PENN-sieve

Whenever you move or get a new job, there is always some fear that the new place will be worse than the old place. It's part of that the grass is always greener on the other side belief that typically is proven wrong as soon as you get to the other side. Thankfully, this is not the case here at Penn State. Not only do I love my living arrangements, the people, the town and my job but the grass here literally is greener!

I almost called this post "The best grass in the world". LOL!

It's late November and everywhere else in this country, the grass has turned brown. But not here at Penn State - the trees may have lost their leaves but the grass still screams of spring. At firs,t it was kinda freaky. Today I asked my colleague, Bryan, when the grass would turn brown and he said it stays green until it gets covered with snow. How cool.

The PennState turf management program is one of the top programs in the country. They have developed grass seeds that are used on the majority of golf courses in the country and people come from all over to participate in the turf management program.

THIS INFO IS FROM THE PENN STATE WEBSITE: The turfgrass program at Penn State has a proud tradition of serving the turfgrass industry, and boasts an impressive list of “firsts.” Initiated in 1929 through the efforts of committed clientele, it was one of the first turfgrass programs in the nation. It was the first to employ a turfgrass extension specialist (1934), the first to graduate a Ph.D. turfgrass scientist (1950), the first to offer a two-year technical program specifically for golf course superintendents (since 1957), and the first to offer an undergraduate major in turfgrass science (since 1992). But being first is not all that counts; it is the quality of the program that really matters. Some evidence:

The Penn State turfgrass program is internationally recognized as a leader in research that provides timely solutions to management problems concerning practitioners. This has culminated in strong extramural support and commitment from the industry.

Penn State is a world leader in the development of improved turfgrass varieties and other products, including PennMulch, Pennfine ryegrass, and several bentgrasses that are considered to be industry standards: Penncross, Penneagle, Pennlinks, and the new “A ” and “G ” series bentgrasses.

Turfgrass program faculty have received numerous regional and national awards for excellence and innovations in turfgrass science.

To date, more than 1,300 people have graduated from Penn State ’s turfgrass program. They have gone on to occupy the most prestigious jobs in the turfgrass industry.

M.S. and Ph.D. students from the Penn State graduate education program are sought after by industry and university employers nationwide.