“I wish I was back working in plants!” exclaimed Alisa DeGeorge, a 2005 IAA graduate and former General Horticulture major. DeGeorge, who has been working at the Social Security Administration for the past nine years, plans to spend her retirement years in the garden.
“The program was wonderful at the IAA! I loved it there!“
DeGeorge expressed that she was particularly happy with her plant pathology classes. For her, helping diseased plants flourish was one of the greatest memories she had.
“We would do outreach to nurseries,” she said. “I loved the idea of extension, of reaching out and helping people.”
Not only did DeGeorge enjoy her time among the plants, but she also enjoyed the time she spent with the bugs!
“I loved entomology classes with Dr. Kevin Mathias, especially his sense of humor and camaraderie with students. I discovered I actually enjoyed collecting and identifying insects and gained a new respect for the role insects play in the landscape. I am now a hobbyist beekeeper.”
DeGeorge has been paying attention to the IAA’s current class and program offerings. When asked if she had any suggestions for current IAA students, DeGeorge stated, “Take as many classes as you can. When I was there, there weren’t as many offered. Now, there are so many to choose from!”
As we celebrate our 50th year, the IAA will shine a weekly spotlight on one of our distinguished alumni. Remember to save the date for our 50th Anniversary Gala on May 14th at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.
