AFE announces 2026 internship scholarship recipients

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has selected eight students to receive internship scholarships through its Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program and Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program for 2026.

The internship programs place students with commercial greenhouse, nursery, retail, wholesale and supplier businesses to provide hands-on industry experience while supporting workforce development in floriculture and horticulture.

Seven students were selected for the Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Program. Six will complete three-month internships and receive $1,500 scholarships: Elia Vaclav, Texas State University; Karigan Benko, Spartanburg Community College; Maya Olin, Mississippi State University; Ethan French, Colorado State University; Paul “PJ” Crocker, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; and Alexandria “Allie” Stuchlik, Kansas State University. Joellen Merkle, Iowa State University, was selected for a six-month internship and will receive a $6,000 scholarship upon completion.

Tamara Otto, a student at Texas A&M University majoring in agribusiness with a minor in horticulture, was selected for the Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program. The program provides a 10- to 16-week internship with a $2,000 scholarship upon successful completion.

Internship placements include Alaska Perfect Peony in Alaska; Altman Plants locations in California, Chicago and Colorado; and Plantpeddler. Internship placements for Merkle and Otto have not yet been announced.

According to AFE, the internship programs are intended to help students build technical skills, expand professional networks and explore careers in the floriculture and horticulture industries while giving participating businesses an opportunity to develop future industry professionals.