The Pinkerton Prize for Outstanding Student Contributions to the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden was created in the early 1990s by Bret Hewitt and his late wife Deborah Pinkerton, the first environmental education employee at the Arboretum and Public Garden. The prize honors exceptional Learning by Leading™ students participating in our environmental education programs.

Doris Wu

Arboretum Ambassador Apprentice 2021-2022

Creative, innovative and change maker, all of these words help describe Doris’s amazing leadership. This year the Arboretum Ambassador team was tasked with helping enhance the visitor experience of the Arboretum and Public Garden by re-starting the signage cleaning and public engagement programs. Thanks to Doris’s leadership, we were able to organize new Nature Rx-focused programs like "Chair Share," participate in the campus "Sheepmower" program and create a wide array of wildlife art and activities for a pilot Girl Scout patch program. On top of being a thoughtful leader, Doris is also an amazing artist that helped create art in support of Arboretum and Public Garden outreach events. Her mentorship helped create a warm, welcoming space with her team, while her growth, creativity and overall, love, for the Arboretum and Public Garden shined through. We can’t wait to hear all of the future adventures that await Doris!

Elizabeth Hursh

Habitat Horticulture Intern 2021, Co-Coordinator 2021-2022

Encouraging others to create a sustainable future is a priority for Elizabeth’s career goals. When she joined the Habitat Horticulture remote internship in 2021, Elizabeth quickly bonded with her team and stepped up to lead tasks quickly. When challenged to create engaging digital content, Elizabeth led her team to create a fun and educational video on native plants and how they support local wildlife in the urban environment. In 2022, as opportunities for educational events opened up, Elizabeth and fellow Co-Coordinator Lara Hsia led the team towards more education and outreach goals. Habitat Horticulture’s new lead role at UC Davis Biodiversity Day was a success and Elizabeth was able to model messaging content for the interns to present at future events. At the spring plant sale, the team spoke to customers about "Potted Plants for Pollinators" and sold wildflower seeds to support biodiversity in the garden. Finally, Elizabeth stepped up to prepare the team for our final event at the California Honey Festival; there the team reached a broad audience and collaborated with other UC Davis departments to make the event an educational showcase for the university.