MSU Extension MSU Extension Master Gardener Program®

Our Mission

Through their volunteer outreach, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) share science-based, environmentally-sound gardening knowledge, engaging citizens and empowering communities in the following areas:​

• Environmentally responsible gardening practices
• Improving food security
• Improving community and quality of life
• Developing youth through gardening

How did this all begin?

On February 12, 1855, Michigan’s Governor Kinsely S. Bingham signed a bill establishing the first agricultural college in the United States.  It was called the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, known today as Michigan State University.   This served as a model for the Morrill Act, signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862 to establish land-grant colleges across the United States. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 started federal funding of cooperative extension services. The goal of Extension is to disseminate information from university research to communities on subjects like agriculture, home economics, public policy/government, leadership, economic development, and coastal issues (National Sea Grant College Program), among others.

Volunteers became a part of Extension through programs like 4-H and the Extension Master Gardener program. The Extension Master Gardener program was created as a result of the growing demand for gardening information, advice and assistance. The program began in Washington State in 1972 and has since spread to nearly every state, several Canadian provinces, and South Korea.

 In 1977, Michigan State University launched its Extension Master Gardener program. It began when MSU Horticulture Agents from Wayne County and Oakland County offered the first class in Wayne County in 1977 with 25 participants.  In 1980, the pair received the prestigious John A. Hannah Award recognizing the excellence of the MSU Extension Master Gardener Program®. From an initial class of 25 participants, the program now educates over 700 adults statewide every year, many of whom become MSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers.

In 2024, 1,876 MSU Extension Master Gardeners provided 96,653 hours of volunteer service, sharing science-based, environmentally sound gardening practices to thousands of Michigan residents across the state. This represents an economic contribution of 3,236,909 dollars through food bank contributions, improving community and quality of life, environmental stewardship, and youth programming. 

Current Structure

Michigan State University Extension Consumer Horticulture Educators operate in twelve regions, collaborating with county governments and the MSU Extension Master Gardener state office to advance the mission of sharing science-based gardening knowledge. The Foundations of Gardening provides comprehensive gardening education and serves as a prerequisite for applying to the MSU Extension Master Gardener Program®. This course is open to all adults, including those who wish to later apply to the MSU Extension Master Gardener Program®.

The MSU Extension Master Gardener Program is managed by a state-wide office and local teams consisting of educators and coordinators. The state office includes the following individuals who oversee training, policy and procedures:

• Sarah Rautio (MSU Extension Master Gardener State Leader)
• Melissa Jacobsen (Program Assistant for the MSU Extension Master Gardener Program)
• Ruth Dorando Marcy (Program Assistant for the Foundations of Gardening course)

There are 12  MSU EMG local regions in Michigan that are managed by the following individuals:

• Upper Peninsula: Rebecca Krans, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator; 
• Northwest Michigan:Nate Walton, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Northeast Michigan: Sarah Rautio, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Saginaw Valley: Barslund Judd, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Thumb region: David Lowenstein, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Oakland County: Melanie Fuhrmann, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Wayne County: Lindsey Kerr, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Southeast Michigan: Barbara Gregerson, MSU Horticulture Educator
• Southwest Michigan: Wrifton Graham, MSU Coordinator
• Mid-Michigan: Brent Crain; MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• West Michigan: Deanna Hedlund, MSU Consumer Horticulture Educator
• Central Michigan: Danielle Schrock, MSU Instructor

Many regions have assistance from MSU EMG Coordinators, MSUE office support staff and/or MSU EMG volunteers who serve as ambassadors. Here is an example of what a local MSU EMG Support Team may look like:

Mission Fulfillment

The mission of MSU Extension is to help individuals, communities, and businesses improve their lives by sharing the vast knowledge resources of Michigan State University. MSU Extension Master Gardeners contribute to this mission by volunteering through initiatives such as Ask Extension and the MSU Extension Lawn and Garden Hotline. These services, valued at over $57,300 annually, reached 7,733 clients from all 83 Michigan counties in 2024.