Anyerys (Angie) Diaz '24 and Katie Boermeester '24 (left) inspect some honeycomb.
Late in fall term, the Beekeeping Club and Green House harvested over 250 pounds of honey from the student-run apiary. They then bottled their bounty and shared it with others. (Watch a video of the harvest on YouTube.)
This collaboration between the club and the Minerva House is a perfect example of how different groups come together at Union, and how each group benefits all involved.
“As a member of Beekeeping Club, I learned the importance of bees and other native, keystone species, and how to be a responsible citizen who contributes to creating a healthy environment,” said Anyerys (Angie) Diaz ’24, a biology major and senior hive captain for the club.
“Minerva Houses and clubs create a sense of community by allowing students to collaborate and feel empowered to be leaders in their fields of interest,” she continued. “Most importantly, clubs and Minervas represent a support system that makes it possible for students to find unity outside the classroom.”
Green House co-chair Talia Marc ’24, a biology major, agrees.
Honeycomb harvested by the Beekeeping Club
“Membership in Minerva Houses is randomized and not based on any merit. Therefore, you form bonds that you otherwise might never have,” she said. “Green House is the place where I can share all my ideas and turn them into events with support from friends and the house council.”
One such event, Erotica Night, has been especially important to fellow Green House co-chair Katie Boermeester ’24.
“I feel this is an event that is needed for the entire community. Sex-ed is something that is so often overlooked and stigmatized,” she said. “Working with organizations, staff and students who are interested in this topic and its intersectional points has been foundational to my experience on campus.”
“I am forever grateful to have been allowed the space to put on events and discussions that are vital to the College’s DEIB goals,” added Boermeester, an environmental science major. “Green House has allowed me to find myself, my community and who I wish to be once I graduate.”