SC senior dubs apple tree project ‘Moon Grove’ in memory of beloved professor, community leader

Southwestern College has unveiled a new apple tree area named “Moon Grove” in honor and in the memory of the late Roger Moon, who died last year following a freak accident.

Moon was a longtime Winfield community leader and retired theatre professor at Southwestern College.

The new Moon Grove is near the Southwestern College Learning Center at 120 W. 12th in Winfield.

According to a press release from SC Friday, the idea developed from the work of Southwestern senior Dalton Ward via his capstone leadership project. The college said Ward wanted to find a project to improve the environment through lowering our local carbon footprint and at the same time, provide a sustainable source of food.

“I’m very excited to share getting down in the dirt with the kids in planting trees and picking apples,” Ward said. “These apples will reduce the community’s carbon footprint and the children will have the enjoyment of watching their own apples grow.”

Ward also says that Moon Grove wouldn’t have happened without the help from Alexis Miers, director of the SC Learning Center; Campus Life Director Raquel Resendiz; Laura Gottlob of Gottlob Lawn and Landscape; and funders — the Leo Grant Award and SGA Grant Award.

About SC

Southwestern College is a private liberal arts college, founded in 1885 by Methodists in south central Kansas.

Today, its Winfield campus is the residential hub that guides students to lives of meaning and service, with well-rounded academic and extra-curricular offerings attracting traditional-aged students from throughout the nation and world. Southwestern College Professional Studies provides options for online students in any location and has been named a top provider for persons serving in the military.

The college continues to be affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.