Do not be surprised if you pass Benedictine University during the early morning hours of October 16 and see a group of people wearing heavy gloves, crawling on their knees and working industriously on flower beds and bushes. It is "Team Benedictine" in full force.

In recent years, I have received a chorus of reports on how beautiful the campus looks. The beautification of the Benedictine University campus is a direct result of the emergence of a group of faculty, staff and students we call "Team Benedictine." Twice a year, in spring and fall, members of the Benedictine community pull on T-shirts or sweatshirts and gloves and go to work beautifying the campus. Last fall, team members planted tulip bulbs which blossomed this spring. Last spring, they planted annuals which blossomed throughout the summer. This fall, Team Benedictine will again plant bulbs that will bloom in spring.

This tradition at Benedictine University began on June 23, 1998, but the origin of the project actually goes back much further. It can be found in the Rule of St. Benedict, who spoke of Stewardship as an important mandate to care for the world around us. We hear a lot about "caring for the earth" today, but St. Benedict was urging his followers to care for the earth more than 1,500 years ago.

Since that June day eight years ago, team members have sacrificed a day each spring and fall to invest in the campus that surrounds them. The only requirement for team membership is a willingness to "get dirty." On October 16, the team will meet again under the water tower near the grounds building and receive its assignments to plant bulbs, bushes and trees, and to weed.

Speaking of trees, the University has developed a plan to create an arboretum on campus. The "Benedictine University Arboretum," developed in consultation and partnership with the Morton Arboretum, will help break down pollutants before they enter the watershed, provide a natural habitat for wildlife, provide an outdoor classroom and laboratory for students to study woody plant life indigenous to DuPage County, demonstrate how green spaces can be incorporated into the corporate culture, and be a place of refuge and respite in a busy suburban environment.

By modeling stewardship of the environment through the campus arboretum and the academic programs that it will engender, the University will be a leader in developing an environmentally friendly workplace - where students and staff members coexist with nature.

Through the generous support of the DuPage Community Foundation, the arboretum is beginning to take shape. Through several grants from the Foundation, Team Benedictine has been able to plant some very striking and interesting trees during the past four years. The University is in the process of tagging all these trees, providing the botanical and common names. Each tag also pays tribute to the DuPage Community Foundation for its support and partnership in "growing" the arboretum.

Team Benedictine is not the only group interested in beautification of the campus. The University espouses a philosophy that those who walked this campus - be it while the University was known as St. Procopius College or Illinois Benedictine College or today as Benedictine University - should be remembered in a special way. To commemorate those who came before, a commemorative tree and bench program has been established. As a result, a "Lane of Memories" lines a walkway through the center of campus with plaques recognizing our esteemed predecessors.

Another patch of beauty hugs the east wall of the Michael and Kay Birck Hall of Science. Faculty and staff who volunteer their time, talent and treasure to the University annually receive a perennial plant on National Philanthropy Day. They gather for a dedication ceremony and plant the gift in what is now called the "Legacy Garden," which will bloom for years to come. Meanwhile, the front entrance of the Joseph and Bess Kindlon Hall of Learning is graced by a "Diversity Garden," courtesy of the Class of 2006.

For those interested in native grasses and flowers, the campus is graced with the Jurica Tallgrass Prairie near Lake St. Benedict. The garden was designed and planted by faculty member Larry Kamin. A visitor not only gets a sense of what prairies looked like 100 years ago, but also experiences a sense of peace and contentment as he or she relaxes on the benches in the middle of the garden - taking in the wonderful flora and the abundance of wildlife near the lake.

Modern philosopher John Locke said, "one acquires property by mixing his or her labor with it." Truly - through their labor - faculty, staff and students over the years have become the "owners" of the campus. As owners, there is a pride and oversight of the campus. There is a certain pride of accomplishment when one sees a plant he or she planted. There is also a certain nostalgia, respect and connectedness when one sees a bench and a tree named for someone who was here before. This vibrant sense of communion with those who have been, those who are and those who will be here results in a living community known as Benedictine University.

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