Seventeen students in the fall 2025 course EDYS 276: Ecology, Development, and Education (cross-listed as ENVS 290) put learning into action through a required 20 hours of community-based volunteer work supporting local initiatives at the intersection of ecology, education, and community development. 

The Merrill Community Sharing Garden (MCSG), described the student work as a “mutually beneficial partnership” through multiple partnerships with Dr. Jingjing Lou’s Ecology and Education course. Professor Lou has been partnering with MCSG every time when she teaches this course since 2012. This partnership took on added importance this past fall following recent federal funding cuts that eliminated the garden’s Americop position and Fresh Start funding, leaving MCSG manager Kaelyb Lokrantz as the sole staff member maintaining the garden. In a thank you Facebook post dedicated to EDYS 276 students and other volunteers from Beloit College, MCSG shared, “A number of students visited the garden and created unique projects,” highlighting the critical role students played during a challenging season.

Kaelyb gave a garden tour to EDYS 276/290 students in early September

Students’ projects at Merrill spanned hands-on labor, research, creative work, and educational resource development. For example, Hannah Hanson ’28 and Noor Ul Ain ’27 designed a bilingual pamphlet and map (in English and Spanish) that inventories the garden’s produce. This guide supports accessibility and provides a fun, visual way for community members to engage with the space. Avary Briggs ’28 and Paloma Reyes ’27 created a painted rock scavenger hunt for summer activities. They painted rocks with various themes and designed instructions to encourage younger community members to get involved, promoting a safe and welcoming garden environment.

Above are the pamphlets created by Hannah and Noor

Avary and Paloma's rock paint and scavenger hunt game set

Levi Gallagher ’27 developed multiple resources focused on the intersectionality of art, mental health, and nature, while Ben O’Connor ’26 helped translate these materials into Spanish. Skylar Neveu ’29 contributed visual storytelling to the garden by using their photography skills to capture moody photos of the community garden late this past fall.

Skylar's picture

Several students—including Tommy Glenn ’26, Cooper Rathmann ’28, and Ben O’Connor—returned to the garden multiple times throughout the semester to support ongoing upkeep and maintenance. Tommy Glenn also worked on a written reflection of his experience at Merrill, with support from Cooper Rathmann; a Round Table article based on this work is forthcoming, pending publication.

For many students, the community work became a transformative part of the course. In a postcard reflection, Cooper Rathmann shared, “It was super impactful and fulfilling to participate in volunteering at Merrill and Caritas. The class made me more than just a student, it allowed me to become an engaging member of Beloit and create a lasting impact on individuals.”

The partnership also extended beyond student projects in this class. MCSG manager Kaelyb Lokrantz was invited to give a garden tour to Beloit College staff and students alongside Urban Growers Collective CEO Erika Allen, the Ousley Scholar-In-Residence at Beloit College in fall 2025, and a guest speaker to EDYS 276/ENVS 290 class.

The EDYS 276 / ENVS 290 partnerships translated environmental education principles students learned in their college classroom into tangible community action, providing meaningful support and strengthening the critical link between environmental justice and local resilience. Professor Lou noted that the students’ final presentations and reflections clearly revealed how the experience enriched their education and deepened their sense of belonging in the Beloit community. This successful, transformative collaboration has established a strong foundation for future partnership.