Professor Steven Fischer, Ph.D., instructs students in the Ender Hall Greenhouse at the College’s main campus in Paramus.
PARAMUS, N.J. – Bergen Community College horticulture professor and program coordinator Steven Fischer, Ph.D., closed 2025 on a high note by earning the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) Educator of the Year Award.
“It’s an honor,” Fischer said. “The award says there is a credibility that our horticulture students have attained.”
Fischer joined the College in 1977 and taught alongside Bergen’s horticulture program founder Jacob “Jack” Fisher (no relation). Fischer became a member of the NJLCA thanks to a recommendation from his colleague.
“Jack introduced me to the NJLCA, and he felt that it is a great bridge for our students to be part of,” Fischer said.
Since then, from teaching concepts in plant caretaking to checking soil health, Fischer has provided hands-on training for his students in the Ender Hall Greenhouse at the College’s main campus. Fischer also seeks to connect students with the larger horticulture community, including by offering experiential learning opportunities off campus through NJLCA trade shows. The field trips give students a chance to review the latest horticulture technology, plant care innovations and seeds. Fischer often attends as an invited guest to share his expertise.
“I have been to pretty much every trade show, and in some cases gave educational talks about how to prune plants and select plants that are suitable for a certain environment,” he said.
Fischer recently led the planning and organization of the horticulture program’s 50-year anniversary celebration. An October event featured alumni from the program’s first graduating class, a banquet dinner and remarks from New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn.
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association is a community of landscapers, horticulturists and other green industry professionals who aim to advance the landscape industry. The organization annually recognizes excellence among its members in categories such as educator, contractor and volunteer of the year. To learn more about the NJLCA, visit njlca.org.