Three students received the 2025 Altman Family Scholarship<\/strong>, a $5,000 award for each. Those students are Rose Elbert<\/strong>, a master\u2019s degree student at Michigan State University; Henry Gonzalez<\/strong>, a doctoral student at Michigan State University; and Bret Timmons<\/strong>, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Paul Ecke, Jr. and Altman Family scholarships are part of AFE\u2019s commitment to providing opportunities for all segments of the industry through education, scholarships, internships and research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese exceptional young professionals are working through their studies to bring a fresh perspective and innovative momentum to the industry,\u201d<\/strong> said Debi Chedester, executive director of AFE. \u201cWe are excited to support them on their career path that will continue to advance the areas of horticulture and floriculture.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The scholarship honors the late Paul Ecke, Jr., a horticulturist from California credited with moving the industry forward with his innovation and educational program development in the field. The scholarship awards the chosen scholar with $5,000 for two consecutive years ($10,000 total). The recipient must be pursuing a Master\u2019s or Doctorate degree at a U.S. land-grant university. For more information about the scholarship, <\/strong>click here<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As an undergraduate student at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Andre set out with a career goal to do what he was familiar with while growing up. His parents and grandparents were farmers. It was the life he had always known. So, he began college studying conservation ecology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But by his junior year at the university, he developed a strong interest in plant cycles and growth and how they relate to natural systems. It was a moment of realization that his interests had expanded to both conservation and sustainability and how those are applicable to the production system. By the time he had graduated with his bachelor\u2019s degree in conservation ecology, he was invested in horticulture. He went to work for a company that specialized in producing organic substrates and found a passion for research in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt honestly found me before I found it,\u201d<\/strong> he said. \u201cBut I am glad it did. I was introduced to the idea of sustainable substrates and the production of organic substrates. And from then on, it\u2019s just been so fascinating.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a by-chance meeting in South Africa that led Andre to the United States to continue his studies and research in substrates. Dr. Brian Jackson, professor and director of the Horticultural Substrates Lab at NC State, was on a visit to the vermiculite mines in South Africa and a guest speaker at the Seedling Growers Association of South Africa annual conference. It was there that Brian met Andre and recruited him to NC State to pursue a master\u2019s degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A year and a half later, Andre said he is more passionate about the field than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it’s sort of diving into the unknown that is so appealing to me. It is these things that we do not know about, and it\u2019s about slowly discovering each of these little puzzle pieces and trying to piece them together,\u201d he said. <\/strong>\u201cThat is what keeps me going. It’s like a continuous cliffhanger that you’re waiting for all these exciting things and results to come in. It\u2019s a passion that pulls me out of bed at night. I think it’s quite fulfilling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andre said he envisions a career that allows him to equally balance a hands-on approach, working alongside growers and being part of the practical side of horticulture, with plenty of time to continue research in the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy dream job is to be able to work with multiple growers as well as substrate manufacturers on a global scale,\u201d<\/strong> he said. \u201cI have two possible paths to follow. The first is to work with multiple substrate companies globally to improve resource utilization and management. The second path is to work for a substrate company on the technical and research side, but also be able to interact with clients and businesses.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, Andre is focused on completing his master\u2019s degree in horticultural sciences with an anticipated graduation date in December 2025. He plans to continue his education at NC State to obtain his Ph.D. in horticulture. He said earning the Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship has been an honor in more ways than one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think that the money is obviously a fantastic bonus, but it\u2019s definitely an encouragement to have the recognition for a lot of the hard work and sleepless nights that I’ve had with the research that I’ve been doing,\u201d he said. \u201cThat is such a massive positive aspect of the scholarship for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nAbout the Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Andre Truter \u2013 North Carolina State University \u2013 Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nAbout the Altman Family Scholarship<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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