Week Four with Extension by Daniel Gustitis

Pictured here is an IBC container reconfigured for use as an aquaponics system. I have looked into these systems and was pleased to be able to see one in person. As you can see, the plants are doing very well!

This week was our campus tour. I was excited for the lectures, and, never being on campus, was excited to get to see the UMD campus in general. 

Our first day was focused on leadership, with discussions hosted by Antonio Silas and Myles Alexander. I was going to call these lectures, but both Antonio and Myles engaged us all with thought exercises and games to keep the discussion lively, and both discussions were just that. 

The leadership discussion hosted by Antonio was certainly insightful. I did have an understanding that there were different ways to lead, but he broke these down very well, giving us all a better sense of the characteristics of these different forms of leadership. Most importantly we spoke about how important it is to not just be one type of leader. One of the most important aspects of a leader is being able to recognize when your form of leadership is not the best for the people you are trying to lead. The idea of a “one trick pony” comes to mind, as we want to be well rounded leaders, adaptable to any circumstances that may arise. 

The discussion and exercise led by Myles were a little more focused around group communication. I think most of us had a really good time with these exercises, and learned a little about our strengths and weaknesses as communicators. I learned, as I am sure a few others did, that we can often get caught up in our opinions or ideas and be outspoken to the point of missing out on the opinions and ideas of others. That is something that I will keep with me, as I think hearing as many perspectives as possible in a given situation is very important in making the best decision for a team or group. 

The rest of the evening was spent bonding with each other. We went to Target to get some snacks and games, we helped Alison change her windshield wipers, and spent the rest of the night playing games and learning about each other.The next day was more about learning about the campus, what is going on agriculturally, and what part Extension plays in that. We did a lot of learning, but I think the most interesting to me were the aquaponics lab and the greenhouses. The aquaponics lab with Dr. Izursa was really cool to see. I have been doing a lot of research on aquaponics, and to be able to see all of the research he had going there really brought it all together for me. 

The greenhouses were also a marvel to me. Everything was automated, watering, temperature, humidity, even the amount of sunlight coming in could be manipulated through automated curtains. It is amazing what we are capable of with the right resources, and it seems that the research going on will go a long way in helping us evolve agriculture, especially in places like Baltimore City, where the environment is less conducive to traditional agriculture. 

This tour really helped me gain an understanding as to the relationship UMD has to Extension, and how Extension takes that relationship and insight and applies it to helping the community. It really helped me see how all the pieces come together. This tour gave me tools to be a better leader, and the knowledge to better serve Extension and the community I am working in. This week made me very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this internship.

After a long day of discussing leadership, communication, and teamwork, we put the skills we learned to the test, replacing Alison’s windshield wipers. “How many interns does it take to replace windshield wipers? About Seven.”