San Luis Obispo, Calif. – Aspiring growers, retailers, florists and horticulturists have the opportunity to qualify for key educational support from their future industry, as the Shinoda Foundation begins accepting applications for its 2016-17 scholarships in mid January.
“We’re here to open doors for future horticulturists,” says Bob Otsuka, Shinoda Foundation president. “Whatever career they choose within our industry, we’re dedicated to setting them on the path to success.”
Named in honor of California floral industry pioneer Joseph Shinoda, the awards recognize high-performing students of floriculture and related fields. Each year, the foundation awards the prestigious Shinoda Foundation Scholarships, including its highest honor, the Shinoda Scholar of the Year. In recent years, the Foundation expanded the awards, recognizing exceptional floral design students with the Shinoda Design Center Scholarship and the Jimmy Shinoda Memorial Scholarship, which supports California community colleges in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.
Starting in mid-January 2016, college students planning careers in floriculture and related fields can visit www.shinodascholarship.org to download applications and detailed information on the 2016-2017 scholarships. To be considered for the Shinoda scholarships, students must complete and return applications by March 30, 2016. The Foundation will announce winners early in the summer.
Since 1965, the Shinoda Foundation has awarded more than $811,000 in scholarships to 667 students.
Undergraduates in accredited colleges, universities and California community colleges are eligible. Preference is given to applicants who have indicated a strong commitment of furthering their education in the field of floriculture (production, research, retail, floral education, floral design and sales and marketing).
Information about the 2016-17 Shinoda Scholarships is available at www.shinodascholarship.org or by contacting pbroerin@gmail.com or Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation Inc., 962 Pecho St., Morro Bay, CA 93442. In mid-January, information will also be available from horticulture department offices at colleges and universities across the country.
About the Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation
The Shinoda Foundation was established in 1964 under the auspices of the California State Florists’ Association in memory of the late Joseph Shinoda, a highly regarded pioneer of that state’s floral industry. The foundation’s purpose is to encourage educational opportunities for young people interested in entering the industry. Incorporated as a separate entity in 1972, the foundation has awarded scholarships valued at more than $811,000 to 667 undergraduate floriculture students since 1965.
Information about applications for the Shinoda Foundation’s scholarships is sent each January to horticulture and floriculture departments at universities across the nation. Applications are available on the foundation’s website and accepted from January until March 30 each year.
Information about making contributions to the foundation or about its scholarship program can be obtained from its website, www.shinodascholarship.org, or by writing to: Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation Inc., 962 Pecho St., Morro Bay, CA 93442, or Pat Broering at pbroerin@gmail.com.
Source: Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation