Art of the Campus

A picturesque setting...

By Dylan Houle, Executive Director of Internships and Career Services

If Menlo’s campus provides a felicitous setting for an al fresco sculpture gallery, this is due in large part to the tireless efforts of those who tend the plants and trees that contribute to its natural beauty. Menlo College boasts one of the most picturesque quads in Silicon Valley, with its iconic Oak trees, proud Redwoods, and the chalky Aspens that spring forth from the neatly mowed fescue grass.

Ezequiel “Zeke” Zamora, a member of the college’s facilities team, has worked to maintain the natural splendor of the campus for years. Originally from Michoacán, a state on Mexico’s western coast, Zeke moved to the United States 20 years ago and has built a successful career in landscaping.

Landscaping is a six-days-a-week job that requires meticulous attention and careful planning. Water management is one of the most pressing challenges, Zamora says: “We are in a drought now so we have to be very careful.”

With so much plantlife under his care, does he have any favorites? “The Carlos Lopez tree,” Zamora says (the Redwood tree afront Michaels Hall dedicated to former president Dr. Carlos Lopez). But mostly, “I just try to keep everything nice. It feels good when someone gives a compliment.”