Growing Pains

Abstract

Campus gardens are invaluable community engagement and experiential learning spaces serving diverse academic disciplines. They are positioned to become fixtures in educational institutions, given community advocacy and national legislative interest. At the time of writing, The University of New Mexico (UNM) misses a valuable opportunity to leverage its student-initiated Lobo Garden as a living laboratory, applied educational learning space, food production area, and hub for community engagement. The University of New Mexico's Albuquerque campus spans about 600 acres, yet only 600 square feet are allotted for outdoor learning. The garden has faced a decade of administrative barriers preventing its integration into student life and institutionalization as a valued campus resource. To explore the variables contributing to thriving and well-integrated university garden programs, 19 in-depth interviews were conducted with university program coordinators, administrators, and key stakeholders in the United States.