Madison Quiroz: An Enthusiasm for Horticulture Gained through Experiential Learning Opportunities

October 2025

By Sarah McCord

NextGen NRCS Pros intern Madison Quiroz spent her summer in the greenhouse with the Texas A&M AgriLife Horticulture Lab under the direction of Dr. Lorenzo Rossi. Tending to hydroponic systems, annotating records, and maintaining the greenhouse and research projects were just a few of Madison’s internship responsibilities. Describing her internship, Madison said, “Most of my internship days I spent taking care of the greenhouse by watering plants, cleaning up benches, and removing dead plants. Thanks to the more independent structure throughout the internship, I've learn[ed] so much and made so many amazing memories.”

Although much of her internship was spent in the greenhouse, Madison had the opportunity to attend the American Society for Horticultural Sciences (ASHS) Conference with the Texas A&M Horticultural Crop Physiology Lab held in New Orleans, Louisiana. She described this experience as the highlight of her internship, saying, “I had so much fun learning about different research projects conducted around the world, the differences in careers within academia, industry, and research, and how to make a poster or oral presentation for a conference. Every day throughout the conference, there were so many events to attend and so many things to learn.” Furthermore, Madison had the opportunity to explore the culture of New Orleans, including walking along Bourbon Street, exploring the French Quarter, and visiting the famous Café Du Monde. “My first conference is a memory I’ll never forget, and it’s all thanks to Dr. Lorenzo Rossi and the NextGen NRCS Pros Program,” emphasized Madison.

Through both hands-on experiences, including her greenhouse work and attendance at the ASHS conference, Madison has determined she would like to continue learning about horticulture and agriculture at a higher level through graduate education. While she remains uncertain about the specific career she’d like to pursue after her education, Madison is excited to expand upon her experiences gained through this internship. Madison demonstrates profound enthusiasm for horticulture, research, and knowledge gained from experiential opportunities.