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Stockbridge Alumni Support Student Participation at National Conferences

Thanks to support by professional turfgrass industry organizations and alumni, the Stockbridge School of Agriculture sent 11 students to two national competitions in Arizona and Florida this winter where they networked and competed against other college teams. 

Turf Bowl Team

Last month, seven Stockbridge UMass Turf Club students attended the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) national conference in Phoenix.  A team of four students, Patrick Armstrong, Harrison Culhane, Will Morris and Jacob Zeliger, placed third in the GCSAA Turf Bowl knowledge competition and earned a $1,000 prize that will support Stockbridge turfgrass programs. The other student team competing at the Turf Bowl comprised Matt Gillis, Lucas Melanson and Colby Soltysik.

SMFA with alumni

For the first time in several years, Stockbridge sent four students to Daytona, Florida, to the Student Challenge of the Sports Field Management Association (SFMA) national conference. Students Carson Brean, Jack Collins, Jack Greeley and Ryan Malloy participated and also had the opportunity to network with Stockbridge alumni working in the turfgrass and field management industries.

Both competitions involve testing student teams on grass and pest identification, soil fertility and plant nutrition properties, sustainable water conservation practices, integrated pest management and business administration. Students prepared for the competitions throughout the fall semester under the guidance of Stockbridge instructor Marvin Seaman (MS ’15). 

The Alumni Turf Group, industry sponsor Vermont Greenscapes Association and several individual Stockbridge alumni provided substantial donations to enable the students to attend the conferences. Students also raised money doing fall leaf cleanups for UMass Amherst faculty and staff in the area. 

For more information, visit the Stockbridge School of Agriculture news website.