Aug 18, 2022

AFE Awards 8 Scholarships

This year, eight students will pursue a freshly awarded internship opportunity through the American Floral Endowment’s Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program and Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program.

“Investing in young professionals ensures they’re well equipped to bring lasting strength and innovation to the field. AFE’s Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program makes practical floriculture and horticulture experience and training more accessible, and we’re extremely proud to be able to provide this opportunity every year,” says Dwight Larimer, chairman of AFE’s Vic & Margaret Ball Committee.

Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Awards

Alejandra Ruelas is completing a three-month internship (May-August 2022) with Altman Plants.Scholarship award: $1,500.
Ruelas is currently attending Arizona State University and studying sustainable horticulture and desert food production. She plans to expand her knowledge and industry experience through this program to develop connections within the industry with those who share the same passion.

Charles Crume is completing a three-month internship (May-August 2022) at Neal Mast Greenhouses. Scholarship award: $1,500.
Crume is majoring in horticulture at Texas A&M University. He hopes to get a job as a grower in a commercial production greenhouse, noting, “I want to learn as much as I can about floral production and gain hands-on experience to move up to a management position.”

Emily Betler is completing a three-month internship (June – August 2022) at Metrolina Greenhouses. Scholarship award: $1,500.
Betler is currently a student at Pennsylvania State University studying plant science. She is interested in all aspects of greenhouse work but really enjoys working with perennials and annual plants or succulents.

Megan Grace-Ann Nelson will complete a six-month internship (January 2023 – July 2023). Location TBD. Scholarship award: $6,000.
Nelson is a student at Kansas State University majoring in horticulture production and has a powerful passion for plants. When she first enrolled at K-State, she found her love for horticulture and commercial greenhouse production.

Mitchell Rawson is completing a six-month internship (May – November 2022) at Green Circle Growers.Scholarship award: $6,000.
Rawson is attending Iowa State University and majoring in horticulture greenhouse plant production. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Floriculture and growing plants have always been a big part of Mitchell’s life. He hopes this program will help strengthen his passion and become more knowledgeable about his career path in the industry.

Zachary Rosenkrans is completing a six-month internship (June – November 2022) at Olive Hill Greenhouses. Scholarship award: $6,000.
Rosenkrans is currently a student at Kansas State University, majoring in horticulture production. Zach’s career plan is to be a greenhouse manager or production manager for a botanical garden.

Mosmiller Internship Awards

Ian Lucas Graves is completing an 11-week internship (May-August 2022) at Phillips Flower Shop in Westmont, Illinois (May-August 2022). Scholarship Award: $2,000.
Graves is currently attending Southeast Missouri State University and majoring in agribusiness – horticulture. In the past years, with school and recently with his job, Ian has come to take an interest in event setup, planning, and floral designing.

Abigail Robinson is completing a 13-week internship (May- August 2022) with Tiger Garden. Award $2,000.

Robinson is currently at the University of Missouri – Columbia and is majoring in Plant Science. Abigail was first introduced to the floral industry her freshman year of high school. She hopes to not only grow as a designer but to learn the behind the scenes of the business and what the product ordering process looks like.

Interested students can learn more and apply by Oct. 1 of each year.