A field trip…for coffee?

A PLU experience means more than just learning in the classroom. As part of an Economic Botany class (aka Biology 387), students visited Dillano’s, a local coffee roaster. One of the students on the field trip, Gracielle Osera, shares “The amount of precision, trial and error, as well as mastery of their craft is truly fascinating to me even now – weeks later.”

More than a pick-me-up – coffee’s global impact.

This class trip was all about looking at how people have tapped the psychoactive properties of plants as stimulants, and how botany intersects with human history, culture, and the economy. As Professor Haberle put it, “This course could easily be called, ‘Why People Need Plants.’ We explore how humans have harnessed and altered uses for plants, like food, medicine, and materials.”

This field trip is an example of how PLU classes connect your classroom learning with real-world applications. These opportunities bridge classroom concepts and practice, preparing you to apply knowledge in your future career(s).