It’s the end of the spring semester, and the season is in full bloom with flower buds, birds, and bees all around campus. Now more than ever, Stockton students are enjoying the beautiful weather and appreciating nature, most of all around the gorgeous Lake Fred—the Oasis serving as a relaxing getaway from the stress of finals. With everyone wrapping up with tests and projects for their classes, one class in particular has an interesting proposal to close out the semester.

The Honors: Partners in Peace Independent Study class (GAH 4800), taught by Director of the Honors College Dr. Joshua Duntley, has a unique final project that could potentially come to fruition. Aside from studying important Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and their inspiring accomplishments, the class engages in the final “President Joe and Provost Palladino Projects” which is described in the syllabus to be a project where “the class will be divided into two teams, Team Monday and Team Wednesday. Each team will identify a Nobel Peace Laureate(s) as a source of inspiration and information for enhancing or developing a new Service Commitment Opportunity for our Honors Community or creating a sustainable solution to a problem of social or environmental justice.”

Professor Duntley himself stated, “Our Honors College Partners in Peace class is part of the Partners in Peace initiative led by the Nobel Peace Center and the National Collegiate Honors Council. Students in the class learn about Nobel Peace Laureates and use them as inspiration to find ways to make our campus and community a better place. Our Honors Partners in Peace students this semester have been exceptionally creative and driven to create spaces and share ideas that will help all of us to appreciate our beautiful campus and the people who make a difference in our community.”

This year’s Team Monday is proposing the “Osprey Oasis” botanical gardens that will be located behind the Lodge at the current Lakeside Oasis. This will help beautify the campus, preserve the environment, educate staff and students on plant and animal life, and serve as a potential event venue to bring revenue to Stockton. It will be a relaxing space where students can study and appreciate nature, right beside Lake Fred.

Team Monday reached out to The Argo to spread the word about the plan and hear students’ voices and opinions about the project. So far, the response have been positive: students polled on Instagram were asked, “Would Stockton be better if we had botanical gardens?” 94% voted Yes.

One student, Emily Faisst, answered, “Yes, for sure! They would be so pretty!” She later added, “I think it would be a great idea. It would be peaceful to look at, to walk through, and a beautiful addition to our campus!”

Edwin Feria-Serna, one of the Team Monday members and a member of the Honors College E-Board, is a very active and involved member of the Stockton community, also being part of Student Senate, EOF, and multiple cultural organizations. He stated that through these experiences, “I have seen, firsthand, the positive impact that thoughtful campus initiatives can have. I fully support the creation of Stockton’s ‘Botanical Oasis.’ I believe this green zone would greatly enhance the Stockton experience by providing a beautiful, calming space that promotes wellness, environmental stewardship, and campus pride. With my deep connection to the Stockton community, I am confident that this project will not only strengthen our campus environment, but also leave a lasting positive impact for future generations.”

Joshua Corsentino, another member of the class, said, “I’ve never had the chance to visit a botanical garden before, so playing a part in one here on campus means a lot to me. It’s a perfect way to create a sense of engagement and community, as well as bringing in a new place to relax and de-stress.”

Ryan Smith, who reached out to local and potential investors in the project, commented, “After engaging with local flower shops, farms, and other members of the small business community, I was genuinely surprised by their generosity and encouragement toward our initiative to establish a botanical garden at Stockton. Their selflessness and sincere willingness to support our vision still amazes me. I remain hopeful that we can persuade Stockton Administration to invest in this transformative project, as there are dedicated individuals right now ready to bring it to fruition.”

The course has significantly helped students exercise their creative and investigative muscles, as well as practice research, outreach, and advertisement. In its first semester as a course, it has met great success, with both Team Monday and Team Wednesday firing up their brains to create impressive projects to impress the President of Stockton and the Provost of Academic Affairs.

Any questions about the Partners in Peace study, Fall 2025 Honors classes, or the Honors College in general can be emailed to Professor Duntley at joshua.duntley@stockton.edu.