Learning by Leading Program Support

At the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, we see our highest purpose as inspiring human potential to help people and environments thrive.

We developed our signature Learning by Leading Program with this in mind and organized it around the premise that students learn best by leading. Learning by Leading internships give students opportunities for high-level, authentic leadership and great community impact.

We offer the campus landscape as a living laboratory where our interns can develop critical skills in sustainable horticulture, ecological restoration, climate change adaptation and environmental education. The gardens and landscapes of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden provide an ideal training ground for learning real-world skills and leading efforts to create a healthier environment and a more sustainable world.

Our unique curriculum focuses on team-based, peer-led, experiential leadership lessons. Learning by Leading internships intentionally move students through a “Leadership Ladder” from learner to participant to leader as quickly as possible. Students rapidly take on real-world issues and assume leadership roles in solving them.

Over 130 UC Davis undergraduate and graduate student interns per year collaborate with professional staff mentors in all areas of our public garden operations. Our students are often tasked with testing innovative solutions, using the newest technologies and knowledge available in the sciences and education to tackle a variety of projects across our 5,300 acre Arboretum and Public Garden.

Through their hands-on experiences, interns learn 21st century skills — visioning, strategic planning, communication and decision-making — which help them secure jobs in leadership positions upon graduation.

Thank you for a gift to support these inspiring Learning by Leading interns as they make positive change on our campus and in our community.