Student blooms in horticulture field, from an Odessa plant nursery to doctoral research

What started as a nurseryman job at a local garden center, Yard Dog, in Odessa, turned into doctoral research in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for Mason Marshall ’26. Marshall is a graduate student in the Department of Horticultural Sciences who has a passion for horticulture, ornamental plants and teaching.

Marshall grew up in Odessa and began attending a local community college in 2015. Around the same time, he landed a job at a local plant nursery that inspired him to eventually pursue a degree at Texas A&M University.

Marshall took a leap of faith and moved across the state to transfer into the College at Bryan-College Station and never looked back. Seven years later, he’s graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is working toward his doctorate, all from the same department.

With his seven years of experience across multiple degree’s, Marshall shared with us his story and perspective as a long-time student in the College and department.

What led you to graduate school at Texas A&M?

I was working at a local nursery in Odessa, and the couple that ran it were big Aggies. One of the owners, Lynn Correa ‘72 happened to be among the first women to graduate from the university. I was already interested in horticulture and had the chance to work closely with some great Aggies, so I wanted to transfer here. I’m grateful for the knowledge and passion Randy and Lynn Correa instilled in me prior to arriving at Texas A&M.

Tell us about your research focus for your doctorate.

I’m working on ornamental selections and breeding, but I’m generally focused on ornamental production, producing plants in a greenhouse and breeding new plants.

I work with Mike Arnold, Ph.D., professor and director of The Gardens at Texas A&M University. He’s my committee chair, and we work on a wildflower called Mexican Hat. It’s a coneflower, and it normally exists in red, yellow or bicolor variations. You see it throughout much of the U.S. Together, we’re screening plants from different areas in the southeast. We found some interesting traits, like lemon color, upright petals and small growth habit. We are hoping to start breeding them, and we’ll do some controlled crossing in the greenhouse. It’s a lot to learn, as it’s a new plant for me, but I am in my second year working with it and am excited to continue.

Also, during my master’s, I served as a teaching assistant for a floral design class, so I have some floral experience. I hope to undertake a few cut flower projects and evaluate how they last as cut flowers for things like bouquets.

What sparked your interest in this field of research?

It all started when I was working on my bachelor’s degree with Terri Starman, Ph.D., a professor in our department. I did undergraduate research with her during my senior year, focusing on a hybrid ornamental sunflower called Sunfinity. This research then carried over into my master’s, where we collaborated with two industry partners.

When I was looking to return to school after completing my master’s, I had potential opportunities to study either here or in Georgia, in a vastly different horticultural area. At the time, I knew Dr. Arnold had a crop here to work on that interested me. Studying this plant with him would be a new challenge, but I knew I could learn a lot from him, which ultimately kept me in College Station.

Tell us about your experience as a current graduate student

I enjoy the experience here because of the opportunities provided through the department and the College, as well as the networking I get here.

Everyone talks about the Aggie network, but specifically in horticulture, I feel that we have such broad connections even though we are a smaller department.

I also really appreciate our department’s applied research opportunities. Many students are interested in plants and horticulture, but we also get to take both applied science courses and creative art courses. Horticulture encompasses both the art and the science of growing and working with plants, not just one or the other.

How does the department stand out from other programs?

We are one of the larger horticulture programs in the nation, but at the university level, we still feel so tight knit, which is what makes it feel unique to me. Studying together on our hallway couches, teaching plant ID classes in The Gardens and hanging out in our advisor’s office are just a few examples of the ways I feel connected within the department.

What organizations are you a part of on campus?

As an undergraduate, I was involved in our horticulture club, which is open to anyone. I loved the horticulture club because of our highly sought after plant sales. Our students grow plants and then sell them. Personally, I grow plants for the horticulture graduate council, focusing on succulents and cacti. It’s fun because we get to propagate, grow and sell them ourselves in the spring and the fall.

I currently serve as the president of the horticulture graduate council, and I am the committee chair of the plant breeding symposium. The symposium is organized by students and sponsored by Corteva every year. We have about 200 attendees from plant sciences related fields. I look forward to helping organize next year’s symposium.

What does your future look like beyond graduation?

I plan to graduate in the fall of 2026, and I want to pursue a teaching role in academia, either here in College Station or elsewhere. My mom, aunts and grandmother were teachers, so I have always had a soft spot for teaching. I have other family members who are also teachers or work in the medical field, so I have found myself wanting to serve. Teaching roles are important, and I’ve enjoyed getting that experience as a teaching assistant during my master’s and now Ph.D. program.

I’ve had the chance to work alongside Dr. Arnold as a teaching assistant, and with Dr. Starman and Bill McKinley, instructional professor and director of the Benz School. They have always encouraged me on my teaching journey in their own ways.

What advice would you give to prospective horticulture students?

First, get to know other students and try to be engaged with the department in any way possible. Second, if you need to find work, try looking for a job in our department and research facility. That is how doors open for many people, and it’s what happened to me.

I would also tell horticulture students to pursue an internship early. There are excellent opportunities nationwide, and the earlier you start looking, as a freshman or a sophomore, the better opportunities you will find.

What are your favorite ornamental plants?

I like cacti and begonias, so I grow a lot of cacti at home and have grow tents for cacti, which are very cool. I am also really into exotic begonias. They are different from your typical plants at Home Depot and Lowe’s, with many unique varieties. That’s what we sell at our plant sales, too.