{"id":96928,"date":"2025-03-06T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/news\/growing-interns\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T03:40:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T07:40:24","slug":"growing-interns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/news\/growing-interns\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Interns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

This year marks the fifth year that the JC Raulston Arboretum<\/a> Board of Advisors will match donations during NC State University\u2019s annual Day of Giving<\/a> on March 26. Their why? Providing summer internships for the next generation of horticulturists, botanical educators and nursery industry professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The matching challenge<\/a> is growing results. Since the Day of Giving matching gift challenge began, donors have contributed $1.065 million in outright and planned gifts to the JCRA. <\/strong>Because of these funds, JCRA Director Mark Weathington has been able to support critical projects and areas of greatest need in the gardens and educational programming, including an expansion of the intern program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince the board started their Day of Giving match challenge, we have been able to grow our summer intern program from four students per summer to nine students in 2024,\u201d Weathington says. \u201cWe also expanded our use of student support throughout the academic year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Horticulture and education interns dig in at the JCRA. Working alongside the arboretum staff, they are an integral part of preserving and cultivating one of the nation\u2019s premier plant collections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey get hands-on experience in landscape management, plant production, and public horticulture, and work with adult and youth education, nonprofit management, and communications,\u201d Weathington says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"a
NC State’s annual Day of Giving supports interns at the JC Raulston Arboretum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The experience is vital to interns\u2019 and students\u2019 development in the industry. During their time in JCRA programs, interns learn greenhouse propagation techniques and work with the best plant breeders in North Carolina. Their training includes everything from constructing plant beds to vital experience managing a public garden. Former interns go on to be leaders in the field and the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe JCRA is a place that brings people together and trains future horticulturists to get out in the world,\u201d says David Hoffman, chief executive officer of Hoffman Nursery and former JCRA intern who majored in horticultural science<\/a> at NC State. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to see how the intern program has grown over time. Students get to touch every part of the 10 acres.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alumna Heather Rollins, an expert gardener at Fairview Garden Center and Nursery who also majored in horticultural science, agrees. \u201cBoth NC State and the JC Raulston Arboretum have played a significant role in shaping my education and career,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m honored to serve on the board of advisors as we work to uphold its mission: To diversify the landscape by sharing our passion, our plants and our knowledge to plan \u2014 and plant for a better world.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The free public garden, located between NC State\u2019s main campus and the N.C. State Fair Grounds, is home to a collection of nearly 10,000 taxa of herbaceous and woody plants. Beyond its academic programs for interns and NC State students, it offers extensive public programming from children\u2019s camps, school visits, plant sales, symposia and its signature event, Moonlight in the Garden<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n