Josephine Wang
I’m Josephine Wang, a G6 in English. I grew up in Chicago, where my family has kept a small, urban plot for as long as I can remember. While we mainly grow plants familiar to the Korean palate (perilla, bonnet bellflowers, cheongyang peppers, dadagi cucumbers, kabocha squash, etc.), we also love our native perennials (milkweeds, prairie coreopsis, purple coneflowers, Illinois roses, to name a few!). Though our plot is small, our garden helps maintain our connection to our multiple homelands and is my family’s most beloved heirloom.
I hope to help foster the same sense of connection and stewardship for our community of gardeners, at the Lakeside community garden. Not only will I seek to best advocate for and support our gardeners, I would also like to extend our care to the environment around Lake Carnegie, as Garden Coordinator. In addition to organizing the garden, I would like to organize community cleanups of trash by the lake, to best serve all Lakeside residents.
I look forward to seeing you all by the plots!
Clément Herman
Hi everyone! I’m Clément, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in Economics, and I’m running to be your next Lakeside Garden Coordinator!
When I first arrived at Princeton, Lakeside was my very first home. I still remember my first evening walks along the towpath, sunsets over the lake, and the deer that wander by—it’s impossible not to fall in love with this place. The Lakeside Garden is, for me, one of its most special features: a small shared oasis where residents grow tomatoes, herbs, and flowers side by side; where compost turns into life again; and where the values of communal care and community makes something truly beautiful flourish.
I want to help maintain and enhance this shared treasure. Some garden beds and fences need repair, a few plots might benefit from replenished soil, and our garden community can grow even more vibrant. My goal is to ensure that every Lakeside gardener has what they need to plant, grow, and enjoy the space, and that the garden remains as welcoming and functional as it is beautiful!
Beyond upkeep, I’d love to make the garden more central to our community life. I plan to organize garden socials—from spring planting days to end-of-summer gatherings, maybe even a BBQ featuring ingredients straight from the garden! I’d also like to host occasional clean-up and “plucking” sessions to pick up litter around the garden and along the lake, keeping our surroundings as vibrant and cared-for as the plants we grow.
I’m efficient, organized, and deeply community-oriented. As a current member of the Graduate Student Government Executive Board, I’ve gained experience in event planning, funding applications, and collaboration with University administrators; skills I’d bring to this role to make sure the garden gets the attention and resources it deserves.
Most importantly, I LOVE Lakeside. It’s the place that first made me feel at home at Princeton, and I’d be honored to help preserve and nurture what makes it so special: its sense of care, cooperation, and shared beauty.
Joelle-Marie Begin
Hi neighbours! I’m a G4 Physics student and I’m very excited to run for garden coordinator. I had my first garden plot this past year, and it has been an amazing experience. There’s nothing like eating fresh veggies grown in your own garden! We have a beautiful garden here at Lakeside, and it would be a privilege to be its next caretaker.
I have so many ideas for the garden! A community flower garden, so everyone can fill their homes with self-gathered flower arrangements. More community events (pickling party? trellis-building workshop?). But mostly, I want to hear from *you* about what ideas you have for the garden.
Finally, to name some of my credentials:
1. Lived at and took care of an organic farm for 3 months last summer (~10,000 square feet of fruit and veggies + chickens, ducks, and four sheep!).
2. Proud parent of 15 thriving houseplants.
3. Avid Stardew Valley player.