Horticulture

EMILY EVANS | Horticulture '25

What do you enjoy most about the Horticulture program?

What I love most is the sense of community. Because the program is on the smaller side, you get to form really cool relationships with your peers and professors. This kind of environment and culture allows us to come together and "root" for one another but also allows us to grow exponentially as individual students. Whether you need a job reference, help on an assignment, or to get in touch with an industry professional, this department really has student's backs. 

What are your career ambitions?

I intend to pursue a master's degree in soil science post-baccalaureate, which I would love to then get into soil conservation and remediation. I have also always had a love for education, so I could very well see myself in academia in some respect, whether that looks like being a college professor, or a conservation educator.

What advice would you give prospective students?

If you value hands-on, applicable skills in addition to your degree, this is the program for you. From hands-on coursework to field trips, networking, garden tours, getting your hands dirty, and everything in between. This program does such a wonderful job at connecting students with real-world horticultural professionals, as well as allowing students to see what this industry is like-first hand-, giving all students both tools and professional relationships that will be invaluable post-graduation. 

MAGGIE ADAMS | Horticulture '24

What do you enjoy most about the Horticulture program?

I thoroughly enjoy the community collaboration that is incorporated into the lessons of courses that are offered to students. The field work, and exposure to horticulture and agriculture related business in the local community have had a significant impact on my vision for myself as a horticulturalist. I appreciate the passion that is portrayed by our program through offerings of learning opportunities both in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom. The program is both interactive and collaborative and that is a characteristic that I enjoy the most.  

What are your career ambitions?

To establish the practice of horticulture into the field of psychology and introduce it as a form of improving health and well-being for various populations in our community. My vision is to either create, improve, or manage horticultural therapy programs that strive to help individuals improve their quality of life. Following graduation, I plan to successfully complete an internship that will lead me to the establishment of my license in Horticultural Therapy (HTR). Furthermore, my ambition is to assist in creating positions within the community that will allow Horticultural Therapy to be formally used as a therapeutic modality in various community establishments.  

What advice would you give to prospective students?

It is never too late to achieve your dream of being the person that you desire to be.  Advocating for yourself and what you believe in is uncomfortable, but the impact of your contributions is worth every ounce of discomfort that can lead to a brighter future for our environment as a whole.  

Employment opportunities in the horticulture sector include arboriculture, parks and estate management, urban landscape management, zoological and botanical gardens, garden design, construction, and management.