Student Speaker

Gregory Garin arrived at his first University of Maryland swing dancing class with trepidation, but the jazzy beats soon inspired him to improvise some moves.

“You make decisions on the fly, communicating with your partners to create something,” said Garin, calling swing dancing one of the most enjoyable experiences of his life. “At first I was self-conscious, but I was reassured by people who smiled and told me that it was OK to make mistakes.”

Meaningful connections, words of encouragement, new experiences: Garin hopes to share and develop all of those as he embarks on a career as an elementary school teacher. Garin, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science and technology, plans to enroll this summer in the Master of Education program at UMD’s College of Education. 

“When I started, I wasn’t sure how my newfound passion and excitement for plants, animals and the environment mapped onto my future,” said the Columbia, Md., native, who transferred to UMD after receiving an associate degree from Howard Community College. Now, “my experiences and classes at UMD have helped me collect my bearings regarding what I ultimately want to do with myself.”

Garin’s classwork took him to a local farm, where he learned about soil erosion, water runoff and the effects of poor farming decisions; and to Frederick County, Md., where he explored bovine grazing systems designed to ward off parasites and improve quality of life. At a Pennsylvania farm, Garin witnessed “no till” agriculture, where soil remains undisturbed, sustaining the life of microorganisms that promote food health. 

He worked closely with Professor Ray Weil, an internationally recognized expert on soil science, nutrient cycling and cover crop systems, who recalled his intensity as he explored deeper agriculture ideas.

“He connected the way the farmer allowed weeds to grow in some areas to the impact of biodiversity on ecological pest control in others,” said Weil. “He seemed to relish every challenge I put forward.”

Though environmental science is Garin’s passion, elementary education is his calling, a discovery he made as an assistant teacher at a Montessori school. While agriculture is not a traditional elementary school subject, Garin looks forward to introducing concepts about farming and sustainability into his classroom.

“Food is an exciting and important part of literally every person’s life,” he said. “I’d love for my future students to develop an awareness of agriculture and the world around them.”