Description
The VT Turfgrass Team is pleased to offer its 4th annual virtual Virginia Tech School of Turfgrass Ecology and Management (VT-STEM) beginning the week of November 5, 2023 and running through May 2024. All students that satisfy the VT-STEM training requirements are then eligible to sit for the Virginia Tech Certified Turfgrass Professional exams in a virtual format through March 31, 2024.
The school features 13 weeks of training in the principles of turfgrass ecology and management through both synchronous and asynchronous learning that works around the student’s schedule. Each week’s training topic(s) will be covered in a weekly download of appropriate VT-STEM book chapters for the subject, and then expanded upon in pre-recorded presentations by the VT Turf Team member(s) for that subject. The opportunity for ‘live’ Q/A on the topic between students and VT instructors takes place by Zoom on Wednesday nights from 7-9 p.m. EST (all Zoom meetings are recorded and posted for later viewing for anyone unavailable at that time). The weekly Zoom meetings also feature an invited industry guest to share their perspectives on their jobs with our students.
A pre-training quiz is offered prior to the weekly instruction to gauge a student’s current knowledge of a subject, and a post-training quiz is available after the weekly Zoom meeting. If you and/or your employees are looking for a comprehensive introductory turfgrass training program that works around busy work and family schedules, here’s a great opportunity to improve your knowledge and skills in turfgrass management, get to know the members of the VT Turfgrass Team, and demonstrate your expertise to your peers and the public by the opportunity to become a Certified Turfgrass Professional. Virginia Tech’s faculty and staff conduct research on all turfgrass systems given their location in the transition zone, and this program is intended to serve all segments of the turfgrass industry.
Outline
The training will be offered online via Canvas and Zoom.
Course Schedule:
November 5, 2023 – June 1, 2024
Live Q/A via Zoom: Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. ET
Learner Outcomes
Students will receive comprehensive instruction in all areas of environmentally responsible management of both cool-season and warm-season turfgrasses. They will have the opportunity to engage with all members of the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Team during their training and establish professional contacts that will be available to them in the future. Students that pass all weekly post-training quizzes and complete all School surveys will have the opportunity to sit for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Certified Turfgrass Professional exams, a testing series that covers Turfgrass and Pest Identification and Management, Best Management Practices to Protect Water Quality, General Turfgrass Management Knowledge, Turfgrass Mathematics, and the attainment of the status of Certified Fertilizer Applicator.
Notes
**We are pleased to offer a discount for enrollment to all military veterans and first responders. We are also offering a discount for all educators/athletic directors. Please contact Mike Goatley at goatley@vt.edu to receive the appropriate discount code.
What's Next?
Virginia Cooperative Extension utilizes Canvas to offer this online program. After registering for this program, you will receive a registration confirmation email with detailed instructions for accessing the Canvas platform. If you don't see a confirmation email, be sure to check your spam or junk folder. You can also access the Canvas instructions here.
Special Offer:
Registration in this course entitles you to take our Certified Fertilizer Applicator Training for free! Simply visit CFA Registration and use the discount code that will be provided to you in your confirmation email when you complete your registration for the VT School of Turfgrass Ecology and Management.
For more information about this program, please contact Mike Goatley at goatley@vt.edu or 540-231-2951.