Last week (26-30 January) I traveled with six Doctor of Plant Health (DPH) students to the Annual Meeting for the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC) in Orlando, FL. Our program is keenly focused on training leaders that enter the workforce and so we require all students to have a minimum of six months of “plant health residency” based on our students’ personal learning objectives. Our students used their time wisely at the NAICC Annual Meeting to grow their networks, inquire about internship opportunities, and to build relationships with potential future employers. The exhibit hall was full of employment opportunities for our students and a chance to chat with company owners that have hosted past DPH alumni! Additionally, our booth space was next to our ’sister program’ at the University of Florida — the Doctor of Plant Medicine program. It was great to meet up with their Director, Dr. Amanda Hodges, and for all of our students to meet.
Additionally, I worked to set up a special backstage tour or a “Behind the Seeds Tour” at Disney’s EPCOT and their Integrated Pest Management program! Thanks to Dr. Iris Stryzyzewski, Research Manager, Agricultural Sciences at EPCOT for her time and hospitality! You may not realize that EPCOT has a very active IPM research laboratory (including a USDA-ARS facility), nursery greenhouses, and various exhibit trials to solve some of the unique challenges that come with growing many diverse species of plants from crop plants to ornamentals on EPCOT grounds. These very unique controlled environments provided our students with insights into some of the unique challenges that come with this environment from insect pests to diseases to lighting management.
Their attendance of this premier crop-consultant and contract researcher meeting would not be possible without the generous support of NAICC (they covered the cost of our expo booth and student registration) and the Earle Raun fund. Dr. Earle Raun was one of the founders of NAICC in 1978 (he also started the Nebraska Independent Crop Consultant Association, NICCA) and was very passionate about trained professionals engaged in crop consulting. Training professionals in all matters in plant health was so important to him that he created the Earle Raun Fund to support student scholars and their professional development. The evidence of the success of our program is clearly shown by our 100% placement rate. You can be a part of supporting the next cohort of leaders in plant health and resilient agricultural and natural lands by giving to the Earle Raun Fund today!
