Two Kishwaukee College alumnae are putting their horticulture skills to use as team
members of the Sycamore Hy-Vee floral department. Diane Gittleson, a 1979 graduate,
and Melissa Findlay, a 2016 graduate, both completed the horticulture program at Kish
and now design arrangements at Hy-Vee.
“As a community college, Kish offers a great steppingstone and an easy process to
the workforce, especially within the community,” Findlay said.
Both Findlay and Gittleson highlighted the hands-on training they received at Kish
as integral to their careers. Gittleson said many of the landscaping efforts her class
made on campus — like trees and flower beds — are still visible today. Between Kish’s
sprawling 120-acre campus, greenhouse, and athletic facilities, the College offers
many real-world learning experiences for its horticulture students.
“I loved my experience at Kish,” Gittleson said. “They have such a strong, developed
horticulture program. The small class size allowed me to have great friendships that
still thrive today.”
As a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers, Kish’s program allowed
Findlay and Gittleson to travel on field trips to states like Missouri, Michigan,
Colorado, and California. Gittleson said she competed in student competitions for
floral design, which helped give her confidence in her future career.
Findlay and Gittleson both believe these experiences at Kish have benefited and challenged
their skills as floral designers. At Hy-Vee, they provide floral arrangements for
any occasion and share their expertise and recommendations if customers aren’t sure
of what to get. As florists, they design and create arrangements of flowers in wreaths,
bouquets, vases and centerpiece elements.
In addition to arranging flowers, Findlay and Gittleson are also responsible for their
care. They must be proficient in all aspects of plant care and maintain a variety
of species in the flower, foliage, herb and ornamental grass families.
Kish offers many opportunities for students looking for careers related to plants
and landscaping. With certificates available in floral horticulture, greenhouse/garden
center, landscape design and sustainable horticulture, students can build many skills
needed for a career. They can also stack all these certificates to earn an Associate
in Applied Science degree. Kish’s new Cannabis and Hemp Cultivation certificate also
offers students an opportunity to train for Illinois’ booming recreational cannabis
industry.
Overall, the outlook for “green jobs” has a strong future, with the Bureau of Labor
Statistics predicting strong growth for careers associated with plants and landscaping
over the next decade. Horticulture specialists can work as landscape contractors,
park naturalists, nurserymen, city foresters, groundskeepers, retail or wholesale
florists, landscape designers, turf specialists, golf course superintendents, greenhouse
managers, horticultural journalists, garden center managers and more.
For more stories of Kish alumni, visit kish.edu/alumni. For more information on Kish’s
Horticulture program, visit kish.edu/horticulture.