by Reese Kubick '29 on October 2, 2025

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On Sept. 15, 2024, Ryan Routh was perched in a bush at Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach Country Club, a rifle in hand, with the intent to assassinate President Trump. A Secret Service member recounted what happened on the golf course, saying that “he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.”  Law enforcement gained intel from a witness that he saw a man fleeing from the area after hearing gunshots, and the witness later confirmed that it was Routh whom he saw. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, just over a year after the attempted assassination, Ryan Routh was found guilty of attempting to assassinate President Trump. Routh was charged with five federal criminal counts, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assault on a police officer, and firearm charges. These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

The trial consisted of three weeks, and after the jury deliberated for several hours, they returned with the verdict: guilty on all charges.

The two councils spent weeks preparing their cases. Both sides’ arguments were complex, but here is a brief and simplified outline of the prosecution and defense arguments:

The prosecution argued that Routh had the intent to kill; in legal terms, intent is defined by having “mens rea,” which is a Latin term meaning a “guilty mind”. It determines responsibility and culpability, distinguishing accidental acts from purposeful ones. Intent is often proven through circumstantial evidence and can be classified as general intent (to perform the act) or specific intent (to achieve a particular result). The prosecution notes the 17 reconnaissance trips he made to the golf course, and they described Routh stalking Trump excessively. Additionally, they needed to prove that Routh had taken substantial steps to carry out the crime. Substantial steps is another legal term, which means, “an act that moves beyond mere preparation and strongly indicates a criminal intent to commit a crime, leaving no reasonable doubt about the defendant’s purpose.” To prove this case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne said: “This was not a publicity stunt…[T]he evidence has shown one thing and one thing only—the defendant wanted Donald Trump dead.” Browne also notes that Routh was hiding in the bush for nearly 10 hours before the attempt on Trump’s life. 

The defense argued that Routh did not have the capacity to kill. Meaning, the mere planning of something is not enough to prove the intent of committing a crime. Additionally, they asserted that if Routh had the intent to kill Trump or even the Secret Service agent, he would have pulled the trigger, since he did not, the crime did not occur, according to the defense. In the closing argument, the defense tried to persuade the jury that it was not in the defendant’s heart to kill the President. 

After the verdict was read, Routh reacted horrifically by attempting to stab himself in the neck with a pen, and he was removed from the courtroom. 

Routh’s daughter Sara was in the courtroom, and as he was being escorted out, she shouted, “Dad, I love you. Don’t do anything. I will get you out.” Routh was returned to the courtroom, escorted by court marshals and in shackles and was informed he would be sentenced on Dec.18. 

by Molly Oldread ’26 on October 2, 2025

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On Sept. 24, a shooting occurred at an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas. The shooting left one detainee dead and two other individuals hospitalized as a result of the gunfire at the facility. The shooter was identified as Joshua Jahn, 29, according to sources close to the case. Jahn used a sniper rifle to open fire on the building from a distance. While his motives remain unknown, it has been confirmed that he was not aiming for any specific location of the building. Law enforcement reported the bullet holes were found all over the building and not localized to any one target. 

President Donald Trump claimed the shooting stems from “radical left Democrats constantly demonizing law enforcement,” while Vice President JD Vance also called the event an act of politically motivated violence. Governor Abbott of Texas stated that the shooting will not deter law enforcement from carrying out immigration enforcement. Jahn reportedly used a sniper to open fire on the facility, closely following the assassination of conservative political advocate Charlie Kirk, which was also carried out with a sniper. Since the attempted assassination of President Trump in July 2024, there have been reports of at least seven sniper-involved incidents across the country. Experts told ABC News there have never been so many sniper-related incidents in such a short amount of time, in what they call part of a “frightening trend of rifle-wielding shooters targeting politicians, police, and others from long distances.” 

Jahn allegedly had planned this attack for months and opened fire from the roof of a private office building that overlooks the ICE facility. FBI special agent Joe Rothrock reported that Jahn did a high level of planning, including researching where to shoot from and using apps to track ICE agents. This led officials to believe Jahn intended to harm ICE agents more specifically than the detainees. Shell castings found at the scene were engraved similarly to those found at the site of the Charlie Kirk assassination, which were scribed with messages such as “ANTI-ICE” and “Hey fascist! CATCH!” Jahn used an 8 mm bolt-action rifle in the shooting, and left writings which also caused officials to believe he wanted to harm ICE officials and cause terror. Jahn died by self-inflicted gunshot wounds, and investigators say it is very likely he acted alone.

by Alex Pittelli ‘26 on October 2, 2025

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Just a few minutes off campus on Branch Avenue is St. Edward’s Church, a beautiful brick church that stands out within Providence’s Wanskuck neighborhood. Although the church itself is rich with history, the focus will be on the humble building just west of it: the St. Edward Food and Wellness Center, which, for over two decades, has served as a food pantry for the food-insecure residents of Providence’s North End.

I spoke with Father Edward Cardente, who has been the pastor of the church since 2000, on the history of the Food Center. Prior to starting the pantry, Father Ed and volunteers had been serving hot meals to the hungry through St. Anthony Church in North Providence. However, after seeing a news segment on hunger in Providence in February of 2003, Fr. Ed was inspired to start the pantry to expand their mission of addressing food insecurity. He immediately knew something had to be done and put out calls to get to work. On March 26 of that same year, the pantry opened and has since continued to provide food to the community.

Today, the pantry is one of the top five biggest in the state of Rhode Island and provides over 400,000 pounds of food each year to the hungry. Their focus has been on client choice, with options not only for shelf-stable goods, but frozen and fresh food as well. The center is open on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 5 p.m.-6 p.m., and guests are given a bag to fill with their choice of food. Behind the scenes, the shipment arrives on Tuesday mornings from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, as well as donations from both supermarkets and parish members. Volunteers sort the food and stock the shelves to prepare for the distribution the next day. Over 1,500 families are in their active database and approximately 300 visit the pantry each week. The day I visited, 316 families had come through, each taking with them much-needed food.

by Amanda Ayres ’26 and Ava La Bruno ’27 on October 2, 2025

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Congress Updates

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On Tuesday, Sept. 23, Student Congress was pleased to welcome Eileen Wisnewski, the executive director of the Chirico Career Center. We all know and love the slogan, “Don’t Wait… Slavin 108,” and this perfectly encapsulates the message Wisnewski left with the 76th Student Congress.

The Chirico Career Center “works with students to identify, enhance, and accomplish their career development, internship, job search, and educational goals from college to career,” focusing on strengths and passions at the individual level. Wisnewski emphasized how the Chirico Career Center has “‘big school’ resources and a ‘small school’ feel,” with a large team of people that aim to see 100 percent of students come through their doors.

Wisnewski addressed the common misconceptions that she and her colleagues hear: that the Career Center is not needed if one is seeking to attend graduate, medical, or law school, that it only focuses on students in the School of Business, or the dreadful statement, “I’ll go when I’m a senior.” She emphasized how there are resources available to every major and career path at all points during a student’s four years at PC. They do more than just connect a student to job opportunities; they are there to assist in resume building, shadowing/internship experience, graduate school applications, practice/mock interviews, and even connecting graduates with resources after commencement. 

She also shared that over the summer, there was a reorganization of the student-focused coaches, so they now focus on specific majors. The hope for this change is that students feel more encouraged to utilize their resources, and potentially allow coaches to nag students enough that they will seek their coach out. Wisnewski then posed a question to the Student Congress, asking how they can achieve 100 percent utilization of the office by students, knowing it is not a required resource. Many members voiced ideas about the Center having more social media presence, having every major/career path-specific information easily accessible, and even going as far as implementing their services into an already mandatory requirement, like academic advising. 

Student Congress was grateful to Wisnewski and the Chirico Career Center for presenting their resources and goals, and appreciative of their receptiveness to our members’ feedback and ideas. For the rest of the meeting, a piece of legislation regarding the proposal of the Just Dance Club was introduced, and will be voted upon at the next meeting. We are also extremely excited to welcome our newly elected and selected first-year members at our next meeting.

by Shannon Kelly ’26 on September 25, 2025

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Challenge to Incumbent Brett Smiley

On Sept. 15, David Morales, Representative of District 7, announced that he will be running against Brett Smiley for Mayor of Providence in the September 2026 Democratic primary. Current Mayor Brett Smiley was elected in 2022 and his term will be up in 2026. Rep. Morales was first elected in 2020 and made history as the youngest Latino to be elected to the state legislature. Despite serving in his third term, Morales remains the youngest legislator in the state of Rhode Island. Recently, Mayor Smiley has faced criticism regarding the affordability crisis in Providence and potential property tax increases. 

District 7 includes Providence’s Mount Pleasant, Valley, and Elmhurst neighborhoods. Morales is a member of the Rhode Island House Labor Committee,  House Innovation and Technology Committee, and House Municipal Government and Housing Committee. He has brought a sense of passion to tackling the housing crisis in Providence by working to expand affordable housing, lowering rent costs, and emphasizing the importance of investing in public transit. Just this past year, Providence became the least affordable city for renters in the U.S. Rep. Morales also spoke at a “Save RIPTA” rally back in early August at Kennedy Plaza, which many constituents attended.

Morales is from California and was raised by a single mother. He graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a degree in urban studies and began graduate school at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at just 20 years old, making history as the youngest graduate in the program’s history. 

As of June, Mayor Smiley had more than $1 million in his campaign account, while Morales had around $68,000. Since Smiley is running as the incumbent, he has a considerable advantage, especially considering the fact that the city of Providence has not unseated a current mayor since 1974. 

Morales’ run for mayor comes at an interesting time in our nation’s history. Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist running for Mayor of New York City, led a successful campaign for this party’s nomination by utilizing social media to connect to younger voters and talking about issues that affect the average person, such as affordable housing. Rep. Morales is also a Democratic Socialist and views affordability as the most salient issue of our time. In Morales’ announcement video, he stated a simple reminder that he argues we all should keep in mind: “We don’t ask for much, we just want a life we can afford in the city we love.”  

The next few months are sure to be interesting, and voter turnout will prove to be pivotal. Smiley, who resides on the East Side of Providence, will lean heavily on his donors and rely on supporters to show up to vote. Morales, who lives in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, has vowed not to take any donations from any special interests. In an interview with the Rhode Island Current, Morales stated, “There are a lot of people in our community that are frustrated and upset with the current administration. There is a desire within our city for a change.”

by Erich Rumson ’28 on September 25, 2025

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On Wednesday, Sept. 17, the Federal Reserve voted to cut its interest rate by a quarter-point in response to slower labor market gains. The move comes after President Trump had been demanding for months that the Fed make major rate cuts to help spur economic growth.  

The quarter-point rate cut is the first made in over nine months, and according to the Wall Street Journal, some officials have signaled further cuts are due later this year. One of the chief reasons given for lowering the rates is a recent slowdown in hiring nationwide. The latest cut will lower the current rate to a range of 4-4.25 percent, its lowest point in three years. 

One might ask: How does a lower interest rate affect the economy exactly? Should PC students care about this recent rate cut? The Cowl reached out to Dr. Limnios from the Economics Department for his insight on these questions. In his response, Dr. Limnios compared the interest rate to a gas pedal: when it is lowered, it speeds up the economy, and when it is raised, it slows things down. In his words, “If the Fed lowers the cost of borrowing enough, more investments are funded and the economy’s productive capacity grows; if interest rates are raised, then less investments are funded and the productive capacity of the economy shrinks.” When asked about the impact decisions like lowering the interest rate have on PC students, Dr. Limnios emphasized how borrowing money and managing debt is an important part of any business, and that business students should be aware of the Fed’s monetary policy and its effect on their financial decisions. He also mentioned the impact that interest rates have on PC students who want to own a home, as the rate set by the Fed affects the amount paid on mortgages. 

For the past few years, the Federal Reserve kept its interest rates high in an effort to  combat rising inflation. From August 2023 to August 2024, the policy rate was at 5.33 percent—its highest point in nearly two decades. As inflation has gradually lowered recently, the need for higher interest rates has declined, making the recent cuts possible. There is also now a need to stimulate the economy, as the number of jobs added to the labor market in recent months has been lower than expected. While the economy remains solid overall, the Fed sees a rate cut as a way to help boost the lagging labor market.  

The most recent cut was not without controversy, however, as it comes after a months-long effort on the part of President Trump to bring down interest rates he argued were too high. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell had until recently resisted Trump’s calls, which led to harsh criticism from the President. Last week, two days before the rate cut, Trump senior adviser Stephen Miran was sworn in before the Senate as a new Fed governor. Miran has shared the President’s desire to lower interest rates and has called for a half-point rate cut, twice the size of last week’s modest quarter-point cut.  

The full impact of the recent Fed decision remains to be seen, as it may take time for it to affect the overall economy. The stock market made modest gains in the aftermath of the decision, which may hopefully be a sign of future growth. 

by Jack Pawlowski ’27 on September 25, 2025

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After 47 years, Jerry Greenfield—the “Jerry” of Ben & Jerry’s—is leaving the company following disputes with Unilever, its parent corporation, over disagreements regarding the brand’s commitment to social justice.

Ben & Jerry’s is widely known for its creative and delicious ice cream flavors, but less known is its steadfast commitment to social and economic justice, environmental protection, and advocacy for human rights and dignity. These core values have been upheld by co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield since the company’s inception in 1978. They have never shied away from speaking out against social injustices.

In 2000, the company was acquired by Unilever, a global consumer goods conglomerate. The acquisition came with both big promises and big concerns. Chief among them were fears that corporate ownership might dilute Ben & Jerry’s social mission. However, the deal included a unique provision: an independent board retained the authority to make decisions related to the brand’s social mission. This allowed Ben & Jerry’s to continue its activism, including campaigns addressing climate change and social justice throughout the 2000s.

Over time, however, as Unilever’s management changed and the original architects of the deal departed, those promises began to unravel. Cohen discovered that Unilever’s commitment to the company’s social agenda was not legally binding. This culminated in Unilever removing David Stever as CEO of Ben & Jerry’s, without the independent board’s approval, due to his alignment with the brand’s social activism. Unilever was reportedly angered by the company’s outspoken stance on Donald Trump and Israel regarding the conflict in Gaza.

Unilever’s increasing control over Ben & Jerry’s led Greenfield to feel that the company could no longer freely advocate for peace and justice. In a statement shared by Cohen on X (formerly Twitter), Greenfield said, “It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others to fight for equity, justice, and a better world. Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry’s means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry’s.”

He added that if he cannot carry forward the company’s core values from within, he will continue to champion them from the outside.

Greenfield’s departure comes at a time when the current U.S. administration has taken polarizing stances on many social issues, and corporations driven by profit are increasingly aligning with those positions. In an interview, Cohen remarked: “The reality is that businesses are incredibly political. The average business is using its money to influence elections, and they’re using their money and their lobbyists to influence legislation.”

Greenfield’s exit raises a critical question: Will corporations continue to bow to political pressure, or will his departure inspire others to reaffirm their commitment to social justice?

by Amanda Ayres ’26 and Ava La Bruno ’27 on September 25, 2025

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Congress Updates

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On Tuesday, Sept. 16, Student Congress was pleased to welcome Dr. Kyle McInnis, the Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, to our general assembly meeting. We learned that he was specifically recruited by Father Sicard O.P. ’78, ’82G due to his previous experience creating a nursing school at Merrimack College. According to Father Sicard, the introduction of the nursing and health sciences programs was able to“naturally flow from and support the Catholic and Dominican mission of Providence College.”

Dr. McInnis shared the creation of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences was a three and a half year project from conception to completion, with the Ben Mondor School of Nursing and Health Sciences being constructed at a record pace of 18months. This building now holds the title of the largest construction project in the school’s history, dethroning the recently completed Shanley Hall. The massive building is a symbol of the growth mindset that Providence College is known for. “Every student needs a 15 foot mahogany door,” said Dr. McInnis, and behind these doors is a world of scientific inquiry and educational innovation.

This new building features various state-of-the-art technologies, such as 33 simulation manikins, a human performance lab, and an environmental chamber able to simulate temperature, air pressure, humidity, and other conditions of any environment on Earth. Dr. McInnis also presented one of the most advanced pieces of technology: an AI-powered manikin, “Hal”, who can simulate different medical conditions, respond to AED paddles, and even offer information about his alternate personalities, one of which is a surfer!

He then began detailing the three different Bachelor of Science degrees offered: nursing, health sciences, and health policy and management. This program has proven to be highly competitive, despite only being created three years ago. Students in the nursing program also complete over 800 hours of clinical work at various sites throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, such as Brown University, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and UMass Memorial Hospital.

Executive President, Jack Brodin ’26, then opened the room to any questions and Caroline Stanton ’26 asked Dr. McInnis about the plans to expand the breadth of programs offered. He said that within the next few years they hope to introduce graduate programs to the school. This would hopefully include a generic direct entry nursing program in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and physical therapy programs. Student Congress was grateful to Dr. McInnis for presenting what the Mondor School of Nursing and Health Sciences currently is, and being open and honest about where it plans to grow. For the rest of the meeting, SCB 7601 regarding the Elections Calendar for the 2025-2026 academic year was passed, and no new legislation was introduced.

by Reese Kubick '29 on September 25, 2025

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Just days after ABC indefinitely suspended comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s live show due to comments about the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, Kimmel returned with his Tuesday show.

Jimmy Kimmel has been on TV for over 20 years, starting in 2003 with the first episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! airing on ABC after the cancellation of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher in 2002. Kimmel has remained out of the “political heat” for many years, he even did an interview with President Trump before the 2016 election. In 2017, Kimmel started to become more of a so-called “liberal activist” after making a dig at President Trump while hosting the Oscars. Kimmel has not been shy about sharing his political views since then, making many digs at the Republican Party, specifically Trump supporters. 

Jimmy Kimmel Live! came to a halt on Wednesday, Sept. 17, after his comments about the recent shooting of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s main focus of this monologue was on the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson. The comedian stated: “The MAGA Gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” Kimmel also said Trump’s response “is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?” Then, Kimmel mocked Vice President Vance’s performance as a guest on Kirk’s podcast on Tuesday night.

The decision to suspend the show was made because ABC, a subsidiary of Disney, sells its content to Sinclair and Nexstar, both companies that own hundreds of TV stations.  Jimmy Kimmel Live! sells its content to ABC. Sinclair and Nexstar make their money by selling TV ads, and the more viewers they buy from big companies like Disney, the more they can charge for the ad space.

Allegedly, the advertising customers of Nexstar and Sinclair were upset with what Kimmel said and threatened to pull ads from that time slot. Additionally, Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), said to ABC/Disney: “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way…[D]isney needs to see some change here, but the individual licensed stations that are taking their content, it’s time for them to step up…[T]here’s calls for Kimmel to be fired, I think you could certainly see a path forward for suspension over this.” Later, Sinclair told ABC that they were going to replace Kimmel’s former airtime with something else, resulting in the halting of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Sinclair announced its plans to replace Kimmel’s timeslot on ABC with a special honoring Charlie Kirk on Friday, Sept. 19. The company made a statement saying, “The special will air at all Sinclair stations and be offered to ABC affiliates nationwide.” 

Sinclair Vice Chairman, Jason Smith, came out with a statement saying the following: “Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country…[W]e believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities. We appreciate FCC Chairman Carr’s remarks today and this incident highlights the critical need for the FCC to take immediate regulatory action to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks.” Sinclair confirms they will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! until “we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform.”  In addition to stopping the show, Sinclair also called Kimmel to make a direct apology to Kirk’s family and to make a personal donation to his family and his organization, Turning Point USA. 

ABC had previously pulled the Kimmel show indefinitely, with no signs of its return. However, on Monday, Sept. 22, it was announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to the air. The late-night show will return to ABC on Tuesday night, but not all of ABC’s affiliated stations will be showing Kimmel’s show. Sinclair will continue to keep Kimmel’s show off its stations; instead, Sinclair will air news programming in the time slot. 

When Kimmel returned on Tuesday night, he emphasized, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.” He then spoke on the importance of protecting our ability to live in a country that allows for shows like his—ultimately pointing to the importance of creative expression and the necessity for humor in dark times. Kimmel also made sure to state that “a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American.” Republican Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Mitch McConnell all expressed reservations about FCC Chair Carr’s actions. President Trump tweeted on Truth Social, “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back.” The firing and subsequent rehiring of Kimmel raises questions about the application of the First Amendment, especially for those using it to speak out against the powerful.

by Isabelle Camoin ’26 on September 18, 2025

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A Way Forward Amidst ‘Food Deserts’

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Wanskuck Library debuted the People’s Garden of Wanskuck to the public by holding an opening ceremony. The garden’s development was spearheaded by Denise Brophy, a library manager who has been with Community Libraries of Providence for over a decade. Community Libraries of Providence is the largest library system in the state, formed by community non-profit members in order to save libraries across Rhode Island that were going to be lost due to budget cuts. After the Providence Public School District, the Community Libraries of Providence is the second largest free educational institution in the city. 

The People’s Garden currently houses many raised beds of vegetation and herbary throughout the property, along with a wonderful fairy garden, encouraging genuine flourishing throughout the library grounds. There is an array of berries, vegetables, and herbs to enjoy including a structured bed for mushrooming, peach and plum trees, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs like mint, sage, and lemon balm. 

The People’s Garden took a village to construct over the past year. Volunteers included friends, neighbors, local veterans, students at Providence College, members of the library, and a partnership with University of Rhode Island (URI)-Master Garden Project. URI-Master Garden Project picked up The People’s Garden as a project in February 2025.

The People’s Garden serves a mission that is multipurposed: educating the community on caring for and better understanding the environment, providing fresh produce to the community, allowing for access to whole foods, bringing together the neighborhood through a benevolent common cause, and supporting backyard gardens. The initiative is a part of an ongoing restorative project of public library grounds in the North End of Providence. A part of the mission involves programming and workshops to educate members of all ages in the community on how to garden and about native species local to Rhode Island in an attempt to sustain and grow our local ecosystem. 

The ultimate goal is to grow a healthier community in nutrition and connection. Amidst a world focused on mass production, outsourcing local agriculture, the opportunity to learn important lessons on local ecology and how to tend to a sustainable garden has been limited.

The People’s Garden demonstrates a hopeful and accessible solution to bridge the community through ecological education. This solution utilizes generosity, education service, care, and hard work. Wanskuck Library has embraced these qualities to provide for the community through its volunteers and staff, including Brophy. 

Although she is deemed the title of librarian, it may be more fitting to refer to her as a gold star example of what it means to be a good neighbor. Brophy is a light of hope in the community of Providence, modeling hard work in service for the community and its humanity. She will tell you all about the People’s Garden and the work that has been done to create it with a contagious smile on her face. Brophy cares about providing for the community in a sustainable way and believes in the People’s Garden as a bridge for the community.

The People’s Garden at Wanskuck Library is within a 15-minute walk from campus and is still filled with many service opportunities, whether it be simply acting with members of the community to tend to the garden or volunteering to construct more raised beds. Educational programming is offered to the public, and all students at PC who are interested in the initiative or gardening skills are welcome to attend. If you are simply looking for inspiration on a sustainable way to contribute to the community and engage in the outdoors, the People’s Garden is worth a visit and Brophy is a wonderful woman to connect with. 

“Together, we will care for plants and grow food. We will enjoy fruit from our trees and berries from our bushes. We will share fresh vegetables and herbs from our raised beds, and recognize the importance of pollination gardens in attracting bees and butterflies that support all efforts. We will learn about plants native to Rhode Island and New England, which support our ecosystem,” said a representative for the People’s Garden of Wanskuck Library.