Growth-minded Graduates

This time of year, JC Raulston Arboretum, NC State University’s renowned public garden, is the spot for plenty of celebratory photos of graduations and weddings. For graduating horticulture students Nic Eaton and Evan Villani, it’s the place where their professional goals took shape as they planted, pruned and applied what they learned in class. 

The JCRA, part of NC State’s Department of Horticultural Science, offers a host of job and internship experiences with educational programs, day-to-day maintenance of the arboretum and specialized care for the thousands of plants on the 10-acre property. 

Though they followed different paths to Raulston — and horticultural careers — both Eaton and Villani want to work in public horticulture as professionals. 

Early Start

Eaton came to NC State specifically to study horticulture, following an interest he’s had since childhood.

“I loved playing outside as a kid,” he says. As he neared high school graduation, his dad suggested that he go into horticulture. 

Eaton chose the landscape design, gardens and urban environments concentration and through the Provost’s Professions Experience Program (PEP), he landed a student worker role with the arboretum, an opportunity he embraced. 

“The work done at the JCRA is important,” he says. 

While the arboretum has been a favorite work spot, Eaton found the classes enriching, with plant propagation being his favorite.

“I really learned so much,” he says. “The professors are passionate, and people like Jodi Driedger, Lis Meyer, Barb Fair, and Mary Archer do a great job of inspiring students.” 

Eaton credits his studies in horticultural science and work experience at Raulston with giving him a better overall understanding of the discipline. As prepares to enter the workforce, his goal is to apply what he’s learned to a position in public horticulture.

Eaton says his sense of purpose and possibility is an outgrowth of his college experience. 

“There is a lot of variety in horticulture and at NC State,” he says. “There is rarely a closed door.”

Course Adjustment

Villani’s time at the arboretum helped him discover his true interests.

He enrolled at NC State as a biology major, but the career trajectory didn’t feel like a good fit. Thanks to good advice from a friend, Villani researched the horticulture major and never looked back. 

“The people are what drew me in,” Villani says. “Teaching faculty like Lis Meyer and Jodi Driedger have been rocks for me, and I am very thankful for Barb Fair and Emily Erickson, who helped me participate in the HortPack Competition Team in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.”

The kindness and excitement he saw in fellow students guided Villani to horticulture, but working at the JC Raulston Arboretum was a big turning point.

After spending time in the plant breeding and biotechnology concentration, he realized that the research intensity wasn’t what he was looking for in his plant life aspirations.

He has enjoyed his time at the JCRA so much so that he has taken a position as a full-time gardener with the arboretum. 

“Having the JC Raulston Arboretum so close to campus is a blessing,” Villani says. “Sophia, Tim, and Greg have been great and are wonderful to work with.”

As graduation approaches, Villani appreciates all that he’s learned at NC State.  “I would do it all over again the exact same way.”