowan University Arboretum explores the wonders of our environment by leveraging our campus trees as a resource for education, research, and University outreach. We also aspire to honor the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape people and their history.
Our mission is to curate an accessible living laboratory for students and visitors to explore the interconnectedness of plants, animals, people, and the environment to inspire new learning, research, and creative ideas. This mission stems from our belief that the best way to create meaningful change is through developing curiosity and empathy for our environment and each other.
The arboretum team seeks to inspire visitors of all ages to explore their local community, learn about its history and biological diversity, and discover connections that generate new, creative research paths. We hope to inspire course collaborations, new campus events, and an increased public awareness of Rowan University’s environmental stewardship. In addition, we encourage guests to learn about trees and explore questions about the history and lives of the Lenni-Lenape people, whose traditional land includes our campus.
Goals of the Rowan University Arboretum
-
- Leverage our campus environment as a resource for learning and research.
- Curate an accessible educational resource that fosters learning about the interconnection between plants, animals, people, and place.
- Preserve our campus flora and fauna, and increase its diversity with a keen focus on native species.
- Inspire students to explore their local community, learn about its history and biological diversity, and discover connections that generate new, creative paths of research.
- Create meaningful change by cultivating curiosity and empathy for our environment and each other.
- Encourage critical and creative thinking through learning about the environment and developing research opportunities.
- Provide real-world, experiential learning opportunities for students.
- Contribute to the public awareness of Rowan University’s commitment to our environment and community.
Our Team
An interdisciplinary team of faculty, librarians, students, administrators, and creators offers feedback and support to guide the development of the Rowan University Arboretum. The team serves as the University’s organizational governance group required for accreditation. We meet regularly to discuss arboretum plans, events & workshops, integration with university courses, and marketing & signage.
Dr. Wright is the Co-Leader of the Rowan Arboretum Project and our primary biological sciences expert. The content of this project was developed by students, for students, within Dr. Sara Wright’s Plant Diversity course in the Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, in collaboration with the Rowan University Libraries Digital Scholarship Center and the Division of Facilities, Planning & Operations. Dr. Wright’s students researched and wrote content, and they assisted with photographing the trees throughout the seasons.
The Division of Facilities, Planning & Operations is the central developer and manager of campus landscaping and maintenance. They also provided access to resources and significant guidance in tree identification with the help of Bartlett Tree Experts. Therefore, the Senior Director of Facilities, Kevin Muldoon, and the Director of Landscape Architectural Services, Linda Walczak, have leading roles in the team.
Michael Benson, the coordinator of the Rowan University Libraries Digital Scholarship Center, is a Co-Leader of the Rowan Arboretum Project and provides leadership in concept development, planning, team building, media training, and design and development of the website. Furthermore, the Rowan University Libraries provides significant support through the research and advice of Librarians Daniel Kipnis, Life Science, and Denise Brush, Public Services.
Team Members:
- Sara Wright, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Co-Leader of the Rowan Arboretum Project
- Kevin Muldoon, Senior Director of Facilities Operations, Division of Facilities, Planning & Operations
- Linda Walczak, Director of Landscape Architectural Services, Division of Facilities, Planning & Operations
- Michael Benson, Coordinator of the Rowan University Libraries Digital Scholarship Center; Co-Leader of the Rowan Arboretum Project
- Lori Marshall, Assistant Vice-President of University Relations, Director of University Publications
- Stephen Bentivenga, Ph.D., Department Head and Professor, Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
- Dan Duran, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Naturalist, Department of Environmental Science
- Dan Kipnis, Ph.D., Life Sciences Librarian, Campbell Library
- Denise Brush, Public Services Librarian, Campbell Library
- Jen Kitson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Planning & Sustainability, Department of Art
- Shelly Thomas, Ph.D., Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
- Terry O’Brien, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
—
Campbell Library’s Digital Scholarship Center Student Staff:
- Michelle Amoako, Biological Sciences Major, Biological Science Researcher, Arboretum Research, Digital Scholarship Center (2020-2022)
- Nahida Khalil, Graphic Design Major, Illustration, Digital Scholarship Center (2021-2023)
- Lilliana De Salas, Biological Sciences Major, Photography, Web, and Content Development Assistant, Digital Scholarship Center (2022-2023)
- Lelia Richards, Biomedical Art Major, Illustration, Photography, and Video Development Assistant, Digital Scholarship Center (2022-Present)
—
Student Content Contributors
2021 Fall: Plant Diversity (Sara Wright, Ph.D.)
-
- Dominick Cipolone, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Flowering Dogwood
- Michael Giunta, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Black Walnut
- Lornelle Mendoza, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Crabapple
- Nishat Mim, Biological Sciences and Psychology Major, Contributed: Callery Pear
- Sabrina Priya, Chemistry Major, Contributed: American Sycamore
- Ayesha Akhter, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: White Oak
- Caitlyn Angley, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Flowering Cherry
- Judith Evans, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Sugar Maple
- Nicole Hopkins, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Tulip Tree
- Brendalis Lisboa, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Pin Oak
- Ernest Nebedum, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Northern Red Oak
- Erin O’Donnell, Biological Sciences and Psychology Major, Contributed: Eastern White Pine
- Kiara Ward, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Weeping Cherry
2022, Fall: Plant Diversity Course (Sara Wright, Ph.D.)
-
- Angelique (Ang) Arnoldy, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Northern Catalpa
- Luke Castagna, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Southern Red Oak
- Sofia DiCastelnuovo, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Japanese Zelkova
- Reilly Dillon, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Eastern Redbud
- Fatima Hakimi, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Purple Leaf Plum
- Neha Jacob, Biological Sciences Major
- Israt (Izzy) Jashim, Biological Sciences and Computing & Informatics Major, Contributed: Atlas Cedar
- Cassandra Nowak, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Green Ash
- Brianna O’Malley, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Juniper
- Ashton Paladino, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Douglas Fir
- Sophia Paredes, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: White Mulberry
- Dhara Patel, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: False Cypress
- Rachel Ray, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Black Cherry
- Alexandra (Ally) Reagle, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Star Magnolia
- Tony Resendiz, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Black Tupelo
- Demetri Rome, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Sassafras
- Harley Rosenzweig, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Mockernut Hickory
- Emily Setaro, Biological Sciences and Education Major, Contributed: Loblolly Pine
- Lily De Salas, Biological Sciences Major, Photography, Web, Content Development Assistant, Contributed: Weeping Willow
- Georgina Vasquez-guzman, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: River Birch
- Valerie Vischoric, Biological Sciences Major, Contributed: Willow Oak
Create a Course Project with the Rowan University Arboretum
Do you want to partner with the Rowan University Arboretum for your course project or research? Our team is excited to encourage innovative projects and student learning that leverage our Arboretum, campus trees, and this website. We want to aid in your success! Please reach out to benson@rowan.edu and/or wrights@rowan.edu to discuss how we can collaborate and support one another in teaching and learning.
Internships
The Rowan University Libraries’ Digital Scholarship offers a for-credit internship focused on the Rowan University Arboretum. Our internships takes the form of experiential learning, learning through experiencing. Interns will be assigned various tasks related to learning outcomes and receive training and guidance. All majors are welcome. Learn more about our internship program at Rowan University Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Center.
Land Acknowledgement
Rowan University’s campuses were built on Lenapehoking, the ancestral lands of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape tribal nation.
We acknowledge the history of genocide, forced displacement, and cultural erasure carried out against the Indigenous people of our region; and, we celebrate the vibrance, persistence, and ongoing project of sovereignty of the Lenni-Lenape people today.
To recognize the legacy of colonization and the struggle for peace between the Indigenous community and those who have migrated to this land recently or many generations ago, Rowan is committed to nurturing collaborative relationships with Indigenous and other historically marginalized groups in our region.
We aim to serve our native students, staff, faculty, and community members in a spirit of reciprocity and respect.
Beyond acknowledging settler colonialism in our region, Rowan University faculty, staff, and students are working to build meaningful partnership with our Lenape peers, colleagues, and neighbors.
Through the Rowan University Arboretum and our campus tree projects, we aspire to honor the Lenni-Lenape people and their history. This website shares how the Lenni-Lenape people utilized specific trees and plants and suggests resources and questions for additional research.
Suggested Citation
To cite a tree page, please use this format:
Student’s Last Name, First. Rowan University Arboretum. 2023. Enter the web address of the page here. Web. [access date].