Standing in formal gardens thousands of miles from home, Tyler Stewart saw something he hadn’t encountered in the western United States: unfamiliar plant diseases, unfamiliar plant species and new-to-him irrigation practices.
The experience was part of a six-week study abroad trip made possible through an Anthony W. “Tony” LeFetra Scholarship awarded by the Irrigation Association.
When Stewart enrolled at Brigham Young University in 2022, he knew his major — plant and landscape systems — offered a study abroad option. But he didn’t think he would have an opportunity to participate. Receiving one of 12 IA scholarships in 2025 made that dream come true.
“I wouldn’t have been able to go without scholarships,” he said. “I worked really hard applying for scholarships and I feel very blessed to have received one from the Irrigation Association.”
Stewart traveled with two professors and his classmates to multiple countries to learn about landscape and irrigation management practices. The group traveled to Switzerland, Italy, France, Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany, where they visited formal gardens and learned from industry experts.
“Seeing different practices opened my mind to new ways of approaching certain management styles,” he said. “It was also really cool to see different plant species, formal gardens and even homes with a moss roof, all things I hadn’t seen before.”
Learning about cool-season grasses and irrigation management practices for those turf varieties stuck with him.
“There were certain diseases I had never seen in the West, especially in cool-season grasses and we learned the importance of proper irrigation and how it relates to those diseases,” he said.
As part of the overseas experience, students selected classes to complement their field experiences. One of the classes Stewart chose was pest management.
“It was really interesting to learn how irrigation plays a strong role in pest and disease management, such as finding ways to irrigate that don’t leave residue on the leaves or scheduling irrigation at times that allow for the sun to evaporate water off the leaves.”
He also took a food crop systems class to learn more about agriculture and food production.
“We learned how proper irrigation for food crops, especially in indoor agriculture, can save a lot of water when planned properly,” he said. “We learned a lot about efficient irrigation systems for farms and how we can help solve a lot of problems, like the world’s food access problems, with proper irrigation.”
While neither was an irrigation-specific class, both helped him realize its role in pest management and in growing food crops.
“What I learned during my study abroad is that everything relates to irrigation,” he said. “You can fertilize properly, use pesticides and herbicides correctly, but if you’re not irrigating correctly, your landscape will fail, especially in a dry climate.”
With graduation in April 2026, Stewart is looking forward to putting his knowledge to use in his small irrigation business on the side and in a full-time role as a project manager for a landscaping company.
“I’m really excited to be working for the rest of this year as I decide on what I want to do next,” he said. “I haven’t completely decided if I’ll attend graduate school or focus on growing my landscape business full time.”
Stewart encourages other students to apply for scholarships to gain access to opportunities that might not be possible otherwise. He also emphasized the importance of learning outside the classroom.
“Get involved outside the classroom with your professors, attend different conferences and use the Irrigation Association online resources,” he said. “There’s so much to learn, and I feel like I’ve learned as much or more outside the classroom than inside.”
