UW-Green Bay’s memorial garden featured in magazine

The Memorial Garden dedicated at UW-Green Bay in April is featured in an article in the July/August issue of University Business: Solutions for Higher Education Management.

In the article, UW-Green Bay psychology Prof. Illene Noppe (Human Development) says, “In my research, and the research of others, we’ve learned that in any given year about 22 to 33 percent of any student body is suffering a loss.”

Noppe goes on to say, “If we do the typical American thing of sticking grief in the closet, we are setting up retention issues.”

The garden was put together by the student group, “Together We Cope: Support for UW-Green Bay Grieving Students.” Students Amanda Brodhagen, Ashley Durand and Nicole Hoagland were involved in the planning of the garden. The group is the local chapter of the nationwide grief-support organization National Students of AMF. (AMF isn’t an acronym but rather the initials of the woman who inspired the movement.)

Noppe, a prominent scholar of death-education issues and a researcher on grief and coping among young people, is the chapter’s adviser.

In the article Noppe also praised campus administrators for what she calls “phenomenal” support of the project by providing space outside the student center, offering design services from the master gardener, and ensuring the garden is watered over the summer.

Click here for a link to the article.