Nestled in the heart of Portland’s Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood, Portland State University’s Learning Gardens Lab (LGL) thrives as a lush 3.4-acre oasis within a larger 12-acre greenspace. Established in 2005, the LGL has since blossomed into a vibrant community hub where students of all ages — alongside community members — cultivate both plants and knowledge. From regenerative agriculture to ecological design and food justice, this living classroom offers a unique blend of education, community engagement and environmental stewardship.
The garden is staffed exclusively with PSU students — primarily from the College of Education's Leadership for Sustainability Education (LSE) master’s program or the Sustainable Food System Graduate Certificate program. But there are plenty of opportunities for students from across the university to get involved, including through internships at the gardens.
Internships allow both undergraduate and graduate students to dive deeper into specific projects, ranging from garden design to community outreach. Students can also participate in interdisciplinary senior year capstone courses at the LGL, and monthly volunteer days invite the broader PSU community to help maintain and enhance the gardens.
While the gardens are a hive of activity year-round, summer is an especially exciting time. We dropped by for a visit on a clear and bright weekday morning to get a closer look.
A Day at the Gardens
Bees buzzed and giant sunflowers swayed gently in the breeze as the day began to heat up. The kale looked especially abundant, its dark green leaves promising a bountiful yield.
Just before 9 a.m. Shevawn Armstrong, the garden’s Harvest Share coordinator and a capstone course instructor, was busy writing a list of ready-to-harvest produce. These items would be included in the community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes being prepared for people to purchase and pick up later in the day.
Shevawn Armstrong
Nearby, Sybil Kelley, PSU associate professor and LGL faculty coordinator, and several LSE student staffers strolled the grounds. Together, they delighted in each new discovery.
“Oh my god, oh my god,” Kelley exclaimed gleefully as they reached a small patch of garbanzo bean plants. “Let’s try one.” The group gathered around to taste the green beans fresh from their pods.
Meanwhile, Armstrong had finished the day's harvest plan and made her way to a shady grove at the edge of the gardens, where she welcomed one of her capstone classes: “Learning Gardens Community Engagement and Sustainability.” The class, she explains, is broadly focused on sustainability with a concentration on regenerative agriculture and nature connection.
These capstone classes, integral to PSU’s curriculum, offer students hands-on experience in sustainability and community engagement. Students learn practical skills like planting, harvesting and ecological design, and develop leadership and collaborative abilities.
“Working in the gardens allows them to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world applications,” Armstrong says.
Kate Cook, an environmental science major who's minoring in sustainability, says the gardens are a perfect extension of her academics. Through class readings and videos, students learn leadership skills and how to connect with and nurture the land. “Applying it here in class, being able to take care of this land and learning about the gardens really connects well,” Cook explains while weeding between crowded rows of chard.
Kate Cook
Cook, who has a small garden at home, says she’s learning to identify new plants and loves working in a larger scale urban garden. “This was a good opportunity to involve myself in community work and do hands-on work,” she says.
Learning Through Leadership
The LGL is more than just a place to grow food; it’s a site of holistic education and personal growth. Kelley emphasizes the garden’s role in fostering leadership and resilience. “We’re doing frontline community based work in regenerative agriculture and climate resilience,” she explains. “Our goal is to mentor students and community members in sustainable practices while addressing broader issues like racial and environmental justice.”
LGL’s partnership with Lane Middle School and other local organizations further extends its impact. Younger students visit the gardens to learn about pollination, plant life cycles and the importance of local food systems. These early experiences are designed to cultivate a lifelong appreciation for the environment and sustainable living.
A Personal Journey
For Mariya May Block, a third-year graduate student in the LSE program, the gardens have been transformative. Her first experience with the LGL was through her senior capstone course in 2018. “I was immediately drawn to the community and hands-on learning,” she recalls. “It reminded me of my childhood on an urban farm in Oklahoma City.”
Now the lead land steward and garden educator at LGL, Block supports capstone instructors and student project work at the gardens, coordinates family plots and oversees various garden projects. “I’m the fix-it person,” she says. “I go around fixing things if there’s something not working right — leaks in the drip lines or thirsty crows.”
Mariya May Block and Sybil Kelley
A former early childcare educator in Waldorf Schools, and later in public schools, Block decided she was ready to shift her attention away from indoor classrooms and find a way to be back outside gardening. Through the LSE program, she’s been able to channel her teaching experience with children into garden-based education with young adults.
“This place has shaped my entire graduate experience,” Block says. “For me it’s a place of really deep connection to the land and the community that comes through here. This work brings a lot of meaning to me regularly.”
A Community of Learners
The LGL, now operating as an independent nonprofit in partnership with PSU, is a dynamic, ever-evolving entity thanks to the dedicated efforts of students, staff and community partners. The LGL shares its land with Black Futures Farm, local families and various community organizations, creating a rich tapestry of collaboration and mutual support.
For Linh Tran Nhat Do, a first-year LSE student from Vietnam, the gardens offer a rare opportunity to engage with nature in an urban setting. “In Hanoi, it’s hard to find green spaces like this,” she says. “I want to take this model and create similar opportunities for students in my home country.”
Gil Odgers, another LSE student on staff at the gardens, echoes this sentiment. “Working here has changed my life,” they share while rinsing freshly harvested lettuce and chard. Gil has grown, not just in their understanding of sustainable practices, but in their confidence and sense of community.
“A lot of that is from the classes but also we have a phenomenal team here [at the LGL] where I’m listened to and appreciated for what I have to offer,” Gil says, adding “It’s a really transformative space.”
Get Involved
After nearly two decades as a program of Portland State, the LGL is now an independent nonprofit organization in partnership with PSU. This new relationship will allow more flexibility and stability, while still providing rich service learning and community engagement opportunities to PSU students and staff.
Linh Tran Nhat Do
As the LGL continues to grow and evolve, it remains a testament to the power of hands-on education and the deep connections that can be forged between people and the land.
Odgers encourages others to get involved. “It’s a great way to apply whatever you’re studying to a community organization that could always use extra hands,” they say.
Whether you’re a prospective student or already part of the PSU community, the LGL invites you to dig in, get your hands dirty and be part of something truly special.
To learn more about PSU’s Learning Gardens Laboratory, click here. For more information about internships, please email Sybil Kelley.
All photos by Elayna Yussen