A beautifully sunny weekend in May was both setting and scenery for the UMass Amherst graduation ceremonies. The Stockbridge School of Agriculture bestowed bachelor degrees upon 59 newly minted Stockbridge scholars, as well as 23 associate degrees awarded by Chancellor Subbaswamy in a special ceremony steeped in the history of our School.
The Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Food & Farming, our largest major, as well as the nation's largest fully online bachelor degree in sustainable agriculture, was earned by 33 graduates.
10 students from Horticultural Science, 9 from Turfgrass Science & Management, and 7 from Plant and Soil Sciences, now enter the job market with newly earned bachelor degrees, and excellent prospects for employment.
"I COMPLETED 4 SUMMER INTERNSHIPS," REMARKED LIAM HARRINGTON (TURFGRASS '22), "TWO IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2020 US OPEN AT WINGED FOOT GOLF COURSE, AN INTERNSHIP AT MARSHFIELD COUNTRY CLUB, AND I WORKED AT THE JAMES TROLL TURFGRASS RESEARCH FARM."
Internships, or "earn-and-learn" experiences, qualify students to work in their field well before their graduation date -- part of why Stockbridge graduates are highly sought by employers.
WITH THIS FIELD EXPERIENCE ON HIS RESUME, LIAM IS PROUD TO BE RETURNING TO MARSHFIELD COUNTRY CLUB FOR A FULL-TIME JOB AS FIRST ASSISTANT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
A special graduation ceremony also awarded associate degrees to 23 additional students who completed a two-year course of study designed to get them quickly skilled in an employable trade. More than half of these graduates completed our degree program in either Arboriculture and Community Forest Management, or Landscape Contracting, majors that provide a nearly 100% employment rate.
Diplomas and medallions were also awarded to several students who completed an associate degree in Turfgrass Management, Sustainable Horticulture, or Sustainable Food & Farming.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow students, Brian Pervere (Sustainable Horticulture '22) declared "Plants are good, and growing them is necessary for life as we know it to continue."
"As a Stockie graduate, you now join the ranks of our highly successful alumni, found all around the world," said Stockbridge Director and Professor Baoshan Xing.
"AND THE WORLD NEEDS YOU," XING CONTINUED. "THE CHALLENGES POSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE WILL REQUIRE EVERYONE’S EFFORTS, BUT YOU ARE IN A SPECIAL POSITION TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, AND SKILLS TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE PLANET, AND ALL OF ITS PEOPLE."
"Your Stockbridge degree... sets you apart as an expert. With time and experience, your own work... will establish your roles, as stewards of the land around you," said Xing.
Stockbridge was founded in the 1860's as a two-year program, and is the only part of UMass to still offer both two-year and four-year degrees.