SMCC hosts many clubs, yet when thinking about the kinds of clubs that are available, I doubt beekeeping is the first thought that comes to mind. 

SMCC’s beekeeping club teaches you the essentials of caring for bees, the importance of bees in an ecosystem, and how to coexist with them. It was initially founded by Kathryn Morin who has been beekeeping since highschool. Her and about 30 other students’ love for bees keep the club going. 

Many hardships have been met through the club’s time on SMCC’s campus. One major problem during the club’s founding was finding a place for the hive. Many disliked the idea of a beehive near their building where many students commute to class. Eventually, a home destination was settled near the Hildreth Media Center. Additionally, many people are afraid of bees, making it difficult for Kathryn to recruit people for the club. As well as all of this, getting the hive started took a lot of effort. The club’s first hive wouldn’t accept a queen. Eventually through determination to see the hive flourish, a queen was eventually accepted, and the hive began to function. All the effort is worth it through the harvest of wax and honey. 

It’s important to care for bees. They are the unsung heroes of modern day society playing a huge factor with the commercial (and non-commercial) production of crops. According to Kathryn Morin of SMCC’s Beekeeping Club, the domestic honey bee consists of nearly 35% of the pollination for all agricultural plants grown for human consumption globally. This is about $15 billion worth of crops! Beekeeping is an excellent method to keep this trend consistent through the unfortunate decline of bee populations. SMCC’s beekeeping club is an excellent way to learn the basics, and perhaps integrate to owning a hive yourself someday. 

As a beekeeper, bees have played an important role in Kathryn’s life. Beekeeping has provided her with a new insight to the world around her, and allows her to make a positive change of the environment around her: “Honey bees have had a pretty big impact on my life. To me, beekeeping symbolizes the role humans should play in the environment: caretakers. As a beekeeper, you care for the hive, you protect it, and nurture it, and the bees give you honey and wax in return. You really feel like you’re a part of something greater than yourself and when you interact with them. Especially in today’s day and age where our society is so disconnected from nature, beekeeping is a great avenue to find your way back to it.”

Many staff and faculty are supportive of the beekeeping club, especially Jen Otenti who helped get the club on their feet during its beginning. With over 5,500 students attending classes at SMCC, it’s surprising such a small portion of the student body is actually in the club. Perhaps you could consider joining SMCC’s Beekeeping Club to gain some new insight about bees and colony maintenance, or just get to know new people.