Did you know that Allen Centennial Garden is a great place for CALS students to complete a capstone project?
Our staff love mentoring students and look forward to working with you to decide on a project that can showcase your skills and help you translate them in a real-world scenario that can help you show future employers your skills. Capstones in the Garden can be part of a paid summer internship or a separate project.
Past capstone projects have included:
- Researching and planning an annual display garden
- Creating an educational printed tour guide for visitors
- Identifying the plants in our Hosta collection
Have a project idea or want to chat with us more about options?
Reach out by email at AllenCentennialGarden@wisc.edu. Be sure to share your major, planned graduation date, and any project ideas or interests you already have! The sooner you reach out, the better we can help you develop a project that fits into your graduation timeline so you can register for the credits you need.
What is a capstone?
According to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, a CALS Capstone is a course in which students are required to integrate diverse bodies of knowledge to solve a problem or formulate a policy of societal importance with the intent of facilitating the transition to post-baccalaureate life. Capstone courses are approved by the college for each major (and can include directed study at Allen Centennial Garden).
A capstone experience should:
- Develop problem solving skills
- Expose the student to multidisciplinary approach
- Develop teamwork and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively to multiple audiences
- Develop skills in accessing and using information resources (e.g., electronic databases, library resources, national repositories)
- Address societal, economic, ethical, scientific, and professional issues
- Communicate and extend the capstone experience via written, oral, and/or multimedia reports by each student
The Capstone Experience will normally be completed during the student’s final 2 or 3 semesters. The intent is to have the student utilize and integrate their undergraduate learning into a culminating, or capstone, experience. Students should consult with their departmental faculty advisors for specific information regarding this requirement.