From MCC Student to Director of Cultivation at Oregonix
For Nate Voorhees, a passion for plants began long before college. Growing up around friends’ family farms—and in a home where gardens and greenery were everywhere, he found himself drawn to the outdoors and curious about how plants grow and thrive. That early fascination eventually led him to a career in horticulture.
When he enrolled at MCC in 2019, he was considering several paths.
“I wanted to stay close to home and save money on schooling,” he said. “I was also not sure what I wanted to study at first, so staying local gave me the opportunity to explore different degree options.”
He initially planned to pursue a criminal justice degree and an Associate of Science with the goal of becoming a forest preserve officer. But as he continued his studies, it became clear that his real passion remained plants, soil, and the outdoors. In 2021, he officially switched to the Horticulture program.
During his time at MCC, Nate completed an Associate of Science, an Associate of Applied Science in Horticulture, and certificates in Horticulture and Entrepreneurial Agriculture Production. His hard work also earned him the Academic Department Award for Entrepreneurial Agriculture before he graduated in 2022.
Nate credits a wide range of MCC coursework for preparing him for his career, including plant life processes, soil health, pest management, controlled environment agriculture, and greenhouse management.
“Building multiple irrigation and hydroponic systems at MCC gave me a huge step up in my job,” he said. “I use the things I learned at MCC every single day.”
Right as he graduated, Oregonix, a local craft cannabis grower, was building out a new cultivation facility. Nate applied—and his MCC experience, leadership in class projects, and strong academic record helped him secure a role as a flower lead.
Because the facility was new, he had the opportunity to help build out the grow rooms and irrigation systems, which aligned directly with the skills he learned at MCC.
Two years later, he moved into his current role: Head Grower/Director of Cultivation.
For Nate, the most rewarding part of a career in horticulture is working with plants every day and continually learning about them.
"Each day I get to explore new ways to improve how I grow my crops,” he said. “And providing people with beautiful plants and seeing the joy they bring is an incredible feeling.”
His biggest recommendation to students interested in horticulture is to stay open and collaborative.
“The horticulture industry is very community-oriented. People love sharing knowledge,” he said. “The cannabis industry, on the other hand, tends to be more competitive—most growers keep their methods secret. I enjoy that challenge because it pushes me to research more and keep improving.”
No matter the path, Nate emphasizes the wide range of opportunities in horticulture. Beyond growing plants, the field includes system building and maintenance, sales, marketing, research, and so much more. “I was surprised at how many directions you can take,” he said.