Virginia Zrebiec doing hands-on work at Rutgers Gardens as part of her “Landscape Management Maintenance Practices” course. Photo credit: Maxine Marvosa.
Virginia Zrebiec is as enthusiastic about learning as when she was an undergraduate at Rutgers several decades ago. A plant science major, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1976 from Cook College she is once again an engaged member of the student body on the George H. Cook campus.
Virginia, who returns to Rutgers as a senior auditor of courses in the Landscape Architecture major, knows that she stands out from the typical student in her landscape architecture courses at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
“We learn from each other. I bring work experience – a different background. The students, with their focus being different, they challenge me,” says Virginia. She notes that the students “are generous with their time, including helping with computer-related things.”
Virginia came to Rutgers in 1972, fresh out of high school and during a time of monumental change on the New Brunswick campus. Although enrolled at Cook, she lived on the Rutgers College campus, the year in which that college went co-ed. For her sophomore year, Virginia moved to the Newell Apartments, which were still under construction on the Cook campus. Even more importantly, the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science had just been renamed Cook College, enrolling its first students in fall 1973.
She recalls that her advisor, the late Prof. Dominic Durkin, was a source of encouragement to spread her wings and try new things. She did just that, traveling across the country to do an internship at the Ecke Poinsettia Ranch in Encinitas, CA – a production facility that bred and supplied poinsettia plant material to greenhouse growers around the world. This was a formative experience for Virginia between her senior year at Rutgers and going off to The Ohio State University to complete a master’s degree in floriculture.
Virginia admits to being “very impressed with Rutgers resources, opening up so many possibilities for students. Prof Durkin was very supportive. I found him very encouraging, as I find Prof. Nelson. They help to guide you to so many opportunities to pursue new things,” she adds. Holly Grace Nelson, associate professor of practice, is the director of the Landscape Architecture program at Rutgers.
After earning her master’s degree, Virginia held several jobs within the floral industry, her longest serving being a director in floral management for several supermarket chains. “I was blessed to have so many jobs that I’ve enjoyed and that taught me so much.”
Virginia officially retired in 2016 but she’s continues to be enthusiastic about learning new things. This curiosity led to her auditing a landscape architecture class in Fall 2022, the first-year requirement, “Environmental Design Analysis,” that was being taught over Zoom by Nelson, and two plant ID courses. She followed that with the course, “Planting Design,” in Spring 2023.
“Virginia was a star student in “Planting Design,” excelling in analysis of site and user conditions, plant selection and overall design,” says Nelson. “She was a leader in the installation, too—a memorial garden. Virginia was very comfortable in the learning environment and lifted the intellectual bar! I can’t wait till she takes a design studio.”
This fall, Virginia is auditing two courses, “History of Landscape Architecture” and “Landscape Management Maintenance Practices.” Part of the latter course involves restoring the rain garden at Rutgers Gardens, and she’s been able to gain valuable hands-on experience from Maxine Marvosa, assistant director of Rutgers Gardens. “Virgina is wonderful to have in class, she provides a vibrant energy that keeps all the students motivated. Her passion for plants is contagious and desire to learn shows in her work. Even on the cold mornings she is the first to class and is always smiling.”
Virginia plans to continue auditing courses, calling it “an extremely enriching experience. I enjoy telling my family and friends about my experiences at Rutgers.”
