Alumni Interviews
Alumni Spotlight: Cannabis Journalist A.J. Herrington
Oaksterdam University counts 80,000 alumni in 110+ countries among our ranks of cannabis success stories. Writer A.J. Herrington, well known for his articles in top cannabis publications, is among them. A.J. Herrington is among the top cannabis journalists in the...
CT Social Equity Grad Seeks Investors at Sept. 6 Networking Event
Connecticut’s Social Equity Council is preparing to celebrate its first cohort with a Graduation, Business Showcase & Cannabis Industry Mixer on Sept. 6, 2023. The public is invited, as are potential investors and cannabis businesses who would like to network with...
The Role of a Cannabis Budtender
Cannabis “budtenders” work in dispensaries or provisioning centers and are responsible for many of the same things anyone who works in retail is familiar with. Budtenders greet customers, assess their needs and preferences, make recommendations, and ring up sales....
Jahful Price
Jahful PriceDate of Courses: S20160504Courses: Classic semester Why you attended OU?Even more important, the main reason I decided to attend Oaksterdam University: I knew I wanted to take courses which specifically focused on the Cannabis industry. In addition, I...
Grant Butherus
Horticulture & Classic Semester January 2017 I attended the classic and horticulture semester programs in January 2017 in Oakland, California. After graduating, I'm now working with the school as an intern which has been an amazing experience for me. Oaksterdam is...
André Thom
graduate of the Indoor Horticulture Seminar (Feb. 13th – 16th, 2016) and was the Valedictorian of the Classic Seminar (Jan. 30th – Feb. 2nd, 2016) Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I attended Oaksterdam University to understand the business, horticulture and laws...
Rachel Jacobson
Classic and Horticulture Semester: Spring 2016 Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I attended Oaksterdam University because I believe that the cannabis plant was put on this planet for human beings to utilize and that it has the potential to change the world. I stumbled...
Adam Scott
Adam Scott Classic & Horticulture Semester's • January - April 2016 I attended Oaksterdam University because I wanted to make a difference in my home state North Carolina. We are known for Tobacco, a harmful drug but we aren't even medicinal yet. The first time I...
Big Pete
Congratulations to Big Pete, OU’s August 2016 Featured Alumni! It all started back in 1979 in Santa Cruz when Big Pete was finishing high school, making his first treats and growing his first cannabis plants from a seedy stash he was able to sprout. Soon after...
Sarah Miles Dolk
My name is Sarah Miles Dolk , and I attended the June 2015 Las Vegas 4 day Classic Seminar. My goal in attending was to test my knowledge and learn as much as I could in 4 days. It worked! I was Valedictorian and that makes me very proud. Since attending, I have...
Michael V. Maestri
14 week - Horticulture Semester • January 12 – April 13, 2017 Why you attended OU? The reason that I attended Oaksterdam University is because I wanted to learn all that I could about the cannabis plant from the best of the best! Being from New Jersey and having very...
Ray Murphy
Ray Murphy - Forged K9 Basic and Advanced Classic Seminars • December 2015 Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I attended Oaksterdam because I wanted to learn more about the Cannabis industry from the best. I was exploring a few different business options in the...
Michael Garganese Jr.
Classic Seminar – Basic and Advanced • November 2014 Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I attended Oaksterdam to further my knowledge of the cannabis plant and industry. It was at a time where I was unsure if cannabis was something I wanted to pursue professionally. ...
Jeweliette Pearson
Jeweliette Pearson Classic Semester • August - December 2016 I would say that my grandfather was a large influence on my decision to attend Oaksterdam University in the fall of 2016. School for me was what many others might say, “just not my thing”. I’ve always...
Alex Stratienco
Morning Horticulture Semester May 5 – August 4 My name is Alex Stratienco, I’m 22 years old, I’m from New York and for many years now it has been a dream of mine to attend Oaksterdam University in hopes of becoming part of the growing medical marijuana industry....
Jonathan Diaz
Horticulture Semester Sep – Dec 2015 Why I attended OU I attended Oaksterdam University to gain the knowledge I needed to enter the cannabis industry and grow clean and safe medicine for everyone across the world. I recently received an Honorable Discharge from the...
Barbara Blaser
Why have you attended Oaksterdam? For many years I have supported the legalization movement. As a registered nurse working in the hospice field, I would periodically become aware that perhaps families were supplementing our medication with marijuana. even though they...
Mai-Lan Richards
Mai-Lan Richards Indoor Horticulture Seminar - Basic and Advanced (June 11-14, 2016) Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I have always been an advocate of cannabis for over ten years, but since it was such a bad “drug” and illegal no one spoke about the medicinal values...
Denise Martellacci
Congratulations to Denise Martellacci, the featured Alumni of the month! Denise Martellacci – Graduate of the Sept. 20, 2008 Classic Seminar Whom am I? I came of age in Oakland in the late 60’s and early 70’s. My generation had experienced the Kennedy’s and MLK...
Anthony Bey
Basic and Advanced Classic Seminar, Sept 26, 2015 – Sept 19, 2015 Why I attended OU Working in the cannabis industry has been a dream of mine 20 years in the making. In September of 2015, I began bringing this dream into fruition when I attended Oaksterdam...
Aaron P.
May 26-29 Basic & Adv. Classic Seminar Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I was looking for a positive way to be involved with the Industry. Oaksterdam offered me an opportunity to learn more about the plant that I love while guiding me step-by-step through various...
Michael Kise
Classic seminar basic & advanced – May 2014 Indoor Horticulture basic & advanced – May 2014 What brought you to Oaksterdam University? I attended Oaksterdam because I wanted to learn more about how the plant could help people. That way I could help educate...
Nicole Vallante
What brought you to Oaksterdam University? The life choices that defined my reality started to feel wrong in a way that was impossible to ignore. I was unfulfilled in the work I was doing, and my hometown city of Boston was no longer the right place for me. I was...
Florent Buffiere
Florent Buffiere Classic & Horticulture Semester Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I was extremely mad with the cannabis laws & perception in my country of origin, France. In Europe, the French people lead the way in cannabis consumption while they undergo the...
Austin Mears
Classic Semester, Horticulture 101 & Horticulture 102 Why have you attended Oaksterdam?In addition to having been a cannabis connoisseur, I also come from a big family background of psychiatrists, therapists, doctors and nurses. Helping others is something I...
Derek Stephanof
Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I attended Oaksterdam for a list of reasons far too long to count. Mainly though I came here to gain a formal education in the cannabis industry as well as to be on the front lines of the cannabis legalization movement. The cannabis...
Druce Fu, M.D.
Why have you attended Oaksterdam? Medical marijuana permit applications were announced by the State of Nevada and I found Oaksterdam’s seminar to be everything I needed. As a non-industry person, the seminars gave me the building blocks of information and connections...
Summer Pepitone
Name: Summer Pepitone Name of Courses Attended: Classic and Horticultural Semester (14 week program) Date of Courses Attended: January 21st 2015- April 23rd2015 Why have you attended Oaksterdam? I attended Oaksterdam University to acquire the knowledge needed to run...
Jeff Gaudette
Jeff Gaudette Class of 2014 Classic & Horticulture Semesters & Seminars Received class Valedictorian and was an outstanding community and cannabis events volunteer Why did you attend Oaksterdam University? I attended OU to get some backing behind my long...
David Hua
Why did you attend OU? I attended Oaksterdam with aspirations of starting an edibles company. I wanted to learn about the legality, operations, and best practices from the very knowledgeable faculty. How it helped or inspired you? The edibles plan changed when I met...