Institute of Applied Agriculture

05/23/2026

We are still beaming from yesterday’s graduation festivities. 51 IAA students earned their Certificate in Applied Agriculture this year, and we couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them. Being a close-knit program, we host a special brunch celebration before the convocation ceremony, where each graduate is honored individually by their academic advisor. Then they walk the stage and turn their tassels with all the other AGNR graduates! Congratulations to all, and best wishes in your future endeavors. 🎉

05/20/2026

Congratulations to Sergio Agustin-Joya for winning the 2026 Outstanding Certificate Student Award from the AGNR Alumni Association! Sergio will graduate from the IAA tomorrow with a Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture, and in the fall he will begin his bachelors degree in Architecture here at UMD. He is already an accomplished professional, completing an internship with MNC-PPC and continuing to work as a crew leader in Prince George’s County’s Landscape Division. We are so proud of you, Sergio!

05/10/2026

“Look what I made for you at school, Mom!” Students in our Herbaceous Plants course made hanging baskets to take home for Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all the IAA moms out there!

05/07/2026

This week, students finally got to taste the mead they started brewing back in February! Shout outs to the IAA’s Lindsay Barranco for organizing and Tom Flores and Ken Carter for teaching these hands-on opportunities. From learning about honey production to mixing up five different recipes to de-gassing and bottling, the students got to try every step.

05/04/2026

More big Do Good news: the IAA is a proud partner in one of the six inaugural Do Good Signature Initiatives of the University of Maryland! Lindsay Barranco and Meredith Epstein are part of a new cross-campus effort led by the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Food for All brings together existing programs to deepen student engagement in addressing food insecurity.

The initiative will connect students to hands-on opportunities—from internships and volunteer work to classroom experiences—focused on alleviating hunger on campus, across Prince George’s County and throughout Maryland. Students will contribute to efforts such as nutritious food production, emergency food distribution, cooking and nutrition education, and research.

Building on existing work—including a National Science Foundation-funded food-waste reduction program and student internships at the UMD Community Learning Garden, Campus Pantry and Terp Farm—Food for All aims to ensure students not only understand the root causes of food insecurity, but actively contribute to solutions.

Food for All also includes partners in the College of Arts and Humanities, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, College of Information, School of Public Health, and Division of Student Affairs.

Six Programs Highlight the University’s Commitment to Student Leadership, Social Impact and Real-World Change

04/25/2026

Another great Maryland Day in the books! We sent hundreds of plants (grown by IAA students) off to their new homes and saw friends new and old at our coloring table.

04/23/2026

🌏 Every day is Earth Day at the IAA! Our students are environmental stewards from the soil microbiome to the outer atmosphere. Whether they are rehabilitating wildlife, restoring the Chesapeake Bay, nurturing gardens, enhancing agricultural sustainability, greening sports fields, or more, IAA students are making the world a better place.

04/16/2026

We are THRILLED to announce that IAA Lecturer and Advisor Tom Mazzone is the recipient of a 2026 Do Good Campus Fund grant in the amount of $18,000 to support hands-on learning. Next semester, Tom's Landscape Construction course will gain skills and experience by renovating the playground at Center for Young Children, UMD. Students will solve a massive erosion problem and save existing trees by terracing the hillside, building retaining walls, and creating more useful outdoor learning and play space for the kids.

Read more:

Projects by Faculty, Staff and Students at UMD and in Community to Create Positive Social Change

04/13/2026

Springtime cuteness alert! IAA alum Adara earned her Certificate in Environmental Stewardship last May, and she is now working on her degree in Public Health Practice UMD School of Public Health. She has been interning with UMD Community Learning Garden for two years, which had her helping the preschoolers at Center for Young Children plant their spring vegetable garden this morning! Adara enjoys helping kids develop lifelong healthy habits. 👩🏾‍🌾

04/09/2026

IAA students showed UP at the annual AGNR Discovery and Innovation Night! This real-world professional development opportunity allowed them to showcase the student experiences of internships, applied projects, study abroad, student clubs, coursework, research, conferences, and more. IAA students really do it all!

03/30/2026

The IAA hosted some very tiny Terps in the Ag Mechanics Lab today! A preschool class from came by to learn about engines. Their class is studying cars and trucks this semester, and the kids wanted to learn some mechanics. Who better to show them than our own Tom Mazzone! Hopefully some of them will be back in 15 years as IAA students.