Chattanooga, TN (April 12, 2016) --- Sustainability is a real concern as we move into the future. In the interest of campus and community-wide inclusion, and following in the footsteps of existing garden programs at other colleges, the Global Scholars honors program is creating a vegetable garden on Chattanooga State’s campus. The Common Ground garden will reflect a place for all to come together.

The garden will foster educational and civic leadership opportunities as its goal. As a long-time advocate of sustainability, Shawn Brabham, an associate professor of English, says, “The campus garden came out of my passion for service learning in higher education as well as my own personal pursuit of a more sustainable life.” Shawn is actively involved in gardening and says she was immediately attracted to the idea of a campus garden. “We are right in the middle of the ‘green revolution’ here in Chattanooga, and fortunate to be in a community with such a strong local food culture. It seems only right that our campus, as part of that community, embraces the same philosophy,” shares Brabham.

Included among the opportunities for the campus and community will be an outdoor classroom space to teach across the disciplines and a service learning garden for TN Promise students to earn required volunteer hours to maintain their scholarship eligibility. The garden also will support the need for fresh, local, organic produce for use in the Michael P. Hennen Hospitality and Culinary Center.

“Growing fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit on campus mean that our students will benefit from a complete understanding of the basic seasonal “farm to table” cycle. This is yet another way that the Hennen Center distinguishes itself from all other hospitality programs,” states Shannon Johnson, Hennen Center director.

Common Ground is endorsed by the Chattanooga Area Food Bank who also will benefit from the locally raised produce. They are looking forward to this opportunity as they partner with Chattanooga State to help bring a greater awareness of issues related to hunger and access to nutritious foods.

A groundbreaking ceremony commemorating The Common Ground was held on April 8. For more information on the Common Ground Garden, contact Amanda Bennett, honors specialist, at 423-697-2577, Amanda.bennett@chattanoogastate.edu or Shawn Brabham, associate professor of English, 423-697-4742 shawn.brabham@chattanoogastate.edu.