Spring 2009 — Vol. 62, No. 2
I have the most beautiful office in South Carolina.
Each day, I come to work in the Fran Hanson Discovery Center (formerly the Wren House) on a vast green hill in the middle of the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson University.
As the marketing and membership director for the Garden, I spend every day sharing my love for this beautiful place with the community, the state and visitors from around the world.
I came to Clemson when my husband, Darren, moved here to earn his Ph.D. in educational leadership. He grew up in Clemson, where his father was on the faculty for 25 years. I had visited his family often, and every time I came to town, we made time to walk in the Garden. Its lush hiking trails and peaceful seclusion made it my favorite place in Clemson, though I didn’t know then what a large role it would later play in my life.
As my husband finished his doctoral studies, he was hired by Clemson. I decided then to end my home-office job so I could start working in the community where we lived. I was thrilled to see a marketing position open at the Garden, a place whose story I knew I could passionately share.
To me, the S.C. Botanical Garden is the perfect representation of the town-and-gown feel of Clemson. On these gorgeous spring afternoons, I see students playing Frisbee, jogging or sprawled across the lawns, books and laptops in hand. Young families and children flock to the Duck Pond. Professors lead classes around the arboretum, making notes of the tree species. Community members attend regular gardening classes, while elementary schoolchildren learn about the natural world through the Sprouting Wings program.
We have this amazing 295-acre gem right in our own backyard.
And whether you come here to learn about woodland plants, get tips for your home garden, visit the Campbell Geology Museum or just relax and enjoy connecting with nature, the Garden becomes a part of your Clemson experience.
The University has much to be proud of, but none more wonderful than this living classroom.
