This morning, my phone rang at 8:30am with a number from York, England. Having took my Master Greenkeeper exam a few weeks prior, I figured I was getting a call regarding those results. Sure enough, it was. I passed the 2 day exam, making me the 72nd MG in the world. It's a proud day for me, given the work that went into this. Since I graduated from Penn State and came to Highlands CC, the membership has supported me in many ways, but specifically the opportunity for continuing education. In order to be considered for the exam, one must accumulate 200 or more CEU's over their career. That is 200 hours of additional classroom time, and a significant investment on behalf of Highlands CC. In March, the course and facility were attested by two other MG's, including the Director of Agronomy from Medinah CC in Chicago and my good friend, Matthew Wharton from Carolina GC in Charlotte. Having the 16 years worth of continuing education and the attesting behind me, I was eligible to take the 2 day exam. In total, 14 pages of writing was submitted to a panel for judging. This exam, offered 2x a year, usually requires candidates to take it more than once. It is a difficult exam, all case studies and a technical paper that requires candidates to understand issues that impact the industry in not just the US, but all around the world. This even includes pesticides laws enacted by British parliament. As you can imagine, that's not something I read about often! Regardless, it's an honor to me, but it was more about the journey than the destination. To the membership of Highlands CC: Thank you for your support, your trust in me with your greatest asset at HCC and the freedom you give me to better myself.
