The Horticulture Program graduated its first class of nine
students in 1972. Since then, the program has grown to eleven full-time
and five part-time faculty who teach hundreds of students. The average
age of the horticulture student is 38, yet they range from high school
students to senior citizens. The diverse faculty includes two landscape
architects, two Illinois certified arborists and two graduates of the
American Floral Arts School.
The program offers five specialization degrees and numerous certificates.
To receive a degree in horticulture, each student is required to complete
two on-the-job training experiences for college credit, making up approximately
25% of the college experience. Learning on the job under the supervision
of a trained industry person as well as a horticulture faculty member
is a requirement of all graduates.
JJC’s horticulture facilities include an arboretum with over a thousand
different woody and herbaceous plants for students’ use and 9,000-square-feet
of greenhouse space controlled by the latest technology. JJC cooperates
with the Illinois Nurseryman’s Apprentice Program and the Illinois Landscape
Architects Program. The facility expanded in 1996 to incorporate the testing
site for the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association Certification
Program. 
Certified
Landscape Technician - Exterior:
Graduates of the program are in high demand. There are currently eight
to ten job offers per student seeking employment.
GREENHOUSE (Web Site)
For more than 20 years, the Greenhouse has served as a learning laboratory
for students and as a place for the community to buy quality plants,
flowers and arrangements. Community members can buy a wide assortment
of plants for gardens, hanging baskets, and seasonal floral arrangements.
The Greenhouse is open from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-3:30 p.m. Mondays through
Fridays.
The Greenhouse recently finished an expansion and renovations to update
the facility, and the staff continues to work on new advancements for
the college and their field as a whole. One example is the Benary’s
Project. Benary’s is a seed company located in Germany. They cannot
sell seed directly to customers in the United States but rather wholesale
their seed to other seed companies. JJC’s connection is the trial production
of new varieties. These new varieties will be future introductions into
the U.S. market. JJC’s function is to produce the crop into a saleable
form and develop written production schedules. Once the plant material
has been produced, it usually is displayed at national horticulture
trade shows across the U.S.
The Greenhouse staff and faculty also would be happy to lend their expertise
to anyone who has a question.
For more information contact:
Lynda
Scerine
Horticulture Sciences
(815) 729-9020 ext 2320
FAX (815) 729-9020 ext 6650
Email:lscerine@jjc.edu
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