Eight Westminster College students and faculty members recently shared the story of the College’s 70-hive teaching apiary and interdisciplinary beekeeping program with regional beekeepers and enthusiasts at the West Virginia Bee Fair Spring Summit Feb. 28 at Oglebay Park Resort in Wheeling, W.Va.

Hosted by the West Virginia Beekeepers Association, the annual summit brought together beekeepers, educators, vendors and enthusiasts from across the region for a day of educational sessions, a honey show, vendor exhibits and guest speakers focused on supporting and connecting members of the beekeeping community.

Students attending the summit included Marco Smallwood, a sophomore environmental science major from Carlisle, Pa.; Valen Henry, a sophomore environmental science major from Harrisburg, Pa.; Emily Shaffer, a first-year environmental science major from New Castle, Pa.; Avery Keenan, a senior environmental science major from Cranberry, Pa.; Faith Giannamore, a first-year environmental science major from Albion, Pa.; and Jamie Robertson, a senior environmental science major from Los Angeles, Calif.

The students were accompanied by Dr. Patrick Krantz, associate professor and director of the Outdoor Laboratory, and Bradley Weaver, a faculty member in Westminster’s School of Communication.

At the conference, Westminster students joined dozens of exhibitors and presenters, serving as outreach ambassadors for the College, the Buzzfeed Cluster Course and the Westminster Bee Company, a student-run honey production venture. They highlighted Westminster’s 70-hive apiary and discussed the interdisciplinary collaboration between the Harms Center for the Environment, the School of Business and the School of Communication. 

Students who attended the summit represent multiple semesters of the Buzzfeed Cluster Course, demonstrating the program’s commitment to experiential learning and community engagement.

The Westminster apiary initiative integrates environmental stewardship, entrepreneurship and strategic communication, providing students with hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture and applied learning. Established in 2020 with six hives, the apiary has grown to more than 70 colonies under the leadership of Dr. Patrick Krantz. The program, operated through the Clarence and Mary Ann Harms Center for the Environment, recently received Pennsylvania’s prestigious Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its “Apiary as Catalyst for Innovation” initiative.

For more information about Westminster’s beekeeping initiatives, contact Dr. Krantz at krantzpd@westminster.edu.

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By Betsy Fontaine Hildebrand ’92
Betsy Fontaine Hildebrand ’92 is the director of communication in Westminster College's Office of Marketing and Communication.

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