The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst has launched a dynamic new video campaign aimed at boosting interest and enrollment in its associate degree programs and addressing a critical workforce shortage in the green industries. Backed by a generous donation from alumnus Bob Marzilli (’75), president & founder of R. P. Marzilli & Company, the campaign showcases the transformative power of a Stockbridge education and its real-world impact through the voices of students, alumni, and faculty.
A New Era of Outreach
The campaign comes at a pivotal time. As enrollment rises at associate degree programs across Massachusetts, so too does the demand for trained professionals in landscaping, arboriculture, turfgrass management, and sustainable agriculture.
The green industries are in urgent need of skilled, educated workers, and Stockbridge is uniquely positioned to meet that need.
The first wave of professionally produced videos, created in collaboration with Ethos Brand Studio and Windwood Productions, captures the hands-on, career-focused experience of Stockbridge students, along with the inspiring success stories of graduates now leading in their fields.
“Through compelling video content, published on Stockbridge’s social accounts and those of industry leading companies, we aim to attract high school students and recent graduates to consider rewarding career pathways in landscape and agriculture, and how the Stockbridge School of Agriculture can help get them there,” said Victoria Nyadjroh, Creative Director of Ethos Brand Studio.
These videos are currently featured across Stockbridge’s social media platforms and shared widely by the school's loyal alumni community.
“The Stockie community on social media has really helped out with sharing our video posts far and wide,”
said Stockbridge Director of Student Recruitment Nessim Watson. “Our alumni know both industry professionals and the young people seeking to join them, and they have been sharing our videos to online groups of industry professionals and hobbyists alike.”
The Story of Bob Marzilli
Few understand the value of a Stockbridge education more than Bob Marzilli (’75). After earning his 2-year associate degree in Landscape Construction, and then his 4-year bachelor’s degree in Landscape Design, Marzilli went on to start his own landscape company, R.P. Marzilli & Company, in 1985.
R.P Marzilli has grown to become one of the nation’s top landscape construction firms. The company’s reliance on team-building as a pathway to success reflects the experience of earning a hands-on degree at Stockbridge.
Our landscaping students build skills in interpersonal reliance, cooperation, and business communication, preparing them for real-world success.
It was Marzilli’s dream to develop a respected team within the landscape industry—a dream that has resulted in a top-tier company, thousands of satisfied clients, and a dedicated team spanning construction, maintenance, and ecological land care.
Paying it Forward By Supporting Students
Today, Marzilli holds a seat on the Stockbridge Alumni Advisory Board and is a fierce advocate for the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.
“If I could, I’d hire every landscape student at Stockbridge,” muses Marzilli.
Indeed, he is one of several Stockbridge alumni who regularly offer extended paid internships (from April through August) to our students. Employers wishing to offer internships to Stockbridge students can do so by getting a free Handshake account at our page for employers.
R.P. Marzilli also supports industry education by awarding a scholarship each year through the National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation. In 2024, the scholarship was awarded to Stockbridge student Dante Filadoro, who is also prominently featured in some of our new videos.
What’s Next for the Campaign
Our video campaign is just getting started. To keep the momentum going, our Alumni Advisory Board has been asked to raise additional funds for further video productions. But we aren’t relying on just the Board. In addition to sharing the videos on their own platforms, Stockbridge invites YOU, and all our alumni, to consider donating to the next round of the Stockbridge video campaign. One opportunity to do this will be through UMassGives, the 2-day university-wide fund-raising event taking place this April 29-30. We’ll have a link to the Stockbridge Giving Page circulating on our social media, and on our website.
“Bob has also challenged the university as a whole to fund a continuity plan for the production of additional videos,” says Stockbridge Director Baoshan Xing.
Recognizing the power of storytelling, Marzilli has encouraged the university to invest in continued video production. In response, Stockbridge has hired a student videographer, supported by a grant acquired by Associate Director Jaime Piñero and Extension educator Elizabeth Garofalo, a proud Stockbridge alumna herself. The grant supports experiential education in agricultural outreach, giving the student hands-on media experience while adding valuable new content to our recruitment materials.
“Stockbridge has always provided a path to meaningful, hands-on careers,” said Nyadjroh.
“This campaign is about helping more people see what’s possible - and showing them that Stockbridge is where it starts.”
The initial campaign strongly champions the Landscape Contracting, Arboriculture, and Turfgrass Management programs, while also promoting our use of labs and greenhouses to conduct plant pathology and hydroponic production in the service of our bachelor’s degrees in Sustainable Food & Farming, and Applied Plant & Soil Sciences.
Our videos are gaining thousands of social media views online, and the campaign is continuing to produce new content. This spring, Ethos will conduct additional filming, with the intention of getting “additional women’s voices in interviews, and a broader cross-section of Stockbridge majors,” says Marzilli.
“We love it when alumni go to our Facebook or Instagram pages, and share the videos we post there,” says Watson.
“It helps us reach the right people who could benefit most from a transformative education at Stockbridge.”
How You Can Help:
- Watch and share the videos on Stockbridge’s Facebook and Instagram
- Share videos to relevant industry groups on social media
- Encourage prospective students in your community to explore the Stockbridge website
- Employers can get a free Handshake account and connect with our students seeking internships and jobs
- Support the video campaign with a donation at the Stockbridge website during UMassGives on April 29-30
Together we can cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders right here at UMass.