News
From Campus to Career: Meet Our 2026 Interns
June 18, 2026
Each year, we celebrate and spotlight the future floral leaders who are brave enough to take their education out of the classroom and into the field through our internship programs. In 2026, we are recognizing eight students being placed through the Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Program and the Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program.
Our internship programs are designed to provide students with hands-on industry experience while helping host companies develop future leaders in floriculture and horticulture. Through these internships, students expand their technical skills, gain valuable professional connections, and explore career opportunities within the industry.
We invite you to learn more about each student’s current education, internship placement, and future goals. Meet the future of our industry!
Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Recipients
The Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Program provides students the opportunity to gain practical floriculture and horticulture experience while training at commercial production greenhouses and nursery operations. Upon successful completion of their paid internship, students participating in a three-month internship receive a $1,500 scholarship.
Elia Vaclav
Three-month internship with Alaska Perfect Peony in Alaska.
Scholarship Award: $1,500.
Vaclav attends Texas State University and is majoring in Horticulture. She hopes to expand her greenhouse knowledge and gain experience working with plants in new climates.
“I have a deep desire to travel and explore outside of Texas and this internship is the perfect fit to help me get out and explore.”
Karigan Benko
Three-month internship with Altman Plants in California.
Scholarship Award: $1,500.
Benko attends Spartanburg Community College and studies Horticulture. She is passionate about greenhouse production and hopes to continue growing her skills through hands-on learning opportunities
“I am eager to improve my technical skills, gain real-world experience, and better understand the daily responsibilities involved in floriculture careers.”
Maya Olin
Three-month internship with Plantpeddler.
Scholarship Award: $1,500.
Olin attends Mississippi State University and majors in Horticulture/Floriculture. She hopes to build a future in floriculture production and gain more hands-on industry experience.
“I have a strong desire to ‘keep my hands in the soil’ and work on the more biological and practical aspects.”
Ethan French
Three-month internship with Altman Plants in Chicago, IL.
Scholarship Award: $1,500.
French attends Colorado State University and studies Horticulture. He is especially interested in tropical foliage production and greenhouse management.
“My passion for tropical plants has led to a curiosity about what goes on behind the scenes.”
Paul “PJ” Crocker
Three-month internship with Altman Plants in Colorado.
Scholarship Award: $1,500.
Crocker attends California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and majors in Agricultural Business. He hopes to combine business knowledge with hands-on horticulture experience throughout his career.
“I discovered the values that have long guided me, those being community, education, and plants.”
Alexandria “Allie” Stuchlik
Three-month internship with Altman Plants in Colorado.
Scholarship Award: $1,500.
Stuchlik attends Kansas State University and majors in Horticulture. She plans to eventually open her own greenhouse business in her rural community.
“I would love to be able to return home and open a greenhouse business as a way of giving back to the community that supported me.”
Joellen Merkle
Six-month internship – TBD
Scholarship Award: $6,000.
Merkle attends Iowa State University and majors in Horticulture with an emphasis in greenhouse production. She hopes to gain experience with greenhouse operations in warmer climates and continue building her knowledge of commercial floriculture production.
“I would like to learn how decisions about growing are made across the country so I can be a well-rounded horticulturalist one day.”
Mosmiller Internship Recipient
The Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program places students at leading floral retail, wholesale, or supplier businesses for a period of 10-16 weeks, with a $2,000 scholarship upon their completion of the program. Depending on their placement, Mosmiller interns often hone their floral design skills, learn more about the ins-and-outs of managing a floral business, and improve their customer service skills.
Tamara Otto
Internship TBD
Scholarship Award: $2,000.
Otto attends Texas A&M University and majors in Agribusiness with a minor in Horticulture. Through her experiences at a flower farm, garden nursery, and floral design programs, she has developed a passion for the floral industry and hopes to one day own her own floral shop.
“I am eager to see the floral world from a wedding florist’s or retailer’s perspective, for this would specifically be helpful as I pursue my future career goals of owning my own floral shop.”
You can keep up with our 2026 interns on AFE’s social media, where students share short videos during their internships! These videos range from how-tos, day-in-the-life, and informational videos about their responsibilities in their new roles. Students also submit an in-depth report after completing their experience – past reports can be found here.
Interested in being a part of this opportunity? Internship applications are accepted twice a year, on October 1st and March 1st. Interested students can learn more and apply here.
If you are an industry organization looking to employ interns, please get in touch with AFE’s Program Manager, Candice Musgrove, at cmusgrove@afeendowment.org.
