SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Penn State Schuylkill has received a $17,000 grant from the PPL Foundation to support the campus’s Trees, Bees and Greens: Finding Health in Nature program at the Penn State Schuylkill Arboretum.
The program is designed to teach participants about the origins of healthy foods and medicinal plants found in the local environment through educational tours, instructor-led lessons and food tastings. By engaging the community with the arboretum’s collection of trees and a new accessible garden space, the initiative highlights the health and medicinal benefits of native plants.
Educational sessions will be tailored for both students and the broader community. Programs for local schools will introduce younger learners to the role of native plants in health and wellness, while community sessions will extend existing arboretum programming, such as the annual "A Walk in Penn’s Woods" event and the campus Earth Day Activities Fair.
“We are grateful to the PPL Foundation for this grant, which is a great opportunity for sustainability efforts at the campus,” said Mary Ann Smith, lecturer of biology at Penn State Schuylkill. “We will be able to bring together our Level I ArbNet-accredited arboretum with our growing apiary program and the community garden to help promote health and well-being as we educate our students and communities about the benefits of nature. We are looking forward to upgrading our community garden to have more accessible spaces and encourage greater participation in this outdoor space and living laboratory.”
About Penn State Schuylkill
Penn State Schuylkill, one of the University’s longest-standing Commonwealth Campuses, offers academic excellence, experiential learning and strong community engagement. Located just two hours from Philadelphia and New York City, the campus provides 10 bachelor’s and four associate degrees, as well as access to Penn State’s 2+2 plan. Its distinctive Cooperative Education (Co-Op) program integrates classroom learning with workplace experiences to prepare students for professional success. Students enjoy a vibrant campus life with athletics, clubs, dining, housing, fitness center and a modern game room, while the campus also serves as a hub for regional workforce and community development.
About the PPL Foundation
The PPL Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization formed to support community initiatives in the areas served by PPL Corporation’s utilities. The PPL Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that are working to create vibrant, sustainable communities; advance inclusion; and support children’s success from cradle to career in both Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Learn more at pplcares.com.
About Philanthropy at Penn State
Donors like the PPL Foundation advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the Commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.