EMU Today

YPSILANTI – For Early College Alliance Academy students at Eastern Michigan University, the ability to make hands-on plant identifications and knowing what are helpful and problem species are now just a few steps away on campus.

Early College Alliance students worked during the spring to restore a field near the Mark Jefferson Science Complex by removing invasive species and replanting native Michigan plants, giving them the opportunity to apply what they’re learning in the classroom and observe the plants in nature.  

“I first thought of this project as I was teaching plant identification on campus—and discovering that I couldn't find a lot of the plants about which I wanted to teach,” said Drake Meadow, the Science Instructor for the Early College Alliance who oversees the project.

Meadow envisions students learning and working on the field for years to come. “If you can understand what plants grow in a place, and why, you have the potential for a much richer understanding of ecology.”

Only a portion of the field has been planted to date, but already preparations have begun for a fall planting.  

The project affords students numerous learning opportunities, such as studying which plants thrive where, and performing population surveys to track the plants. It also exposes the students to environmental remediation – all while preserving, and enhancing, the function of the field as a rain garden to absorb runoff.

More than forty varieties of native Michigan plants have been planted thus far.

The Early College Alliance is a unique educational program designed to fully immerse high school-aged students into the post-secondary learning environment. The program is located on the campus of Eastern Michigan University and allows participants to graduate with high school diplomas and up to 60 college credits. It exists in partnership with local school districts, including the Washtenaw Intermediate School District.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.