About Us
We are a community of horticultural practitioners who come together to provide each other with professional development and networking opportunities. We also work to ensure the ongoing success of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden.
Why it Matters
For alumni, the Association is a professional asset, maintaining and providing a curated directory of SoPH’s “family.” With this formalized network, graduates will have access to potential mentors, a chance to meet future employees, and a stronger professional network in general. Alumni will also enjoy benefits provided by the Association itself, such as access to informative, timely, and relevant content, invitations to exclusive events, and more.
Putting it all Together
We’re dreaming big, but our aims are simple: foster community, connect graduates with potential jobs and employers with potential employees through our directory and networking events, and give SoPH graduates a leg-up in the world of horticulture.
As we grow over the next 12 months, our specific goals are:
- Creating an active, up-to-date, searchable directory of SoPH alums
- Launching a pilot program for formalized post-graduate mentorship
- Hosting special alumni-only events for networking and community-building
Leadership
The Association is led by an independent group of volunteer alumni in collaboration with SoPH leadership. Our President is Elena Peabody, class of 2021. Elena Day, class of 2020, and Jessica O’Callahan, class of 2021, also sit on our Board.