Community Gardening project engages TCU nutrition and nursing students

Students Shea Brumley and Mark Tipps show-off one of their garden containers.

Fort Worth, TX

5/1/2007

By Cacy Barnard, Office of Communications

TCU nursing and nutrition students have joined to participate in Community Gardening for Active Citizenship, a service-learning project in connection with the Tarrant County Resource Connection and the Tarrant County Master Gardeners Association.

Through community partnerships and gardening, the project encourages undergraduate students to develop civic skills and become active citizens. TCU students enrolled in clinical nursing class and dietetics classes continue to collaborate in all stages of research, including design and evaluation.

"The project reaches out to the community to establish a campus/community partnership, allowing student life to be enriched through non-traditional learning environments," said Mark Tipps, TCU nursing student.

Along with undergraduate educational opportunities, the garden will promote individual and public health benefits. Engagement with the community aims to improve food security, promote a healthy lifestyle and increase social interactions.

"It encourages our community not only to consume nutritious homegrown food, but to also get outdoors and exercise as a family and a community," said Shea Brumley, TCU nutrition student.

The garden currently consists of 18 beds including herbs, fruits, vegetables and a variety of plants native to Texas. It is located on two acres of land at the Resource Connection campus in southeast Fort Worth. Future plans include the addition of 12 beds and a green house.

For more information, contact Dr. Lyn Dart of TCU's nutritional sciences department at l.dart@tcu.edu.