Blue Ridge Community College will host "Growing Bright Futures: A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 1 p.m. to celebrate the grand opening of the college's new automated greenhouse.

The state-of-the-art facility, made possible through funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation, The Cannon Charitable Interests and Henderson County, will serve as an advanced learning space for horticulture students, local agribusiness employees, and interdisciplinary learning.

With a completed area of 4,320 square feet and a height of over 25 feet, the impressive greenhouse will provide hands-on training in cutting-edge agricultural techniques and technology. It is Blue Ridge’s newest resource for enhancing the regional workforce and supporting economic growth in agriculture and related industries.

“We are excited to welcome the community to Blue Ridge Community College as we celebrate the opening of the new automated greenhouse,” said Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood, Blue Ridge’s president. “Made possible through generous donations and the support of Henderson County, this facility will provide students with hands-on training in advanced agricultural techniques, preparing them for vital careers in agriculture and related industries for decades to come.”

The ceremony will feature remarks from community and higher education leaders, followed by a ribbon cutting and self-guided tours of the facility. After the ribbon is cut, Blue Ridge Community College students will give short presentations inside the facility on their areas of study. Horticulture students will describe many facets of Western North Carolina’s agriculture industry, and cybersecurity students will discuss ways that cyber defense is responsible for protecting our nation’s food supply.

“In addition to celebrating this achievement for our college and community, we are excited to showcase our students’ knowledge and expertise through tours inside the new greenhouse,” said Benjamin Rickert, Blue Ridge’s communications director. “Visitors will have the opportunity to meet current Horticulture and Information Technology students as they share career aspirations and discuss key topics such as landscape design, nursery production, pest management, cybersecurity threats and many other compelling topics.”

The event will take place in front of the new automated greenhouse, north of the Spearman Building at 150 East Campus Drive, Flat Rock. Campus maps and directions are available at www.blueridge.edu/locations.

Source: Blue Ridge Community College.