Student Spotlight: Jake Norwood

Jake Norwood will graduate in May with his degree in Agricultural Business Management. Successfully completing internships will launch him into the career of his dreams.

Why did you choose the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

While going to community college, I began working on the grounds crew of a local country club. My interests towards agriculture immediately grew to include turf and landscape and I desired to pursue something I truly enjoyed. A few weeks prior to the semester starting in the fall of 2016, I traveled to NC State for my very first time to tour the university and I instantly loved the university, cultural diversity, urban environment and the academic outline of the Agricultural Business Management program.

What are you working on right now?

In May of 2019 I plan to graduate with my Bachelors in Agricultural Business Management. While this past fall I had an intense semester of 21 credit hours, my final spring semester should be more enjoyable, and less stressful with a schedule of 15 credit hours.

Tell me about your internship experiences.

Throughout my golf-course related experiences, I learned about irrigation, diverse types of turf, pest management, time management, scheduling, herbicides, and insecticides. I was offered the position of second assistant superintendent while working approximately three years at the country club while going to NC State, as well as Stanly Community College. In the summer of 2018 I was offered an internship at Terra Green Precision Landscapes to incorporate my knowledge and past experiences with my business education from NC State. The communication, sales and business skills I developed at NC State were very helpful throughout my internship experience.

How has what you have learned in the classroom helped you at your internships?

Throughout my internship, I developed an understanding of the human resource laws which has been useful with time management and payment timings. Understanding the legalities of overtime pay, holiday pay, and PTO helps company’s make good decisions regarding time and salaries.

How has what you have learned at your internships that have helped you in the classroom?

Understanding that communication is important in trust-building with clients.

What have you learned that you will take with you when you graduate?

Communication skills will always be very important and useful in any career. Understanding how others comprehend information will allow a leader or manager guide others in a more efficient way. At the end of the day, a proper communication strategy is key to an efficient work place.

What do you like the most about NC State?

The detailed academic degree outlines for future career opportunities, diverse cultural backgrounds and the campus. Also, the helpful academic advisers have allowed me to excel throughout the program and complete it on time.