Along with Team Drive-Less (a proposal to install a car counter at the Commons Garage to indiciate when it is full), the proposed project, 'The Garden@ UMBC' won the top number of Prove-it votes with 70% of the students voting for the community garden. The organizers have been building momentum and partnerships and seeking approval and space for over a year. They're now asking anyone interested in a garden plot to use their Food Plot Application.

In their own words:

"We're building a community food garden on UMBC's campus. We are growing food, and a lot of it! If a Master Gardener used the space we've been provided, we could grow over $39,000 worth of food a year--that's incredible.

In addition to that we're trying to bring all of UMBC together: all majors, all interests, every kind of student to show that we all can contribute to something together. The actual space is a collaboration of Mechanical Engineering students and Linehan Visual Art Scholars, we've already had three classes from three different departments incorporate our project into their curriculum, and the Undergraduate Research Awards have already begun to be doled out.

Above all, The Garden is a model for how students can change their university. Research doesn't just exist in the lab, and service doesn't have to be at an off campus service site. We don't have to go to someone else for those opportunities. As students we can create them on our campus on our terms. We've already established the pool of campus and community partners to support every kind of engagement possible, and now we need the students.

Let's grow UMBC together."

Students, Faculty, and Staff can indicate their interest in a plot in the garden by registering with this form: Food Plot Application.