South Campus is working to revitalize its Monarch Waystation, a campus garden designed to support migrating monarch butterflies, while creating new opportunities for student involvement through volunteer work.
The Monarch Waystation serves as a habitat for monarch butterflies, which rely on specific plants such as milkweed to survive and reproduce before migrating to Mexico. Faculty said maintaining the space is critical not only for monarchs but for the broader ecosystem.
“If you don’t take care of spaces like this, you can significantly lose the number of pollinators,” said Ping-sha Sheffield, a South Campus associate professor of biology.
The project is part of a broader effort to re-engage students with campus life through hands-on learning opportunities.
Rather than rebuilding the space, the revitalization focuses on restoring and maintaining an existing garden. According to Jacqueline Venable, a biology instructor at South Campus, the site already contains perennial plants but requires upkeep and additional planting.
“There’s a lot of dead debris, leaf litter and some weeds that need to be cleared,” Venable said. “We’re mostly just rejuvenating it, adding more flowers and plants where others have died and making it more visually appealing.”
Venable said the project also provides a practical way to earn volunteer hours while contributing to an environmental initiative.
“It’s a way for students to give back to the campus while also learning,” Venable said.
Faculty say projects such as the Monarch Waystation help students better understand sustainability through hands-on involvement.
“It’s almost like a citizen science project,” Sheffield said. “Students can see the impact of their work over time and understand what it takes to maintain something like this.”
Some students said they would be interested in participating and emphasized the need for more interactive opportunities on campus.
“I feel like it would help more students be engaged with their school,” said a South Campus student, Brendan Cox. “Most people just come here for classes, but projects like this help you learn more and get involved.”
Others said the project could be especially beneficial for those pursuing science-related careers.
“It would be beneficial for students who are already in STEM,” said a South Campus student, Kendall Ryles.“It kind of goes along with what they’re studying.”
Maintaining spaces such as the Monarch Waystation is also important for preserving pollinator populations, which play a key role in supporting plant life and the larger ecosystem.
“If you don’t take care of spaces like this, you can lose pollinators,” Sheffield said. “And that can have a bigger impact on the environment overall.”
