ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Floral Endowment (AFE) is accepting applications for the Altman Family Scholarship and the Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship.
Applications are due by Feb. 1, 2019.
These merit-based, prestigious scholarships are for graduate students who have the skills and passion to become leading floricultural scientists and educators.
Applicants must be in the process of successfully completing either a bachelor's or master's degree in horticulture or a related field (e.g., agricultural engineering, entomology, agricultural marketing and economics, plant pathology, etc.) and must have the intention of pursuing an MS or Ph.D. degree on a full-time basis.
The Altman Family Scholarship was established by Ken and Deena Altman — owners of Altman Plants — who support numerous efforts to improve education and research for the industry.
They are highly appreciative of the field of horticulture and established the Center for Applied Horticultural Research as an effort to help the industry.
“By winning this scholarship, the funding will be directly invested back into the industry by allowing a promising young professional to continue developing a strong future career in horticulture,” said 2018 Altman recipient Nathan Nordstedt.
The Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship honors the late Paul Ecke, Jr., who made significant contributions to the floriculture industry and believed strongly in research and education.
He was concerned about the future of floriculture and recognized that innovative researchers and educators are necessary for the continued success of the industry.
One student will receive $5,000 for two consecutive years, providing that they continue to meet requirements for this duration and submit an annual update.
“Having the industry’s interest and support is fundamental and the Paul Ecke Scholarship will help progress my research,” said 2018 Ecke recipient Melissa Muñoz. “I am very excited to continue this research that I hope will make a difference and improve the conditions for the floral industry.”
Students must apply online on or before Feb. 1, 2019, at endowment.org.
About AFE
The American Floral Endowment is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the floriculture and horticulture industry through funding research, educational grants and scholarships. Since 1961, more than $15 million has been funded in research and educational projects, and more than $2 million has been funded in scholarships and internships designed to attract and retain the future leaders of the industry. To learn more about AFE or make a tax-deductible contribution, visit www.endowment.org.
Source: American Floral Endowment
