A mockup of what Bothe, Schatz and Davani envision on campus from their Facebook group page.

By Olivia Obineme

TU journalism student | Sept. 15, 2009

Three students are determined to form an official organization on campus dedicated to helping the environment and the community.

The project is called the Community Vegetable Garden. Students Jeff Bothe, Liz Schatz and Amanda Davani began this project last semester, trying to figure out how to get the campus involved in the cause to save the planet.

Their plan is for the University to have a vegetable garden, about 1000 sq. feet, which would be managed by students and faculty.

No other college in the area has a student-run, sustainably-managed vegetable garden of the scope he and his colleagues are proposing, according to Bothe.

“Towson University could be the first in this respect, demonstrating a commitment to spreading awareness of sustainable urban agriculture practices,” Bothe said.

Bothe, Schatz and Davani believe having the vegetable garden on campus will not only benefit the environment, but also benefit the school’s image.

“To be competitive and current, it is necessary that Towson continually advances its position on issues of environmental import,” he said.

In addition, the organization will provide students with internship opportunities, allowing them to work in the garden and serve the community while receiving credit.

Besides making Towson more known, if made into a campus organization, Bothe said the group would donate all the vegetables to the Assistance Center of Towson Churches weekly dinner for the homeless and needy families.

The students hope to get approval from the Student Government Association as soon as possible to begin planting in Spring 2010.

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Want to know more about the Community Vegetable Garden? Send your first, middle and last name to Jeff Bothe at jbothe1@students.towson.com.

Check out my Towerlight version in Towson University’s newspaper The Towerlight.