Mar 21, 2024
The HRI Scholarship Program is accepting applications

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) has announced that applications for the HRI Scholarship Program — 2024-2025 school year — are now being accepted.

The HRI Scholarship Program, made possible by generous donors from across the industry, assists students pursuing careers in horticulture by providing financial support for their education.

Numerous endowed scholarship funds have been established to support the academic journey of motivated students and ensure the continuity of the nursery and landscape profession. These funds include: Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship; Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship; Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship; Mugget Scholarship; Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Scholarship; and the Wright Family of Alabama Scholarship, among many others.

Eligibility requirements and application details for all scholarships can be found on the HRI website. Scholarship awards range from $500 to $5,000, and the recipients are selected by the HRI Scholarship Review Panel, based upon criteria established by the donors. Applications may be submitted online for the 2024-2025 school year now through May 31, 2024. As in 2023, HRI is partnering with the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund on a common application, which allows students to apply for both scholarship programs at once and mitigate the time-consuming application process.

HRI is also pleased to celebrate the program’s current school year scholarship recipients. These scholarship recipients for the 2023-2024 school year showcase a diverse and talented group of students pursuing degrees in various horticultural disciplines. Their dedication to the industry, academic achievements, and future career goals illustrates the robust and vibrant future that awaits the field of horticulture.

The 2023-2024 scholarship recipients are:

Ramsey Arram, North Carolina State University – Spring Meadow-Proven Winners Scholarship, $4,000
Anna Baloh, University of Kentucky – Spring Meadow-Proven Winners Scholarship, $4,000
Landon Erbrick, Auburn University – Spring Meadow-Proven Winners Scholarship, $4,000
Cassandra Madru, University of Massachusetts Amherst – Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship, $2,000
Kayla Morrison, Oklahoma State University – Spring Meadow-Proven Winners Scholarship, $4,000
Debasish Paul, North Carolina State University – Mugget Scholarship, $1,000
Lillian Pinkelman, Ohio State University – Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship, $1,000
Yufei Qian, University of California, Davis – Susie & Bruce Usrey Education Scholarship, $500
Jorge Millan Rodriguez, California Polytechnic University – Usrey Family Scholarship, $1,000
Lauren Staley, North Carolina State University – Wright Family of Alabama Scholarship, $2,000
Katelyn Wissinger, Virginia Western Community College – Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship, $5,000
Yongjun Yue, University of Georgia – Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Scholarship, $4,000