Established by Dr. C. Anne Whealy, this scholarship honors her parents and their commitment to continued education and community service, and ensures future generations are able to achieve their academic goals. It supports Horticulture graduate students who have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a research focus on reducing the effects of changing climates on floriculture crops. This scholarship aims to support students doing work in this critical and impactful field. Suggested fields of study for this scholarship are, but are not limited to: crop production strategies, plant breeding and selection which may include molecular transformation, plant physiology, post-production & growing structure modifications or innovation.

Dick Meister built a family business in publishing for specialized growers in commercial horticulture. He is a strong supporter of the land-grant college system and through the years worked closely with many horticultural and floricultural leaders. This scholarship is dedicated to the outstanding accomplishments of those in university extension and especially to Will Carlson in floriculture. The Meister scholarship is open to graduate students in floriculture intending to pursue their career in the land-grant university system with an interest in research, extension or teaching.

John Carew, former head of the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University, dedicated his career to encouraging and guiding young horticulturists. He was instrumental in establishing BPI in 1969. The Carew scholarship is open to graduate students in horticulture with an interest in greenhouse crops.

The seed companies Ball, Pan-American, Goldsmith and Syngenta are leaders in the seed production and breeding industry, providing new, improved varieties. These seed companies cooperatively sponsor this scholarship. The Seed companies scholarship requires students to have a career goal within the seed industry and be junior or senior level undergraduates or graduate students.

Jim Rathmell was a horticulture extension specialist at Penn State University who promoted communication and cooperation with horticulturists in other countries. A widely published author, he worked with commercial growers to implement many outstanding educational programs. The Rathmell scholarship is awarded to junior or senior level undergraduates or graduate students who have a specific plan for horticulture work/study outside of the U.S.

Harold Bettinger was a partner in Bettinger Farms of Swanton, Ohio. In the mid-’50s, he was one of the first progressive growers to convert his bedding plant production from wooden to plastic flats. Bettinger Farms now grows greenhouse and field vegetables. The Bettinger Scholarship is intended for horticulture students, sophomore through graduate levels, who have a major or minor in business and/or marketing with the intent to apply their education to a horticulture-related career business.

Ball Horticultural Company is a leading international breeder, producer and wholesale distributor of floriculture products. Ball brings the beginnings of color, foliage, fruit and form to professional growers around the world for the retail and landscape markets. The Ball Horticultural Company Scholarship is intended for junior or senior students pursuing a career in commercial floriculture.