inag news winter-spring 2016

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES • INSTITUTE OF APPLIED AGRICULTURE • WINTER/SPRING 2016

Alumni Survey Reveals Contribution of IAA Experience to Career Success

By Larisa Cioaca

According to a recent survey, 99% of IAA alumni rate their overall experience at the IAA as “excellent” or “above average.”

Over the past half-a-century, the IAA has been preparing students for successful careers managing various agricultural enterprises and ecosystems. To mark its 50th anniversary, the Institute surveyed alumni during the Fall 2015 semester to better understand their perceptions of the IAA and career trajectories post-graduation.

The online survey collected 71 complete responses. All 35 alumni who provided their contact information were entered into a raffle for a chance to win tickets to the 50th Anniversary Gala on May 14, 2016. The lucky winner was Matthew Cooper, a Golf Course Management graduate from 2005.

The respondents began their IAA coursework as early as 1968. Prior to enrolling, most students worked (48%), went to high school (35%), or were enrolled in college (25%). On average, it took students 2.25 years to complete their certificates, and most graduated in the 1970s (21%), 1980s (16%), 1990s (31%), and 2000s (19%).

The most “popular” area of study among survey takers was Turfgrass and Golf Course Management (46%), followed by Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Management (30%), and Agricultural Business Management (17%).

IAA alumni are hard workers. In fact, 80% of them worked while studying at the IAA. Immediately upon graduation, most respondents pursued careers (86%) or additional education (12%). An overwhelming majority spent their careers in fields related to their IAA areas of study (92%).

What do IAA alumni do today? Most are employed or own businesses (82%), while some are retired (15%). You don’t have to look long to find an IAA alumnus. As the vice president of sales at Genesis Turfgrass, owner of Independence Farm, curator at the U.S. National Arboretum, and superintendent at Potomac Valley Country Club, IAA alumni have risen to the highest positions in their fields. That’s why 60% reported earning more than $60,000 per year, with 28% earning in the six figures.

One thing is clear: The IAA experience significantly boosted alumni’s career success. Respondents indicated that the IAA experience contributed

“extremely” or “very much” to their technical knowledge (91%), self-confidence (88%), ability to solve problems (88%), and leadership skills (82%), to name just a few areas.

When asked about their favorite courses, alumni had differing views. “No course has done more for me than oral and written communication,” commented one. “I never knew there is so much to learn about grass!” said another. And, “ag mechanics

[…] taught me how to do things I never envisioned myself doing.”

One respondent summed up her IAA experience this way: “The two years I spent [at the IAA] did more for my career than four years at any college.” Well said.

INAG News

From the DirectorJames ThomasTurf Terps at STMACANstructionCelebrating 50 YearsStudent FilesAlumni NewsAround the ‘Tute

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Contents

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND / FEARLESS IDEAS

The IAA opened my eyes to the world and gave me lifelong friendships.

– IAA alumnus

2 — INAG News Winter/Spring 2016


Nifty Fifty. Fifty and fabulous. Fifty is fine. No matter how you phrase it, celebrating 50 years at the IAA is fun! Check out our photo gallery of events on pages 6 and 7.

We are halfway through our celebratory year and the excitement is building toward our Gala on Saturday, May 14. This is the day after our annual Shields Memorial Golf Tournament, so we encourage all our golfing

friends to enjoy a festive weekend. Heck, even if you don’t golf, add Friday to your plans to make it a festive weekend. Visit campus, check out the teaching garden, stop by Jull Hall, or take an exam. Okay, I’m just kidding about that last suggestion, but you are welcome to visit a class. Do you want to give an impromptu speech? Okay, I’m joking again—well, maybe not. But, I promise not to grade you. For some reason, our alumni seem to remember their oral communication class.

Did I mention our awesome alumni? We’re so proud of all your accomplishments. We received so many positive responses from our recent alumni survey that we want to tell your stories. Each week, we’ll be spotlighting different alumni on our website: iaa.umd.edu. I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed hearing them. If you have a story to share, let me know. We’d love to hear from everyone. See the front page for the results of our alumni survey.

The IAA’s journey has been ag-citing; thank you for being part of our learning community. Come toast the ‘tute on May 14!

Cheers!

Glori D. Hyman

From the Director’s Desk

Winter/Spring 2016 INAG News — 3


INAG NewsINAG News is published two times a year by the Institute of Applied Agriculture. The IAA welcomes all comments, alumni updates and

agriculture-related news.

Institute of Applied AgricultureJull Hall, Room 21234196 Stadium Drive

University of MarylandCollege Park, MD 20742

iaa.umd.edu

Tel: 301.405.4685 Fax: 301.314.9343

[email protected] IAAumd @IAA_umd IAAumd

IAA Director—Glori HymanGraphic Designer—Randie Hovatter

By Nina LaTassa

Agricultural Business Management major James Thomas may only be in his first year at the University of Maryland’s Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA), but he’s already stealing the student-success spotlight. Thomas, who attended the Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences (NRAS) Magnet Program at North Harford High School, was selected to attend the National 4-H Congress in recognition of his hard work and outstanding achievement at the State 4-H Program level. Thomas joined 20 other distinguished 4-Hers in representing Maryland at the five-day national Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 27 to December 1, 2015. He gained teambuilding and vital leadership skills.

“I am excited about attending National 4-H Congress because it is truly an honor to represent Baltimore County 4-H at this prestigious event,” said Thomas before the conference. “As I am coming close to the end of my 4-H career, I feel this trip will give me an opportunity to share what I have learned as a 4-Her with other delegates and also give me an opportunity to learn from them.”

Thomas, a member of the second NRAS graduating class, is the first NRAS student to attend the IAA. As part of his IAA coursework, he presented his high school capstone research work on breeding dairy cows. His capstone project, titled “Analyzing the effect of heterosis on growth rates of Jersey-Red Angus crossbred calves,” showed that heterosis can be a major factor to increase weight gain in beef and dairy cattle. The research will help farmers increase the amount of beef on the market by raising dairy-beef crossbred calves. Sustainable Agriculture lecturer Meredith Epstein was thoroughly impressed by Thomas’ work.

“It is clear that James’ experience in the capstone program has prepared him well for college. He was thorough and professional, and his love for agriculture runs deep,” said Epstein.

IAA instructor Roy Walls, a 1970 alumnus of North Harford, was also impressed with Thomas’ knowledge. “I was particularly pleased with James’ capstone presentation,” said Walls. “He had an excellent presentation that provided IAA faculty

with a review of his four-year high school AgriScience program.”

The NRAS program at North Harford provides students with the opportunity to experience challenging coursework with emphasis on career development and real world application. Greg Murrell, who oversees the program, had nothing but positive thoughts to share about Thomas’ performance.

“James was a worker and a great example of a student who applied his knowledge and practical experience to make our campus farm run smoothly,” said Murrell. “He took on the academic challenge that comes with being a part of a magnet program. He once told our supervisor that he would not have been successful in high school without the hands-on opportunities found in the magnet program.”

“The Institute of Applied Agriculture provides excellent hands-on education that opens doors to successful careers,” commented IAA Director Glori Hyman, who serves on the NRAS program advisory committee. “And, we’re pleased to have James as a student. The North Harford magnet program prepared him well. We look forward having more NRAS graduates apply to the IAA.”

Now Thomas has taken the diligence and dedication he had for his work in the North Harford magnet program and applied it at the IAA, where he has chosen to pursue a career in animal agriculture.

North Harford’s James Thomas Brings Skills to the IAA

“My family has a small farm in Baltimore County where we raise hay, small grains, and sheep,” he said. “The program at the IAA is definitely giving me the background that I need in order to go back to my family farm and make production agriculture profitable!”

James Thomas studied Jersey-Red Angus cross breeding.



Turf Terps Take 4th atSTMA Challenge Bowl

On January 19, 2016, Jull Hall buzzed with anticipation. Two major events showed on the IAA’s radar—one

weather-related, and one student-related. One required last-minute preparations and the other required months of studying and reviewing. One was a blizzard in Maryland and the other was a first-place finish at the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) student competition in San Diego, California.

One happened and the other didn’t.

While College Park was getting buried by two feet of snow, the Good Dr. Mathias, his trusty assistant Alex Steinman, and four IAA students were discussing irrigation, weed control, playing surfaces, turfgrasses, and other warm-weather related matters in hopes of capturing UMD’s 4th consecutive title.

Each year, students from all over the country compete in the STMA Student Challenge, testing their knowledge in the sports turf industry. This year’s team of Scott Hebert, Ian Patrican, Jimmy Halley, and Jarod Knopp took fourth, missing third place by a half point.

Although disappointed, Mathias turned the loss into a learning opportunity. “During our debriefing, I realized the team didn’t study the way it needed to. Other teams were really motivated to beat us, and we need our guys to get to that level of motivation,” said Mathias.

So, like any good coach after a loss, Mathias made his team work harder, hoping to motivate them for the upcoming Turf Bowl, another student competition. Since the blizzard caused airports to close and flights to be canceled, the team spent a couple of extra days in San Diego. Mathias set up a series of two-hour review sessions for the students and then quizzed them.

But, the Good Doctor made learning fun by taking soil samples from Coronado Beach, touring Torrey Pines Golf Course, and riding bikes to Balboa Park.

The Turf Bowl is the next major event on the IAA’s radar; let’s hope another blizzard is not.

Clockwise: Turf Terps leave their mark on Coronado Beach; a bicycle ride to Balboa Park; McKeldin Mall at UMD post-blizzard; Superintendent Wayne Carpenter of Torrey Pines Golf Course graciously gave a

tour to the Turf Terps.

The Turf Terps: Scott Hebert, Jarod Knopp, Jimmy Halley, and Ian Patrican.



By Rob Ballenger

Lillian Kahl, an IAA Sustainable Agriculture major, is helping build the food supply at the university’s

Campus Pantry with thousands of canned goods. But first, she used those cans to help build the Pantry’s visibility among students on campus.

Kahl is the recipient of a $4,000 grant that enabled her to procure the canned food as building material for a project geared toward bridging an awareness gap between students and their school’s provider of emergency food to members of the campus community in need. Kahl saw an opportunity to draw a connection between her fellow Terps and the Campus Pantry by transforming the food cans into the embodiment of UMD school spirit: Testudo.

Kahl recently used more than 1,000 of those cans as building blocks to construct the university’s mascot. The large Testudo “canstruction” was on display at the South Campus Dining Hall. Kahl will ultimately donate those cans (and more) to the UMD Campus Pantry.

The first-year IAA student’s path to her

highly visible Testudo project began in the months leading up to her arrival at UMD. While working for a Maryland-based construction contractor, Kahl was awarded a scholarship by the Women in Associated Builders and Contractors—part of an industry trade association. Kahl said her winning proposal to design an object built with canned goods was inspired in part by Canstruction, a food charity that hosts competitions “showcasing colossal structures made out of full cans of food,” according to the organization’s website.

Kahl’s winning project reflects an aspect of the IAA’s Sustainable Agriculture program: meeting the challenges of future food needs while supporting our communities. She said that over the years she’s seen the importance of bringing awareness to people and living sustainably. Kahl decided to return to school to study sustainable agriculture following a career as both a construction contractor and as an arborist. While searching for the right academic program, she discovered a natural fit between the IAA and her professional goals.

What is Kahl learning at the IAA that will help her in the future? “Everything,” she said. From learning the characteristics of sustainable agriculture and plant sciences

to the basics of starting her own business, Kahl remarked that “every one of my classes is very applicable.”

“That’s the beauty of this program,” according to Kahl. “For someone who wants to learn how to get their little business started or their goal achieved, this is perfect for that.”

Kahl wrapped up her first semester as an IAA student having left a sustainable agriculture mark in a conspicuous part of campus. The South Campus Dining Hall’s “canstructed” Testudo was on display until the end of the Fall semester, after which the canned components went to students, faculty, and staff in need of food security. Kahl is adding to her Campus Pantry donation an extra 1,000+ canned items that she’s procured with her scholarship funds.

Until Kahl’s creation was disassembled, throngs of students passed by it and learned about food security on campus in the process. Moreover, they gained a new option to practice the UMD tradition of rubbing Testudo’s nose. “They could rub a couple of cans,” Kahl said with a laugh.

IAA Student CANstructs Testudo



For the IAA, its golden anniversary showcases a

vitality of fresh growth.



Clockwise on opposite: The Green Dorm Plant Giveaway; AGNR photographer Edwin Remsberg and his daughter, Becky who is an IAA Sustainable Ag student, at Homecoming; Digging in at the Kickoff Cookout; Turkey Bowl group photo; AGNR Dean Dr. Craig Beyrouty cuts the 50th anniversary cake during the 2015 holiday party.

This page: Winning Turkey Bowl team with Dr. Mathias; lining up for Thanksgiving dinner; the Kickoff Cookout; students at the Plant Giveaway; Glori Hyman and Dr. Beyrouty.

Last fall, the IAA kicked off a year-long series of events to highlight the Institute and its accomplished students and alumni. Favorites such as Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Management lecturer Ken Ingram’s Green Dorm Plant Giveaway were reprised thanks to

generous grants from Pepsi and CHS, and new events such as the IAA’s first time hosting the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ holiday party got everyone into the festive spirit for the 50th anniversary.

Other events included the Kickoff Cookout, where students, faculty, and staff took part in a chili cookoff with outdoor games and prizes, and the Homecoming Tailgate at the Campus Farm, where one could scarcely tell Maryland Terps apart from Wisconsin Badgers since both sides were awash in a sea of red jerseys.

IAA Director Glori Hyman used a special 50th anniversary coin to lead the coin toss at this year’s Turkey Bowl flag football game, where the Turf Terps rose to victory over the Ag Terps. The game was followed by a Thanksgiving meal complete with an anniversary photo slideshow.

Although you may have missed these opportunities to reconnect with the IAA, fear not! The grandest event of all is the upcoming “Toast the ‘Tute” 50th Anniversary Gala, on May 14, 2016 at the College Park Marriott in Hyattsville. The gala will benefit the IAA Enhancement Fund, which supports scholarships, professional development opportunities (such as conferences and student competitions), curriculum enhancement, hands-on projects, and other action-learning activities. It will be a magical evening of local food, wine tasting, and dancing. Order your gala tickets at go.umd.edu/anniversarygala.

Until the gala, we look forward to seeing you at Maryland Day on April 30, 2016, where we will be handing out student-grown plants and herbs with IAA 50th anniversary recipe cards!

Fifty and Thriving!The Institute of Applied Agriculture is celebrating its 50th year

of delivering hands-on education. If you haven’t already, this is

your chance to reconnect with alumni, faculty, and staff!



MAAGCS Honors Three IAA Students

The annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course

Superintendents (MAAGCS) is always a much-anticipated event that brings members together for updates from the year. This year’s meeting, held on December 8 at Cattail Creek Country Club, was especially exciting for three IAA Golf Course Management students: John Critzos, Jeff Bynaker, and Ian Patrican.

Education Chairman Galen Evans and President Chris Harriman awarded the Stan Zontek Memorial Scholarship to Patrican, and the MAAGCS Outstanding Scholar award to both Bynaker and Critzos.

The IAA’s Golf Course Management instructor, Dr. Kevin Mathias, stated that the three recipients “are all very deserving students who are working within the industry and plan to pursue careers in golf turf management. This was an excellent choice by the MAAGCS.”

Scott Hebert, Mike Salvio, and Evan Richter

Students Awarded ESAGCS Scholarships

At the IAA, there’s no shortage of individuals recognized for success.

The program is known for its diligent teachers who cultivate excellence within their students. Two of the IAA’s most recent stars, Scott Hebert and Evan Richter, were recently awarded the Eastern Shore Association of Golf Course Superintendents’ (ESAGCS) Founders Scholarship. The scholarship is dedicated to the founding members of the association who had the vision to create a group based on the free exchange of knowledge in the field of golf course management, in a relaxed setting that is indicative of life on the Eastern Shore.

“It’s very flattering to be recognized by the ESAGCS for education within the field of turfgrass management. Personally, this is very new to me, as I have struggled with education my whole life. To be recognized in the manner is very cool,” said Richter, a Golf Course Management major who works part time at Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville, Maryland.

Hebert, a golf course management major who interned at the River Course at Queenstown Harbor located on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, also felt especially grateful for the award. “Winning the ESAGCS Founders Scholarship was a great honor. Being presented the $1,000 check by the President, Mike Salvio, in front of the whole chapter was a really rewarding experience, not only because of the work I have put in, but also for being congratulated by local professionals within the industry.”

IAA Director Glori Hyman couldn’t be happier about the recognition the hardworking students received. “Not only did two of our current students win scholarships, but the awards were presented by an IAA Alum, Mike Salvio, who is president of the Eastern Shore association,” added Hyman.

Borkowski Builds Marketable Skills

IAA Sustainable Agriculture student Bob Borkowski dreams of one day launching his own beekeeping venture. For his internship last summer, he sought a hands-on learning opportunity that would pair agricultural knowledge with business savvy. He quickly realized: What better way to see agribusiness principles in action than to intern at the Farmers Market at Maryland?

Borkowski excelled at his internship with the University of Maryland’s resident farmers market, where his responsibilities included interviewing farmers for the market and coming up with ideas for promotions.

The capstone of Borkowski’s summer was the end-of-season festival, which he organized with support from his supervisors, Dining Services sustainability and wellness coordinator Allison Lilly and market manager Larry Tumlin.

As the market drew to its annual close on November 18, Borkowski’s festival ended the season with a bang. The event included free pumpkin painting, IAA plant and seed trivia, and giveaways from the local extension office and Sustainable UMD. All of the usual vendors, as well as the Green Tidings food truck, were present to mark the occasion. After the event Borkowski stated, “This summer was a lot of fun; I think I may have found my niche here! The success of my experience at the Farmers Market at Maryland would not have been possible without the IAA program.”

Borkowski’s experience gave him a valuable foothold in regard to networking with local food producers. He looks forward to getting even more involved in the agricultural community with his bee business after graduation.

MAAGCS Education Chairman Galen Evans with scholarship recipients John Critzos, Jeff Bynaker,

and Ian Patrican.



Daniel O’Rourke, HORT ’69, has been retired for 11 years.

Philip Ober, FARM ’74, passed away in December 2014. His wife, Anne, wrote that he spoke often of his positive experiences at the IAA. They lived in Jarrettsville, MD.

Leland (Lee) Holman, GOLF ’77, lives in Coconut Creek, FL where he works in the technology field as an analyst for the IHL Group.

Phil Dickmyer, HORT ’80, is Lead Horticulturist at High Glen Gardens in Frederick, MD. After selling his retail garden center, Phil worked as the horticulturist at Cunningham Manor, a new private garden in Baltimore County which features over 500 David Austin English roses. In 2015 he transitioned to High Glen, an estate in Frederick that will eventually become a public garden.

Edward Cox, HORT ’83, lives in Kershaw, SC, and works for a manufacturing company.

Becky Long Chaney, AG ’86, announced the release of Book Number Seven, It’s All About That Beef, in the Chaney Twins’ Agricultural Education children’s book series. For details or to place an order, visit rebeccalongchaney.com or call 308-785-8064. For box order discounts email Rebecca Chaney at [email protected]. Formerly of Thurmont, MD, the Chaneys now live on a 3,500-acre ranch in south central Nebraska.

David Alfera, LAND ‘89, works in facilities management for UMBC in Baltimore, MD.

Steve Evans, GOLF ‘01, retired and works part time at the LPGA International Golf Course at Daytona Beach, FL then spends his “afternoons and days off at Flagler Beach, body boarding and learning to surf!” He says, “Retirement is GREAT and life here in Palm Coast is fantastic.”

Rob Rosier, GOLF ‘02, is Branch Manager at SiteOne Landscape Supply in Frederick, MD.

Matt Cooper, GOLF ‘05, is Irrigation Division Manager for Outdoor Illumination, Inc. in Bethesda, MD.

Kirk Warburton, GOLF ‘08, has been superintendent at Worthington Manor Golf Club in Urbana, MD since 2014.

Congratulations to Justin Bishop, GOLF ‘10, on the birth of his daughter Violet Adeline Michelena Bishop on September 14, 2015. She weighed in at 7 lbs. and 19 ½ inches long.

Chris Mawn, LAND ‘10, is now Operations Manager for The Brickman Group.

Congratulations to David Thomas, TURF ‘10, on earning his degree from Towson University in Environmental Science with a minor in Economics.

Drew Wolcott, TURF ‘11, is Assistant Director of Grounds at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL.

Michael Walsh, LAND ‘12, finished Army basic training and is stationed in Hawaii.

Alumni News & Notes

Matt Cooper Wins Gala Tickets

Visit iaa.umd.edu forAlumni Spotlight videos!

Take a survey and gain a chance to win a prize. Does anyone ever win those things? Yes! Institute of Applied Agriculture alumnus

Matt Cooper ‘05 completed the alumni survey in the fall and won the drawing for two tickets to the IAA 50th Anniversary Gala.

Cooper may have finished his education, but he hasn’t traveled too far from the halls of Jull. He runs an irrigation division for Outdoor Illumination Inc., a Bethesda-based landscape company that focuses on high-end residential design.

Cooper feels the friends he made and the bonds he created while enrolled in the program are what he remembers most fondly. “The best part about the IAA is the small class sizes, but the professors are great there as well. They are not only mentors, but become friends with you too. Many of the people whom I met in the program are some of my closest friends still today. The relationships and networks that you make in the IAA carry on forever, and that is what makes the IAA so special,” he said. Cooper particularly liked his shop class because he learned everything he needed to know about small engine repair, metal forging, and welding. He emphasized that he applies the skills he learned to his job every day.

“The skills I picked up in that class have helped me many times along the way. One of my funny memories of that class is there was a triplex that was in the shop, and one of the students had never

operated one. So we showed him how to operate it, and he drove it and crashed into the shop, knocking a whole table full of small engine parts over. We all thought Roy was going to kill us!” he laughed.

Cooper returned to the IAA this spring to take INAG 224: Herbaceous Annuals and Perennials. He feels that the best advice he could give current students is to keep the relationships they make with others at the IAA.

“You never know who you will meet down the road,” he said. “It’s funny how you know people across the country, and as you meet new people, they know them too! Always make an effort to continue your education. Staying on the cutting edge of things makes you stand out. Participate in your local associations and be a mentor any way you can!”

As we celebrate our 50th year, the IAA will shine a weekly spotlight on one of our distinguished alumni. Visit iaa.umd.edu to read more stories. Save the date for our 50th Anniversary Gala on May 14 at the College Park Marriott.

Lecturer Ken Ingram presented Cooper the gala tickets.



Larisa Cioaca, the IAA’s newest

Lecturer, is fearless! And so is her course INAG 102: Agricultural Entrepreneurship.

In 2013, UMD President Loh

launched the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIE) to engage students in “innovation and entrepreneurship to prepare them to tackle the world’s toughest problems.” The AIE in turn challenged the campus educators to develop fearless courses that use hands-on and discovery-based learning to encourage students to solve tough problems in various discipline. The IAA’s hands-on, entrepreneurial approach hit the mark in agriculture.

Drawing on her MBA studies, Cioaca refocused the IAA course on launching a profitable agricultural business. Topics include idea generation, opportunity recognition, conducting feasibility studies, assembling the entrepreneurial team, and financing the new venture. Cioaca will work with AIE to transform her course into a Fearless Ideas course in Fall 2016.

Fearless Ideas courses have contributed to UMD being ranked as the 2016 U.S. News and World Report 25 Most Innovative Colleges and being featured in a front-page article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (April 20, 2015). The IAA is proud to be fearless in teaching students to become agricultural entrepreneurs. Congratulations to Larisa.

IAA Hosts Speech Tournament

By 5 p.m. on Fridays, Jull Hall is relatively quiet. Classes have finished, meetings have adjourned, and work has been put away in anticipation of the weekend. But on the weekend of October 16, Jull Hall was anything but silent.

How could it be, when the IAA’s Speech and Debate Society was hosting a half-dozen schools ready to compete in a rhetorical battle on UMD’s grounds? Indeed, colleges and universities from up and down the East coast stepped onto IAA turf to take part in persuasive speaking, impromptu speaking, Lincoln-Douglas debating, and informative speaking, just to name a few competitive categories.

“It was great to see the IAA abuzz with students and coaches,” said adviser Nina LaTassa. “I was very happy that we could host the tournament. It’s not an easy task to do so.”

To get the job done, LaTassa relied on help from her forensics club as well as members of the IAA’s Oral Communication team. Together, they made certain that there were enough classrooms to host rounds, enough judges to score the rounds, and enough refreshments for all participants to enjoy.

Epstein Leads Young Farmers

Sustainable Agriculture and Agricultural Business Management are the fastest growing areas of concentration at the IAA, and IAA faculty are dedicated to helping new and young farmers. IAA Lecturer and Sustainable Agriculture Advisor Meredith Epstein with several other organizers started a local chapter of the National Young Farmers Coalition last year, and Epstein currently serves as the organization’s lead coordinator. The Coalition advocates for farmers, works to improve young farmers’ access to land, looks for funding for beginning farmers, and organizes social events.

“It’s all part of the IAA’s goal to provide a lively, engaged, networking and learning community for our students,” says IAA Director Glori Hyman. “We’ve seen the benefits of a strong golf/turf network over the years, and we’d like students in all of our concentrations to form networks.”

Around the ‘Tute



Faculty NotesThe IAA is proud to have another M.V.P. (Most Valuable Professor) among its faculty. In February, Ed Priola, Oral Communication Lecturer was recognized by a UMD wrestler as one of the university’s outstanding educators. Maryland’s athletics department believes top-notch instructors are imperative to the success of student athletes and recognizes professors who are nominated by the athletes. Priola joined the IAA faculty in 2012.

Larisa Cioaca presented “Advanced Media Analytics: How to Code Media Coverage and Extract Real Business Insights for the C-Suite” at the Public Relations Society of America Hampton Roads Chapter conference in October 2015.

JoEllen Barnhart presented “Parenting Children with Special Needs: A Transformative Experience” at the Association for Successful Parenting International Conference in Memphis, TN, in October 2015.

Douglas T. Hawes, Ph.D., who taught at the IAA from 1966 to 1978, is retired and reports that his “latest endeavor is a website containing my more recent book reviews. I realize no income from this, only some expenses but it has been fun. Sorry, there are no turf maintenance books reviewed here.” You can visit Hawes’ website at dougsbookreviews.com.

Meredith Epstein joined Guy Kilpatrick and Allison Lilly from Dining Services to present “Back to the Land Grant” at the Future Harvest CASA conference in January. All three work closely with students at the Terp Farm.

The IAA bid farewell to Nina LaTassa, a popular Oral Communication Lecturer who has decided to stay home to be with her two young children. LaTassa joined the IAA in 2012 and quickly launched the IAA’s Speech and Debate Club that competed regionally and nationally.

Community Learning Garden

The campus garden, which includes the IAA Teaching Garden, underwent its final phase of transformation in 2015, including construction of terraces on the hillside, establishment of an orchard, installation of a solar-powered rainwater irrigation system, and opening of a community garden. To better reflect the collective mission of the space, the name was formally changed from the Public Health Garden to the Community Learning Garden. It continues to be a place where students, faculty, and staff come together to learn and practice sustainable gardening and landscaping. A few special moments from 2015 included:

• Leading Terp Quest summer camp on a tour using the five senses

• Hosting the first annual Impromptu in the Garden speech contest

• Providing space for Dr. Moctezuma’s Amazing Green: Plants that Transformed the World class to do some competitive gardening

• Harvesting (and eating) green cushaw winter squash and moon-and-stars watermelons

• Planting 18 fruit trees, including apple, pear, cherry, and fig

Harvest Festival at Terp FarmAgriculture is gaining popularity on the University of Maryland, College Park campus. UMD students are hungry to learn more about their food, and IAA students are eager and equipped to help. Nearly 500 students attended the Terp Farm’s first annual Harvest Festival at the Upper Marlboro Agricultural Research and Education Center.

IAA students Bob Borkowski, Lindsay Barranco, Emmett Brew, Brandon and Samantha Ellis, and Michael Perise led tours and answered questions as students and other guests learned about sustainable agricultural

practices, hands-on education at the Terp Farm, and the use of Terp Farm produce by UMD Dining Services. All six IAA students are concentrating their studies in Sustainable Agriculture and have had opportunities for hands-on learning at the farm.

Perise, a second-year student, interned at Terp Farm during the summer of 2015, and continues to apprentice on the farm throughout his last year at the IAA. He has helped Terp Farm plant and harvest over 11,233 pounds of produce.

IAA student and Terp Farm intern Michael Perise leads a tour during the Harvest Festival.

INAG News - Winter/Spring 2016


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