Alumni Spotlight: Max McKeown

What did you study at LSU, and what year did you graduate?

Master of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences; Horticulture Concentration; Evaluating form and function of groundcovers and their environmental impacts in Louisiana Landscape; May 2023

 

Tell us about your current role and what you enjoy most about it.

My current role is Horticulture Manager at the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, AL. What I enjoy the most about my position is the intersection of creativity and science I get to employ daily to make the garden more beautiful.

 

What was your career path like after graduating? Any unexpected turns?

After I graduated, I received a position as Horticulture Supervisor at Moore Farms Botanical Garden, where I was for a year. My current position opened, and I was looking for a greater leadership role in the horticulture industry, so I thought it was a perfect fit.

 

How did your experience at LSU prepare you for the workforce?

My experience at LSU prepared me in many ways. I was stationed at the Hammond Research Station, where I gained real-world on-the-job training. In addition, I established a strong foundation in horticulture science through my thesis research and fieldwork. This helped me make informed management decisions for every garden I have worked at. I also learned important professional communication skills while communicating with department heads and industry professionals, which proved invaluable.

 

What industry trends or challenges are you currently seeing in your field?

One of the greatest challenges in public horticulture is that we cannot hire talent for the positions we post. We have difficulty finding professionals with formal horticulture education. Degrees like biology and environmental science do not transfer well to the skill sets of public garden work. This results in tasks being done incorrectly or in extra training on the management side, decreasing productivity and increasing the risk of burnout.

 

What advice do you have for students or recent grads entering the job market?

I would say the best piece of advice is not to be afraid to move for a better opportunity. Great horticulture positions are often not in your backyard, and you need to take the leap for positions that will propel your career upward. I would also say push the envelope in whatever position you are in. Constantly ask yourself how I can make this position more effective or improve this system to be more productive. You can ask yourself, do we need to continue doing it the same way, or is there a better way? This demonstrates that you want better and will increase your chance of progressing in your position.

 

How do you stay connected to the LSU Ag community and support others in the field?

I stay connected through email and texts. I still ask my old mentors and colleagues questions about horticulture processes. I also answer questions for others in the field, whether they are from LSU or other gardens. One of the greatest strengths you can have is keeping up with those connections, especially with people who have been in the field longer than you. There will be problems that you run into that someone else has done 100 times, so they can walk you through it. No need to reinvent the wheel.