Seven Students Awarded AFE Intern Scholarships

Seven students selected to receive AFE internships from the March cycle of applicants. Five students were awarded Vic & Margaret Ball Internships and two students were awarded a Mosmiller Internship. Each will receive scholarships after successfully completing their paid internships, lasting between three to six months. It’s a win-win for the industry – students can apply their knowledge, while industry organizations bring top talent and fresh thinking to their operation. “AFE’s internship programs provide students with the hands-on experience students need to put their classroom knowledge to use in the real world and prepare them for the workplace after graduation while providing the industry with top talent,” says AFE Executive Director, Debi Chedester. “By hosting an intern, each participating organization has the opportunity to…

My First Experience with the NFF

By YPC Member, Yiyun Lin My first time at NFF was a fantastic experience. The meeting began with a tour of the Chicago Botanic Garden, showing us its unique landscape, incredible design, newly renovated greenhouse space, as well as a first look at their seasonal orchid show that included around 50 different species. It was an educational experience to learn about the garden’s history, their ongoing research projects, and the breeding programs that contribute to both the garden and the industry. Following the tour, the meeting began with talks focusing on future and young faculty. Attendees from various backgrounds shared valuable advice and experiences, providing me with knowledge that will assist in my future career. As graduate students, we were…

Awaken: My AIFD 2019 Experience

By Martha Aaron, 2019 Recipient of AFE’s Arizona Retail Florist Education Travel Grant An experience of a lifetime, not only for myself but for three of my team members as well. While only two of the members actually attended conference classes with me, our shop wedding coordinator and designer. The third, our sales associate, became inspired so much so, that we are now working towards her becoming a designer as well! Held within the gorgeous backdrop of the Paris Hotel in sunny Las Vegas, the sophisticatedly styled ballrooms were lavishly adorned in Parisian flair, gold accents, and intricate crown molding was the perfect backdrop for this fabulous conference. Our journey began Sunday night, once settled we wandered the halls of the…

YPC Member Receives Second-Place at ASHS

Nathan NordstedtGraduate Research AssociateThe Ohio State UniversityCollege of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental SciencesDepartment of Horticulture and Crop SciencesReport by Nathan NordstedtYoung Professionals Council, AFEThanks to the generous support of the American Floral Endowment and the Gus Poesch Fund, I had the opportunity to present my research at the 2018 American Society of Horticultural Science Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities this meeting has provided to my developing professional career.I began my time at the meeting by attending the ASHS Strategic Career Planning seminar. This seminar provided beneficial insights from academic and industry leaders to my own professional development. Throughout the meeting, I was presented with a multitude of networking opportunities, engaged in conversations about research…

AFE Grant Helps Improve Spanish Language Access

 A new education grant from the American Floral Endowment helps improve Spanish language access to University of Florida online grower coursesGreenhouse Training Online courses, including Disease Management, offered by University of Florida IFAS Extension (UF) have received a boost with an education grant from the American Floral Endowment (AFE). The four-week courses in English and Spanish are designed for growers or technical managers in the US and other countries and have been completed by over 1,000 growers.The education grant from AFE will help cover the cost of translating course materials into Spanish. This commitment to diversity training is critical. Even though approximately 80% of agricultural workers in the U.S. are of Hispanic origin and are Spanish‐speaking, there is a lack…

YPC Member Receives First Place at ASHS

Last month, during the 2018 American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) conference held in Washington, D.C., Sadikshya Sharma, received first place in the Graduate Student Poster competition at the master’s Level.Her poster illustrated the studies she has done on the “Effects of Narrow Bandwidth Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on Petunia and Spathiphyllum.”“My research with LEDs helps in building a foundation for further combining different LEDs and optimizing light quality in commercial propagation and production industry. This would ultimately reduce the cost for the lights used in propagation and production of petunia and spathiphyllum,” says Sadikshya.She is a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Horticulture, at the University of Florida where her adviser is Dr. Thomas Colquhoun.We want to congratulate Sadikshya,…

AFE Awards More than $42,800 in 2018 Scholarships

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has awarded 21 students with scholarships totaling $42,800. Eighty- seven applications were received for this 2018 scholarship cycle.“We had many outstanding students apply for scholarships this year, which is why some scholarships were awarded to two recipients,” said Dwight Larimer, AFE Chairman and Education Committee Chair.“I’m proud to see the high quality of students each year and I enjoy granting scholarships to these well-deserved students to help them continue their education and become passionate industry leaders.”AFE awards scholarships annually and applications are due by May 1 of each year.Scholarship descriptions are available at endowment.org/scholarships. American Florists’ Exchange Scholarship — $2,500Recipient: Helena Dondero – California Polytechnic State, San Luis ObispoA junior majoring in agricultural science with an…

Two Students Receive Altman Family Scholarships

Two students were awarded $5,000 scholarships from the 2018 Altman Family Scholarship Fund.Krishna Bhattarai, a Ph.D student at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, and Nathan Nordstedt, of The Ohio State University were both awarded the 2018 scholarship for their exemplary work and outstanding dedication to their floriculture studies.The Altman Family Scholarship was created in 2015 by Ken and Deena Altman (owners of Altman Plants) and assists in funding the education of floriculture graduate students (MS or Ph.D.), who will become leading floricultural scientists and educators.Krishna Bhattarai“I’m inspired when I review these applications,” said Ken Altman.  “Every single student was extremely deserving of a scholarship”.Krishna Bhattarai is a doctoral student at the University of Florida with…

Applications for 2018 Scholarships Due May 1

Applications are now being accepted for more than 20 different AFE scholarships.Emily Currens, University of Georgia 2017 John L. Tomasovic Sr. Scholarship recipientSophomore, junior, senior and graduate students studying floriculture and horticulture must submit their applications online by the May 1 deadline.Scholarships range from $500 to $6,000.Two new scholarships were recently established with AFE, so even more opportunities are available to qualified students.In 2017, the Endowment awarded 20 students with scholarships totaling more than $36,000.“Awarding scholarships to students is a primary function of AFE. We understand the financial burden they face and are doing our part to help them,” said Dwight Larimer, AFE Chairman and Education Committee Chair.Applications and all supporting materials must be submitted to AFE by May 1.Click…

Two New 2018 Scholarships Established

The Endowment is pleased to announce that two new scholarships have been established, just in time for the 2018 scholarship application season!These new scholarships join the 21 other scholarships awarded annually to promote and assist young professionals joining the floral and horticultural industries.The application deadline for all AFE scholarships is May 1. Click here for more information.Click on the links below to download the press release for each scholarship.Long Island Flower Growers Association — Bob Gunther Memorial ScholarshipBob GuntherThis scholarship was established in memory of the late Bob Gunther, owner of Gunther’s Greenhouses & Florist in Oceanside, New York.It is intended for students from Long Island and New York who are studying ornamental horticulture at a community college or four-year institution…

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