UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jeffrey Fowler, Penn State Extension senior horticulture educator who specializes primarily in turfgrass, received a Sports Turf Managers Association Founders Award at the organization's recent conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
The association's highest honors, the four Founders Awards recognize those members who have made significant contributions to the organization and to the profession. Fowler received the Harry C. Gill Award, which was established in memory of the association's second president. Recipients must exhibit dedication to the improvement of sports turf and outstanding ability and commitment to the sports turf industry, among other professional qualifications.
Based in Venango County, Fowler has been an extension educator for more than 30 years. He is on the board of directors of the Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization and has been a board member of the national Sports Turf Managers Association.
Fowler also is known for his many years of service to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, where he annually organizes a group of 30-40 volunteers to help prepare and maintain the playing fields during the event.
Also at the conference, a team of students from the two-year turfgrass management program in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences won their division in the association's “Student Challenge,” based on proctored exams covering the sports turf industry. A team from the college's turfgrass science program placed second in the four-year program division.
The conference attracted more than 2,300 participants from more than 14 countries to participate in industry education, networking events and exhibitor demonstrations.