Turfgrass Career Day Toolkit

Resources

NC State logo on turfgrass

Thank you for helping us spread the word about career paths in the green industry

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Career Day Presentations

1.) General Turfgrass

Download and customize this Career Day presentation for events you attend. Use any or all of the slides, and feel free to add your own!

  • Download: Click the image below to open Google Slides. File –> download. (Videos require internet access.)
  • Present directly from Google Slides. (Internet access is required to run the presentation.)

2.) NC State’s 2-Year Agricultural Institute

NC State offers 2-year, 4-year, and graduate programs in turfgrass. Many students are surprised to learn about the 2-year associate’s degree option.

If you’d like to share details on our 2-year Agricultural Institute options, use this presentation.

Career Reading

Is Turfgrass For You?

Do you enjoy working outdoors, creating beautiful surroundings, analyzing environmental plant relationships, or growing high-value crops? A yes to any of these means a career in turfgrass management might be for you.

Read “9 Reasons To Choose A College Major in Turfgrass” to learn about the career advantages and options.

Industry Career Videos

"Meet a Landscape Professional"

by the National Association of Landscape Professionals

"Get Growing"

by the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

"This Is Rush Hour"

by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

NC Turfgrass College Programs

 

We may be partial to the Wolfpack, but there are many NC college turfgrass programs to consider.

Alamance Community College: Burlington, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

Brunswick Community College: Bolivia, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute: Hudson, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

Catawba Valley Community College: Hickory, NC

  • 2-year program

Central Piedmont Community College: Roxboro, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

Guilford Technical Community College: Jamestown, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

McDowell Technical Comunity College: Marion, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

NC State: Raleigh, NC

  • 2-year, 4-year, master’s and Ph.D. programs

Pitt Community College: Winterville, NC

  • 2-year and certificate programs

Sandhills Community College: Pinehurst, NC

  • 2-year program

Wayne Community College: Goldsboro, NC

  • 2-year program

 

NC State Videos

Who is the HortPack?

Meet NC State's landscaping student competition team

Turfgrass Field Day

Preview our annual industry research and extension event at Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory

Meet our Department

Get to know the home of turfgrass at NC State

NC State Alumni Profiles

Golf Course Superintendent holding Pinehurst No. 2 flag

Mastering the Business of Golf Course Agronomics

Golf courses are heralded for both their manicured landscapes and challenging playability. Perfecting that combination makes for a premium player experience. A course’s beauty and skill challenges are the credit of a team of highly-trained management professionals led by a golf course superintendent.

If you’re considering a career in turfgrass management, here is one of the top in the business from whom to learn.

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Man surveying baseball field

Still In the Game

“If you’ve never killed natural grass, you’ve never tried to grow it,” said Jimmy Simpson, NC State alumnus and Facilities Coordinator with the Town of Cary, North Carolina. “I’ve killed plenty of grass. That’s how you learn – from your experiences.” Sports turf management is a growing field as municipalities expand outdoor offerings.

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What Does An Environmental Soil Scientist Do?

The field of soil science is the study, analysis, and recommendation of soils for appropriate land use. The field usually diverges into two specialties – agricultural soils and environmental soils. There is a strong need for both soil scientists.

Read More

$1+ Million in Scholarships

NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers over a million dollars in scholarships to students every year. Several are just for turfgrass students!

Learn More

Next Steps for Prospective Students

Three ways students can get more information about NC State’s turfgrass programs.

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Email Tour

A 13-email series that introduces students to the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, our degree programs and NC State resources.
Students can join at: go.ncsu.edu/grown-with-us.

Request Email Tour
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Spend A Day at NC State

Sign up for an in-person, on-campus experience to learn more about NC State's 2 and 4-year agricultural programs.

Learn More
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Schedule A Meeting

Already know that turfgrass is for you? Schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting with our department advisors to get you started on the right path.

Request a Meeting

Become an Alumni Ambassador

Spread the word about Green Careers that start at NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Join the Program

Hear From the Experts

TurfFiles is the home for NC State Extension expertise on all things turfgrass. Subscribe for updates or search the archives for answers to nearly any turfgrass question.

NC State Turfgrass News

Aug 16, 2023

Growing Turfgrass Graduates: Tools to Boost Green Industry Recruiting

Building a turfgrass team can be a major industry challenge. Here’s what we’re doing to grow turfgrass graduates as well as new recruiting tools to help alumni and industry partners join the effort.

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Apr 24, 2023

HortPack Competes at the 2023 National Landscape Competition

For the first time in four years, the HortPack student competition team traveled to participate in the 2023 National Collegiate Landscape Competition.

Read More