Mission Statement
The Illinois Wesleyan Digital Humanities Fellowship and the McLean County Museum of History have collaborated to bring to you the Seeds of Change Project. Our work for the Seeds of Change project is an interactive website that provides ways to stay connected with the evolution of prairie lands and the indigenous flowers that bloom in your surroundings. Educationally, we hope to entertain the residents of McLean County and everyone in Illinois with how to keep the spirit of native species alive while eliminating invasive species, why to care for pollinators, and how your role can impact the environment.
Special thanks to Torri Moré, Maria Mears, Bill Kemp, Professor Aaron Wilson, Professor James Simeone, and Professor Abby Mann.
Emma Basener
Hello, my name is Emma and I am a rising senior majoring in education and history. My favorite native plant is the white snakeroot. Although they are not technically considered edible, I do like to occasionally munch on them from time to time. Another important thing to know about me is that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of native plants before this project and now my brain is overflowing with fun facts and plant lore! Do I remember which way is left and right, absolutely not. But do I know the exact steps on how to care for a Purple Coneflower? Oh yes :). This has been such an enriching and incredible experience and I am grateful to have been able to work on such an amazing project with such amazing people!
Jackie Moreno
I’m in the IWU Class of 2025, majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Entrepreneurship. In my hometown, I reside along the breathtaking prairie path! So, throughout this experience, I had the chance to improve my ability to gather and analyze data on the importance of native plants, prairie land growth, and the effects of invasive species on our ecosystems. It has allowed me to have a stronger understanding of how to cater to a particular audience while keeping information accessible to everybody, as well as how to engage an audience with reliable content.
张慎卿 Shenqing Zhang
Hi there! My name is Shenqing Zhang, and I am a rising sophomore majoring in Computer Science. I’m the tech enthusiast behind the scenes, ensuring our “Seeds of Change” project website runs smoothly and looks fantastic. I specialize in collecting and analyzing data, and I also design our website to make sure all the fascinating information we discover is presented in an engaging and user-friendly way. Before diving into this project, I had little knowledge about native plants, but now, I can’t help but share fun facts about them with everyone I meet! Working on this project has been an amazing journey, and I’m thrilled to be part of such a passionate and talented team.