PROFILE
SFM : What trends have you seen with regard to the amount of students interested in the turfgrass industry ?
Sherratt : Like everybody else around the country , our student numbers have dipped significantly . I ‘ m excited about Dr . Karcher ’ s new position , because I know that one of his goals is to promote and market our majors , and make it a focus to increase student numbers and get the word out that we exist .
I ’ ve definitely seen an uptick in interest in the sports turf side . When I first came here 22 years ago , I would say it was 90 percent golf ; now it ’ s probably equal parts golf and sports turf . Our student numbers have significantly reduced , but the sports turf sector is as enticing as the golf .
SFM : Outside of COVID-related challenges , what are the biggest challenges that you face on a regular basis , and how do you approach those ?
Sherratt : A lot of the classes I teach are very big numbers . I think the maximum I ’ ve ever had is 450 in my sports turf management class . It becomes a numbers game , and it ’ s difficult to make personal connections . This fall , in my World of Plants class , which is my basic plant science class , I have 250 . I like to have personal connections , and I want the students to feel personally connected to me , so I always find that a challenge .
I ’ m very excited when I develop something new . Once I ’ ve developed something new and it ’ s working and running along , I want to move along to the next thing . I find the day-to-day stuff really challenging for me . I like to develop something , move on , develop something , move on … I like new and exciting things .
I used to do a lot of extension-type research . Since I ’ ve been teaching more I ’ ve moved away from that a bit , and I felt sad about that . I put a trial out for field day this week – a trial on establishment with coated and treated seeds – and I loved it . I loved putting the trial out , I loved talking about it . I ’ m excited that we ’ ve got a new department chair , Dr . Doug Karcher . He has already reached out to me to meet and try to come up with some goals and plans , and to find out what I want to do … and he ’ s a turf guy . He has some great ideas and a great vision for the program – increasing student numbers , working with the industry , and developing relationships . And I see those as my strengths . People are my strength . Developing new things is my strength . Putting together seminars and events and conferences is my strength . So I ’ m going to sit down with him and come up with some goals for the next few years .
SFM : How has the turfgrass industry changed for women over the years ? What changes still need to take place ? And what needs to happen to get more women interested in careers in this industry ?
Sherratt : I think this year has seen a turning point . What they did at the U . S . Women ’ s Open this year with the female crew , and the press coverage that was gained from that , and having representation … people want to
34 SportsField Management | October 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com