Although Alice Lee will officially close out the final chapter of her ‘NC story’ when she graduates during Niagara College’s Fall 2021 Virtual Convocation on October 29, she is leaving her mark at the College in a special way.
Lee, who is originally from Korea, is the student designer of NC’s Saundra Patterson Memorial Garden, which is currently in development at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The garden project honours the memory of NC’s long-time ‘first lady’ Saundra Patterson – devoted partner of former College President Dan Patterson.
As a student in NC’s Landscape Technician program, Lee was given the opportunity to design the garden as her main landscape design assignment during the 2021 spring term due to her unique situation after a deferred term during the pandemic. For the project, led by the School of Environment and Horticulture and staff from the Teaching Greenhouse, she made it a priority to learn about Saundra and her garden preferences, while also poring over photos for inspiration.
Lee’s vision is expected to be complete by Spring 2022. The memorial garden will be enjoyed by college students, employees and visitors for years to come, while also providing ongoing learning opportunities for horticulture students, who will help maintain the space.
What is Alice Lee up to now?
We caught up with Lee ahead of her convocation ceremony to find out what she’s been up to since completing her studies.
Lee is putting down roots in Niagara, living and working in Niagara-on-the-Lake. She recently shared that she is enjoying her new employment with a local landscape company maintaining customer gardens and taking care of plantings for the next season.
“I am so glad to choose my path as a gardener because I am learning so much on top of what I’ve learned in school,” she said. “Since my final goal is to be a landscape designer, I think to know about plants is really important, and I think it is the main reason why I decided to work as a gardener. Also, being outside on sunny days is another joy that I’ve found while doing this.”
Lee also had a chance to visit with Dan Patterson recently to see Saundra’s home gardens, which was a very meaningful experience for her. She plans to watch her Convocation ceremony via livestream with her family.
Congratulations to Lee and to all graduating students this fall!
