ESC faculty/staff tend to projects in students' absence

Published 04.08.2020

News

While online instruction continues across Penn College's varied and distinctive majors, faculty and staff at the Schneebeli Earth Science Center are keeping up with laboratory work in anticipation of students' physical return.



... a hardscape project takes shape outside the ESC.Against a backdrop of blue skies and nature's beauty ...Michael A. Dincher, assistant professor of horticulture, and laboratory assistants Wyatt C. Forest (horticulture) and Nathan D. Avery (forestry) are continuing a hands-on project for the Landscape Construction class – and sharing videos with students on the work being done. Forest has been shooting a lot of footage for Dincher's arboriculture class, as well.

"They are doing enough so that, when in-person classes resume, the students can finish the project," said Justin W. Beishline, assistant dean of transportation and natural resources technologies. Even though Avery is a lab tech for forestry, Beishline said, he saw an instructional need to help his colleagues in horticulture.

Healthy hanging baskets ...... and well-nurtured potted plants await students' return to the greenhouse.Forest; Justin Shelinski, a horticulture faculty member; and Sean C. Golden, a landscape/horticulture technology: plant production emphasis student and work study employee, have been keeping the greenhouse alive.

"Sean lives locally and has been dedicating a lot of his time to keep the flowers alive for his classmates," the assistant dean said. "If he, Wyatt and Justin did not do this, instruction would be impacted when the students return."

Social distancing is being maintained throughout all activities, Beishline added.

Photos provided