Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

MSU Turf Students Gather for Icebreaker Event

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Student Relations Committee (MTF-SRC), Committee Chairman Adam Palmatier, SRC Directors, the MTF Executive Director, along with MTF Board Members and Supplier Volunteers participated at the MSU Turfgrass “Student Icebreaker” event. The event was held on September 17, 2026, from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on the campus of Michigan State University. For those unfamiliar with the MSU Turfgrass “Student Icebreaker”, it is a team-building experience designed to welcome all turfgrass students to the program and encourage interaction with MSU faculty, MSU staff, MTF and industry professionals.

Under the guidance of MSU turf professors and the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center staff, students were organized into teams and participate in fun competitions, that included chipping, putting, and a closest-to-the-pin contest. MTF was proud to support this event by assisting with student engagement, welcoming activities, contest judges, and hospitality. We provided a hot dog barbecue with refreshments, and prizes were awarded to all the contest winners. Also, the MTF-SRC provided 70 welcome bags that we presented to the students in attendance. These welcome bags were filled with very cool promotional items along with gift cards donated by various industry partners. The welcome bags served as both a gesture of appreciation and an opportunity to introduce students to the MTF, while showcasing our industry’s support for their future careers.

The MSU Turfgrass “Student Icebreaker” helped demonstrate the strength and support of our turfgrass community and helped welcome the next generation of turfgrass professionals to what we believe is the finest turfgrass program and research facility in the country, Michigan State University… GO GREEN!

Michigan State Turfgrass Club

Alums make the grass greener

WinterTurf and Nutrient Management, Research Update and Proposal for 2026. 🌱 In the latest issue of News Notes: https://issuu.com/miturfteam/docs/news_notes_-_summer_2026_-_volume_6_issue_1/9

Members in The Field: Mike Rabe, Assistant Manager
at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center
Pg. 34 of the latest News Notes Magazine: https://issuu.com/miturfteam/docs/news_notes_-_summer_2026_-_volume_6_issue_1/34?fr=sMGFjOTkzMTkzNTA
Mike Rabe

Field Day 2026
Morning Research Tours:

Morning research tours highlighted current MSU work across golf, lawn, and athletic field turf. Presentations covered disease identification and management, wear tolerance and traffic impacts, satellite/drone imagery for nutrient and moisture decisions, emerging insect concerns, turf physiology under winter and heat/drought stress, and strategies to reduce organic matter and manage complex root diseases.

Thank you to Michigan State University President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences Department Chair Dr. Sidney Everhart, and MSU Head Men’s Soccer Coach Damon Rensing for their outstanding opening remarks at this year’s MSU/MTF Turfgrass Field Day. They all recognized the global impact and importance of MSU’s Turfgrass Program, students, and alumni around the world. It was a wonderful day of learning and building meaningful connections.

You might look at the 2026 MSU/Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Turfgrass Field Day and think it’s just a gathering of people who study grass. But with an internationally recognized Turfgrass Program like ours at Michigan State University , it’s an opportunity to showcase research that shapes the fields and landscapes where people play, work and gather.

For decades, MSU’s Turfgrass Program has influenced golf courses, sports fields, parks and landscapes across Michigan, the U.S. and around the world.

This year’s event was especially meaningful as we honored MSU’s own Dr. Trey Rogers, whose extraordinary leadership and contributions have showcased the exceptional talent of our faculty and elevated our Turfgrass Program on the international stage.

Thank you to the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation for your continued support and partnership in advancing turfgrass science. It was a wonderful day of sharing knowledge, building partnerships and putting MSU’s land-grant mission into action.