Special Recognition Award

ILCA Awards—

Special Recognition to

Nina A. Koziol

You know an award is truly special when it has been bestowed only nine times in 62 years. The latest recipient is the College of DuPage’s Horticulture Department. The award honors COD’s half-century of exceptional service in supporting ILCA’s mission and the entire statewide landscape industry.

Brian Clement has been with the college eight years full-time and seven years part-time and serves as department chair, associate professor and program advisor. “One of the best things is helping students and seeing them succeed— and finding jobs in the workforce. There are so many different facets of the industry that students can pursue.”

Early On

In the early days, the horticulture program leased greenhouse space at Naperville High School. In 1971, students and faculty began building the first greenhouse on campus. Today, the horticulture program is housed in the college’s Technical Education Center, a $50 million facility with 178,000 square feet of classrooms, state-of-the-art labs, greenhouses, a landscape lab outdoors, a small scale orchard, and a sustainable urban agriculture lab. More than 60 horticulture courses are offered day and night, in-person and online, and more than 350 students are currently enrolled. Another 280-plus are high school students who are earning dual college credit while still in high school.

In 1970, the program offered an associate degree and one certificate program. Today students can earn an associate degree in applied science in Horticulture, Landscape Contracting and Management, or Sustainable Urban Agriculture. The 10 certificates focus on floral shop management, greenhouse management, horticulture, landscape and turf maintenance, landscape design and construction, nursery and garden center management, power equipment and technology, sustainable landscape, urban farming and sustainable urban agriculture. Certificate courses are designed for students who want technical or professional courses but are not pursuing an associate degree. The program is accredited through the National Association of Landscape Professionals and the Engine and Equipment Training Council. Although there are no specific classes on cannabis production at this

moment, Clement said, “Approximately 30 percent of students in the program would like to go into that field. They just need a horticulture degree with specific classes focusing on topics such as soils

and fertilizers, plant propagation, hydroponics, greenhouse management, and plant breeding. Students going into cannabis production are typically going through the horticulture degree track.”

Elaina Blankenhagen of Plandscape in Elburn, is a COD graduate. “I will always hold my time at COD close to my heart,” she said. “It was just an unforgettable experience. I’m so fortunate for all my instructors and the knowledge they ingrained in me.”

More than 40 adjunct faculty teach in COD’s Horticulture Department. One long-time instructor, now retired, is Don Orton, a biologist and author of an industry staple, “Coincide: The Orton System of Pest and Disease Management”, a book about insect control of ornamental trees. Many other industry pros have taught there and three current instructors are from Ball Hort in West Chicago.

“It was my honor and privilege to be a small part of the education program and part of my career journey,” said Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, now retired. Her thoughts are echoed by fellow instructor, landscape architect Vallari Talapatra of Eco Scapes in Wheaton. “It’s been an absolute pleasure teaching landscape design and landscape graphics there,” she said. “The best part is when I see my students accomplish their professional goals.” Steve Raczak of Twixwood Nursery in Berrien Springs, Michigan, taught horticulture classes early on in the program. “I loved it all at COD—the program was just exploding into the community,” he said. And, it continues to do so.

Looking Forward

The green industry workforce has evolved in the past 50 years. “The program used to have a lot of older career-changers, but in the past six years, we have seen more students from high schools and those who are under age 25,” Clement said. Slightly more women than men are enrolled.

There are plans to put in another greenhouse on campus and hire another full-time instructor. Classrooms are packed at night because three-quarters of the courses are held in the evening. During the day, many current students work fulltime or part-time in the green industry.

Horticulture students must complete a 225 hour internship as part of the graduation requirement for a degree or certificate. “I know ILCA has a lot of employers interested in providing internship opportunities,” Clement said. The department is working with ILCA and COD’s Project Higher Ed on the new apprenticeship program. The age breakdown of current students is across the board with 175 students ages 19 to 25 and 82 students ages 26 to 35.

Guided by an advisory board of industry professionals, COD has significantly expanded its offerings. There’s a dual credit program with nine area high schools and a whopping 280-plus students ages 14 to 18 who take part. Plans are underway in 2023 to expand the dual credit program at seven more high schools. In one of its newer community partnerships, COD provides inmates at the DuPage County jail with training and education. And, for those who want to continue on, DeVry University has a Degree Program Transfer Guide to assist students transferring from COD’s Horticulture Programs to DeVry’s Technical Management bachelor’s degree program.

“I want to congratulate the College of DuPage Horticulture Department on 50 strong years of serving the professional landscape industry,” said Scott Grams, ILCA’s executive director. “The one thing I’ve always loved about COD’s program is that everything they teach can be used by their students in real life.” And, that’s what it’s all about. Here’s to the next 50 years.