Tree of 40 Fruits: The Science, Art & Symbolism by President Michael C. Maxey
Date/Time
Monday, February 24, 2020
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs
Categories
Two years ago Roanoke College was given a Tree of 40 Fruits for our campus. The tree is a combination of art and science, but it serves symbolic purposes as well. The tree has 40 stone fruits grafted onto a plum tree. Each of the stone fruits will provide different spring blossom colors, different stone fruit in the summer yield, and finally 40 shades of fall foliage. Sam Van Aken is the artist and scientist. In another 3 years it will be fully producing 40 different kinds of plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, and nectarines. Many of those stone fruit varieties are heirlooms.
Michael C. Maxey has served Roanoke College for over 35 years, the last 13 in the Office of the Presidency. He is the 11th president in the College’s 177-year history. President Maxey is a native of Bassett, Virginia. His higher education began at Wake Forest University in WinstonSalem, North Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history and Master of Arts in counselor education. He later earned a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study at the University of New Hampshire, and attended the Institute of Education Management at Harvard University. A lifelong learner and student of history, counseling and conflict resolution, President Maxey received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. He has held several leadership positions in numerous organizations.
