[WATCH] Taking root: The green industry’s guide to successful internships

Video cover photo courtesy of Seed Your Future

In this replay of a February 2026 live event, the GIE Media Horticulture Group — Garden Center, Greenhouse Management, Nursery Management and Produce Grower magazines — and Seed Your Future explore how to strengthen internship programs across the horticulture industry.

Our speakers discuss:

• Key findings from SYF’s recent Internship Survey, offering valuable insights into student expectations, program structure and barriers to participation.
• SYF’s newly developed Internship Guides: practical, actionable resources designed to help companies build, refine or expand internship programs that attract and support emerging talent.

The session also includes a panel of horticulture employers who share firsthand experiences, lessons learned and best practices from building successful internship programs within their organizations. The panel includes:

• Jazmin Albarran, executive director, Seed Your Future
• John Dole, professor, North Carolina State University Department of Horticultural Science
• Emily Eldridge, horticultural science master's student, North Carolina State University
• Emily Showalter, chief of human resources, Willoway Nurseries
• David Wendle, human resources director, Bachman's Garden Center
• Regina Vann Hickok, academic program manager, The Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
• Tim Smith, recruiting manager, Metrolina Greenhouses
• Gina Chareunphong, training & development specialist, Metrolina Greenhouses
• Adam Haigler, horticulture manager, Metrolina Greenhouses
• Moderator: Katie McDaniel, associate editor, Garden Center and Nursery Management magazines

Whether you are launching an internship for the first time or looking to enhance an existing program, this session provides tools, peer insights and inspiration to help strengthen your talent pipeline.