NVCC first community college to host horticulture ‘Winter Symposium & Expo’

WATERBURY, Conn. (Jan. 7, 2008) – Connecticut’s two Green Industry associations have come together in one show, and they’ve chosen Naugatuck Valley Community College as their host.

On Jan. 15 and 16, Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Assoc. (CNLA) and Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Assoc. (CGGA) will offer two days of educational programs, a job fair, pesticide credits and all-day Spanish training classes to horticulture students and professionals.  Topics of interest will include consumer gardening trends, green roofs, landscape design, branding power and website development.

The tradeshow will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan 15) and 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan 16) at NVCC’s campus, located at 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury.  To register or learn more information about the event, call 800-562-0610.

NVCC is the only community college in Connecticut that offers a degree in horticulture. The program prepares students for continuing their education at a four-year university or for employment in landscaping, greenhouses, garden centers and as landscape designers.  Over 500 students have received training at NVCC and have gone on to start their own businesses.  The University of Connecticut is the only other college in the state that offers a horticulture degree.  In 2004, the two schools announced an agreement that allows horticulture graduates from NVCC to seamlessly transfer to UCONN to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Enrollment for the Spring 2008 semester is currently underway.  For more information, call (203) 596-8634 or visit www.nvcc.commnet.edu.