NEW IRRIGATION COURSE BEING DEVELOPED AT ISU AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Nick Christians
May 1, 2013

At Iowa State, we have had a course called Horticulture 454, "Turf & Landscape Irrigation" for a number of years.  The course will be taught by Tim VanLoo of the Athletic Department in the fall of 2013. 

There is some work going on to expand this course and to teach it in conjunction with the community colleges. In addition to Tim VanLoo from Iowa State University, Randall Vos and James Legg-Instructors of  Des Moines Area Community College, Neric Smith-Instructor, Indian Hills Community College, Troy McQuillen-Instructor, Kirkwood Community College and Lynda Wightman, Industry Relations Manager, Hunter Industries Incorporated are involved in the planning process.   Hopefully this will become a web based course with laboratory courses on irrigation offered on-site at each community college location as well as at ISU.  This is a pilot project aimed at community colleges partnering with four-year schools to offer common courses.  The irrigation foundation (www.irrigationfoundation.org) has developed a wonderful set of curriculum resources, irrigation career information, and faculty training to assist colleges with the dissemination of irrigation information. Lynda Wightman,  was instrumental in assisting the group with the foundation material that would support the curriculum idea to partner in offering this class.  We will keep you informed of the progress on this course.  It would be available to those working full time in the industry when it is fully developed.

The picture below includes Barb Osborn of Iowa State, foreground left, Lynda Wightman, back left, Tryo McQuillen, back right, Neric Smith, center right, and Tim VanLoo, foreground right.  This initial planning session took place on April, 29, 2013 at Iowa State.