GWA Foundation Congratulates 2017 Scholarship Recipients

GWA Foundation has a long standing tradition of providing scholarships to students studying in the field of communications and horticulture, and for the past 10 years the organization has awarded outstanding students with over $90,000 in financial assistance. This year’s selection process was difficult, and we thank ever individual who submitted an application.

GWA Foundation is excited to introduce to you our 2017 scholarship recipients.

Toni Hudspath

Toni is working toward a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture with a focus in Landscape Design at Kansas State University. She participates in Horticulture Club and The Willow Lake Student Farm Club. These clubs offer the opportunity to utilize her newfound knowledge and associate with peers who have similar interests. As a member of the National Collegiate Landscape Contracting Team (NCLC), Toni will be competing in the Woody Plant Identification Event in March at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Toni is grateful to learn about a field she loves and excited to advance her knowledge.

Jennifer Klimowicz

Jennifer Klimowicz is currently studying for her B.S. in horticulture at Temple University. She loves all aspects of horticulture and plans to go into a career in horticulture Public Relations upon graduation in 2018. With a journalism degree from Temple University in 2011, Jennifer is very excited to combine horticulture with writing. Having worked in the digital marketing field for the past several years, returning to school full time in the Spring of 2016 has been a huge change, but very rewarding. Jennifer is very active in the Temple Ambler campus community. She served as Temple Ambler’s Native Plants Summer Intern in summer and fall, 2016. She currently heads Temple’s Pi Alpha Xi horticulture honor society as president, is an active member of Temple’s Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Association (LAHA), writes for the Temple News, volunteers with Temple’s Contemplative Meditation Club and works at Temple Amber’s greenhouse.

Isaac Luhrs

Isaac Luhrs, a fraternal twin born in Northern California, but raised in Tennessee (has 5 siblings). He attended 4 high schools throughout his primary schooling and graduated in 2012. Isaac received his A.S. in 2015 from Cleveland State Community College and is continuing his education at The University of Tennessee Knoxville in the Department of Plant Sciences. Isaac is studying Public Horticulture and plans to graduate in the fall of 2018 with a B.S. He is looking forward to a career in gardens and natural resource conservation upon his graduation. Although he does not have a specific job in mind he is optimistic. He has completed internships with the U.S Forest Service, Federal Wildlife Service and was a 2016 recipient of the PPA Scholarship Award. Also, as young garden designer he is looking forward to watching his most recent works evolve.

Jenna Maltbie

Jenna Maltbie is currently a junior at Oklahoma State University pursuing a major in agribusiness with a double major option in agricultural communications. Jenna currently works at Oklahoma Gardening Television, where she serves as the Social Media Coordinator. As the Social Media Coordinator, Jenna manages Oklahoma Gardening’s social media outlets and answers follower’s questions. Jenna’s passion for gardening was sown in the seeds her and her mother and grandmother planted together in their garden when she was young. Those precious moments are where she learned some of life’s greatest lessons and made priceless memories with her family. After completion of her degree, Jenna plans to pursue a career in marketing and sales in the food industry as well as help educate the public on where their food comes from.

Avery Marcott

Avery Marcott is a graduating senior at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls with a major in Horticulture and a business emphasis. She grew up in the small town of Fountain City Wisconsin where she first was exposed to horticulture through my high school greenhouse and FFA. After finding her passion in horticulture, Avery fueled it further by continuing my education at River Falls, exposing herself to horticulture through course work and a study abroad experience in Belize. Avery’s fondness for this industry has led her to public horticulture, where she can express my eye for design and love of plants. Through utilizing my creative writing and photography skills, Avery hopes to educate and draw people’s interests to the world of horticulture.

Traci M. Parks

Previous to her interest in horticulture, Traci was both a photographer and professional speaker. Her degree was commercial photography but her hobby has always been nature photography. Traci is fortunate to have had her work exhibited and published nationally. She also loves speaking and is eager to combine that with her photography in garden communications. Last summer, Traci worked with annuals in a greenhouse and this year she is working at another nursery in the perennial department. Traci wants to use this experience to specialize in sensory/healing gardens because of her personal experience with severe vision loss and recurring clinical depression. She wants to teach kids what these gardens are, why they’re important and what kinds of plants might be included in them. Traci thinks it’s really important – and a fun way - to teach them that gardens are more than just “pretty.”

Karen Schneck

Karen is currently a junior at Kansas State University studying Horticulture with a specialization in Greenhouse and Nursery Management with a minor in Agribusiness. She loves working with plants and hopes to be a professional greenhouse grower after graduation. Karen also loves to talk and write about plants and her experiences with different aspects of horticulture. At K-State, she currently serves as the Treasurer for Horticulture Club and Collegiate 4-H. Karen is also the Bedding Plant Sale Chairperson for Hort Club where she is gaining experience growing plants and managing operations for our spring sale. Karen also just finished my term as President for Alpha of Clovia 4-H Cooperative Leadership House. Her days are full of learning about horticulture, being active in her clubs, and doing as much as she can with plants!

Heidi R. Shol

Heidi is originally from Crookston, Minnesota, and has attended the University of Minnesota Crookston since the fall of 2014, having been active in the Horticulture Department and Horticulture Club. She is currently a junior majoring in Horticulture and minoring in Environmental Sciences, having a passion for both growing as well as environmental sustainability. Both these fields of study have taken Heidi in very fruitful and interesting directions. Her most exciting work has been with research so far with spindle pruning and aquaponics. Study of greenhouse gas emissions will be her next research endeavor this summer. Horticulture has also led Heidi to study abroad this coming summer to China and Japan, where her focus will be on their styles of botanical and imperial gardens. Heidi’s motivation is that she will attend graduate school as soon as the fall of 2018 and achieve a Master’s Degree in Horticulture or Plant Science.

Applications for the 2018 Scholarship Program will open in September. Click here to learn more.