Benefits:
The Community Serenity Garden provides experiential learning opportunities for science, humanities, allied health, social science, wellness, integrative health, student development, education, and business classes.

Examples of applications include:
• as a horticultural learning lab for science and integrative health classes (medicinal botany), occupational therapy and human service classes (horticultural therapy), and forestry
• hands-on study of religious, cultural, and healing traditions in sociology, psychology, history, integrative health, allied health, literature, and comparative religion classes
• the practice of wellness activities such as meditative walking, breathwork, mindfulness, nature-based contemplation, and drumming for health in wellness, allied health, student development, education, and integrative health classes
• a natural setting for leadership development and business classes that focus on workforce wellness, self-awareness, ethics, and creativity
• an outdoor studio for art and photography classes
• a natural setting for student, faculty, and staff activities

The on-site Serenity Garden is utilized by The Center for Continuing Education in a variety of ways from professionals to the community at large. The Serenity Garden and Labyrinth provides the Center for Continuing Education with yet another excellent resource around which to plan and provide programs.

Applications include:
• workshops for professionals who are eager to learn tools for relaxation and stress management
• meditative walking, which is already part of the “Life Skills: Well on the Way Training”
• expansion of the WOW curriculum for the unemployed, which would be enhanced by the availability of this space
• general public courses to instruct in the use of the space focusing on seniors, health and human service clients and as a tool for chronically/seriously ill members of the community
• courses for children could be taught to use the space and it is a documented tool for such problems as attention deficit disorder and hyperactive problems in children
• courses for businesses and organizational development trainings using nature and meditative approaches to improve health, creativity, and leadership skills

The Serenity Garden provides both a retreat and gathering place for the people of Allegany County. It offers a place for socializing and as a retreat for reading and reflection.