Isabelle Hill ’22, an environmental studies major, cultivated a passion for working with plants while in high school. On arriving at Berry, Isabelle found her fit when placed in a campus job with Season’s Harvest, one of Berry’s 15 student-run enterprises that provides fresh, locally grown produce and plants to Berry College and the greater Rome communities. The following semester, Isabelle took on the position of general manager, which gave her the opportunity to pursue a leadership position while serving others. She spearheads efforts to provide fresh food for clients of the William S. Davies Shelters.
Dr. Brian Campbell, chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Studies, says, “Isabelle has taken advantage of the great opportunity to manage Season’s Harvest and simultaneously ameliorate the serious problem of food insecurity in the Rome/Floyd County community. She has ensured that surplus produce does not go to waste, but rather goes to the Davies Shelters to feed their clients.”
On a day-to-day basis, Isabelle develops plans for the garden, makes deliveries, and harvests vegetables and flowers. She says, “Student Enterprises at Berry are so great because they allow students to have a hands-on approach to learning skills that can be applied to any field after graduation.”
While gaining real-world experience in her major, Isabelle is accumulating transferable skills. She says, “My job has definitely allowed me to learn a lot of basic business skills that I didn't have before, and I've also worked on a lot of my communication and more specifically customer service skills.”
As she looks towards her future, Isabelle plans to combine her interests in food systems and regenerative agriculture (practices that improve soil and create balanced farm ecosystems) to provide resources to communities in need: “My main goal is to take what I've learned to make a positive difference and help others.”
Written by junior Mary Banks Shelander
