Olivia Mingora ’17
For Olivia Mingora ’17, gardening serves as a ministry and a form of therapy. Although she came to Messiah planning to pursue biblical and religious studies, she switched in her sophomore year to a degree in psychology with a pre-counseling and therapy minor.
“You don’t need to major in ministry to pursue ministry,” she explained. “I felt called to counseling.”
She’s specifically interested in horticulture therapy, using gardening and farming as a therapeutic process to help others heal. After her father died last year, she says working in the Community Garden allowed her to grieve.
“The garden was the first place I found healing. Jesus was working through that medium to provide the closure I needed,” she explained. “Some days, I was in the garden, and tears were streaming down my face. Some days, I was praying. Some days, I felt peace. Some days, I was angry. I was able to work through and allow those thoughts to happen. It’s a big reason why I want to pursue gardening therapy.”
She credits her psychology professors and Director of Sustainability Brandon Hoover for making a personal investment in her life. “[Hoover] supported me in so many areas: leadership, gardening and what it means to take care of the earth and take care of relationships,” she said.
After graduation, Mingora spent the summer working on a community farm in Maryland. This fall, she begins a one-year position at High Spirits Community Farm in Massachusetts working with adults with intellectual disabilities.
As her career takes root, she describes her favorite part of gardening. “I like planting the best,” said Mingora, “planting the seeds, knowing that you’re planting it into nutritious soil. It’s all weeded, and it’s going to grow into something productive. Something that’s useful starts from one little seed.”