Shaped by donors and adored by the community, Scripps’ lush campus has remained beautifully maintained by our skilled groundskeepers during seasons of sun, rain, and even a pandemic.
By Emily Glory Peters
There is a magic to Scripps鈥� campus. Described as 鈥渁 living botanical sculpture鈥� and recognized as one of the most beautiful in America, the College grounds hold an especially dear spot in the hearts of the Scripps community. Through the years, donor support from this community has enhanced Scripps鈥� splendor for all who wander its parklike grounds, from the gorgeous library honoring Ella Strong Denison to the olive trees donated from the home of past trustee Margaret Fowler to adorn her namesake garden.
The upkeep of this historic acreage has long remained in the custody of Scripps鈥� groundskeepers in our Facilities Department. And while COVID-19 has temporarily emptied our campus, that doesn鈥檛 mean their work has stopped.
Scripps鈥� Unique Magnetism
鈥淏efore the pandemic hit, we were in full-gallop preparation for Commencement and summer conferences. Once Scripps decided to shift to remote learning, we had to pivot quickly,鈥� says Landscape Operations Manager Joya Salas. As students, faculty, and staff left campus, Salas鈥檚 team immediately went to work protecting campus perimeters from well-meaning but occasionally misguided visitors. 鈥淭hough open to the public, Scripps is technically private property. People were walking over with picnic baskets, frisbees, even ladders to pick fruit from the trees,鈥� she laughs. 鈥淚t was our job to secure the periphery and minimize disruption to the campus.鈥�
Salas grants that attraction is well founded. Crafting a limited wayfinding atmosphere was intentional from the jump, she explains, with the campus鈥檚 original design including meandering pathways, mature trees, rare plants, and eye-catching architecture to encourage exploration and evoke a sense of mystery.
Citing Professor Mary McNaughton, director of the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Salas describes campus as a living testament to Scripps鈥� curriculum鈥攁 鈥渨alk through humanities.鈥� Across its 38 acres, the grounds feel like a secret garden with enchanting archways, light fixtures, doorknobs, even hidden scents that attract but seem to have no discoverable origin. 鈥淭hose are the gifts that the campus gives us,鈥� she adds.
Preserving the Grounds for the Community鈥檚 Return
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听Gifts to Scripps’ Campus Enhancements and Preservation Fund empower our groundskeeping team to preserve the College’s historic acreage which holds memories for so many.
Maintaining these gifts is difficult work. Donor support of Scripps鈥� Campus Enhancements and Preservation fund helps offset the cost of grounds maintenance, but extensive pandemic-related budget cuts this spring sliced Salas鈥檚 team鈥檚 schedules in half. Shifts have been divided between her five groundskeepers, all regarded as essential workers.
鈥淚n my 17 years here, this has been the biggest change we鈥檝e ever had,鈥� shares Ramon Estrada, longtime groundskeeper at Scripps, of COVID-19鈥檚 impact. 鈥淓ach groundskeeper has a larger area to care for, handling everything from irrigation breaks to sprinkler maintenance to mowing鈥攊t鈥檚 a new priority each day.鈥�
The reduction of people on campus has also allowed them to do more intensive care in high-traffic areas like academic buildings, such as Balch Hall, and Scripps鈥� historic courtyards鈥攑laces they normally have a shorter window to work on over the summer.
鈥淭he hard labor of the ground staff is the reason Scripps鈥� campus is treasured by so many people,鈥� Salas says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e out there working in pouring rain and blazing sun, on their hands and knees weeding, repairing, planting, and giving everything that special Scripps touch.鈥�
Many of these touches are invisible to the naked eye. Groundskeepers trim certain shrubs with special tools to keep them looking natural but not wild, hold ivy at twelve inches below the roofline, and maintain Scripps鈥� original 鈥減lant palette鈥� by preserving the Valencia orange trees, oaks, tulip trees, myrtle shrubs, and camellias that reflect the College鈥檚 distinctive Mediterranean style.The team has fun adding colorful twists, too鈥攍ike planting trees and flowers perfectly timed to be in full bloom for marquee occasions like Commencement. But honoring Scripps鈥� history ultimately reigns supreme.
鈥淎s you spend more time at Scripps, you begin to connect parts of campus鈥擶ood Steps, 听Bixby Courtyard, Jacqua Quad鈥攖o the College鈥檚 past and the people who loved this place and left their mark here,鈥� says Salas. For her team, preserving the botanical richness of these memorable spots is key as they work through the pandemic.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 life has been upended by this shutdown,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen people come back鈥� whether it鈥檚 donors, alumnae, or students鈥攚e want them to feel like nothing has changed.鈥�
The meditative beauty of Scripps鈥� campus was designed to 鈥渟eep into the consciousness鈥� of our students. To help preserve this special place as we prepare we reopen our grounds, please consider making a gift to Campus Enhancement and Preservation by clicking
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