(Pictured, from left: John Parke Wright IV Chair, Orchid Conservation Chelsea, Ann and Bob Lindquist ’65, Debbie Henricks Collins ’84, Professor Lawrence Zettler, Adam Herdman ’18, President Barbara A. Farley, Toby McTamney ’26, Tonya Baise ’76, Julie and Andy Applebee, Scott Belobrajdic ’86)

Although the honor was awarded in London in 2025, the official medal presentation took place this winter at Naples Botanical Garden, where leaders from Illinois College and its global research partners gathered to mark the occasion.

The winning exhibit, “From Hong Kong to Australia: The Orchids of Asia and the Pacific,” was developed in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Naples Botanical Garden, and the University of Florida, and highlighted innovative approaches to orchid conservation across Asia and the Pacific. President Barbara A. Farley accepted the medal alongside Lawrence Zettler, Hitchcock Professor of Biology, whose work has anchored the College’s orchid research program for more than two decades.

For Illinois College, the gold medal reflected a long-standing commitment to student–faculty research with global reach. IC students played a central role in the project through laboratory research, international collaboration and participation in the Chelsea Flower Show itself, gaining exposure to worldclass scientific research while contributing meaningfully to conservation efforts. The recognition underscored how undergraduate research at Illinois College continues to make an impact well beyond campus, connecting students to global scientific communities and real-world environmental challenges.