The USGA Green Section was established in 1920 to provide impartial and authoritative agronomic information to golf courses, and to develop scientific information related to golf course turf. Since 1953, a major facet of the Green Section has been its Turf Advisory Service (TAS). Seventeen experienced agronomists annually conduct more than 1,800 on-site visits to golf courses across the United States to take research results and practical information on construction and maintenance directly to subscribing clubs and courses.
This year, the USGA Green Section will provide the opportunity for fourteen to seventeen students to travel with members of the Green Section staff on TAS visits for one week between May and August 2007. The goal of the internship program is to provide students with a broader view of the golf course industry and to provide the opportunity to learn about golf course maintenance through the perspective of the Green Section agronomists. Selected students receive a $250 stipend for the week, and all transportation, hotel, and meal expenses will be paid by the USGA.
Each university may nominate one candidate for the program. The university turfgrass faculty selects which student will serve as its nominee. The USGA regional director and agronomists will interview the candidates from the universities in that region, and one or more students will be selected to participate in the program.
Students being considered for the internship should meet the following minimum criteria:
- A student entering junior or senior years in a four-year baccalaureate program or a graduate student majoring in horticulture, agronomy, or a related field. The student must be returning to school the semester following the internship.
- An interest in golf and turfgrass management, and preferably some experience working on a golf course or playing the game.
- Good leadership potential.
- A strong academic record.
Nomination packets must contain the following materials:
- A letter of recommendation from the sponsoring professor.
- A cover letter from the student explaining how they got interested in turf and why they would like to participate in the program.
- The student's resume or information about the student's background (including the projected graduation date).
Submit the application to the regional director in the Green Section region where the student's school is located.
The date for the week of travel is flexible and will be mutually agreed upon by the Green Section regional director and the student. The selected student will travel to the prearranged meeting site on Sunday and return on Friday of the travel week.
As part of the internship, the student is required to submit a report with a minimum of 700 words summarizing the travel experiences during the week. The report is due three weeks following the conclusion of the travel.
Information on the 2008 Green Section Internship Program will be mailed to university personnel in September 2007 and available on the USGA Web site. Questions about the program should be directed to Kimberly Erusha, Ph.D., Director of Education (908) 234-2300 or kerusha@usga.org.
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