When students return to UConn in the fall, they often ask each other, “Where did you intern this summer?” For students in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA), this question is a common one. The department emphasizes experiential learning and encourages students to apply what they learn in the classroom to the outside world. One of the best ways to do this is through internships.
PSLA offers three undergraduate majors: turfgrass and soil science, horticulture and landscape architecture. At least one student from each of these majors interned this summer. They all found value in their experiences.
Working as an intern
One of the interns is Brandon Coe, a senior turfgrass and soil science major from West Cornwall, Connecticut. This summer, he interned at Whistling Straits, a prestigious golf course in Wisconsin that hosted the 2015 Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America Championship. According to Coe, “My favorite part of my internship was the behind-the-scenes preparation for the tournament and witnessing all the hard work that goes into the event.” As a championship intern, Coe worked with superintendents and other crew members on routine mowing, moisture management and detailed preparations for the PGA tournament.
Another student who worked with plant maintenance this summer was Jacob Ricker, a senior horticulture major from Mystic, Connecticut. Ricker interned at the Smithsonian Gardens in Washington, D.C. At the Smithsonian Gardens, Ricker did landscape work, such as pruning, watering and weeding. He was impressed with how knowledgeable and encouraging the staff at the gardens were. They encouraged Ricker and the other three interns from other schools to pursue any avenue of work that interested them and to take advantage of the opportunities.
