Jan 23, 2020

HRI Awards Scholarship

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Inc. (MANTS) is pleased to announce Nicholas Dzurenda, a junior at Virginia Tech, as its 2019-2020 Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship recipient.

Dzurenda, who is pursuing a landscape horticulture and design degree, was selected because of his demonstrated leadership, superior work ethic and his sense of service to the green industry. He will be awarded $5,000 through the scholarship.

“A career in horticulture, for me, represents an opportunity to live out my values daily,” said Dzurenda.

Dzurenda plans to pursue research in environmental sustainability with specific attention to soil-improving agriculture and native-species gardening. To complement his minor in civic agriculture and food security, he volunteers through the Virginia Master Naturalist program and a local vegetable garden.

The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship has been impacting young horticultural leaders since 2002. It serves to memorialize Mr. Akehurst who served the horticultural industry as one of the founders of MANTS, and it was established with the belief that the strength and future success of the horticulture industry lies in the solid education of today’s students.

Learn how to become involved in the work supported through HRI, the AmericanHort Foundation, at hriresearch.org.