About VMGA Education
The current focus of the VMGA Education Committee is to provide advanced continuing education for Master Gardeners to improve their ability to plan and conduct local programs for the gardening public and their units. We do this in three ways.
- The VMGA Education Committee conducts its own VMGA Education Events when that is the best way to fulfill an area’s continuing education needs. To encourage participation, we discount registration fees for VMGA members at our advanced continuing education events.
- Through the VMGA Speakers Bureau, we offer a list of Extension Master Gardeners, other community volunteers and professional speakers for units to involve in their continuing education programs.
- VMGA Education Sponsorships helps fund units’ advanced continuing education programs for Extension Master Gardeners in their area.
To ensure VMGA continuing education efforts are meeting current needs, during 2020 we have designed an EMG Educational Needs Survey, and are working with the Extension Master Gardener State Office to release the survey during the Summer of 2020. . The summarized responses are available for interested Extension Master Gardeners to review.
If you have suggestions for education topics, speakers, locations or a desire to join the committee, please email the Chair of the Education Committee at Education@VMGA.net.
As an Association, VMGA contributes to Master Gardener education in many more ways.
- We are a perennial sponsor of MG College
- VMGA offers scholarships to MG College
- Our Calendar lists education events around the state – write us to have your event listed!
- Interest from MGA ’s State Coordinator Endowment is helping fund online training modules.
- VMGA has contributed funds to the printing of paper copies of the MG Coordinator’s manual for use in local unit offices
You can join us in these efforts by donating to the State Coordinator Endowment or the Master Gardener College scholarship fund!