A New Partnership with Reynolds Community College
Dr. Brian Trader, President and CEO of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and Dr. Paula Pando, EdD, President of Reynolds Community College review the agreement. photo by Will Nelson
On Tuesday, December 17 Reynolds Community College and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden announced the decision to grow together with a new partnership that will move the college’s Horticulture Program to the Garden.
“Many of our staff are the product of programs like those at Reynolds Community College,” said Lewis Ginter’s President and CEO, Dr. Brian Trader, at the announcement. “The Garden and our broader community depend on these professionals to connect us to the natural world so that we can be nourished, inspired and reflect on our own impact on the world.”
Following the announcement, Dr. Trader and Dr. Paula Pando, EdD, President of Reynolds Community College, signed the agreement. Through the partnership, The Garden will now offer programming from pre-K age children through adulthood to help shape the horticulturists of tomorrow. Together, Reynolds faculty, Lewis Ginter, and other local industry partners will design and implement a contemporary and impactful horticulture program to feed the community and workforce needs regionally and beyond.
photo by Will Nelson
“One of the pillars of our Strategic Plan outlines our commitment to collaborating and gathering for the benefit of the community. Being involved in the re-envisioned horticulture program at Reynolds Community College is a perfect example of bringing strategy to life,” Dr. Trader said.
Reynolds is one of the largest community colleges in Virginia and serves Virginia’s capital city and five nearby counties. It will begin offering classes at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in 2025. The program will include access to Lewis Ginter’s gardens, facilities, and plant collections, and will be led, in large part, by a new full-time faculty member who will also serve as Department Chair.
“The Garden is so proud to be a part of the re-envisioned horticulture program at Reynolds,” said Dr. Trader. “This makes us not just neighbors, but partners, too.”
Courtesy of Reynolds Community College
photo by Will Nelson