HortScholars Program Is Open For 2017 Applications

Posted by Brian Sparks|December 15, 2016

AmericanHort has announced that its HortScholars program is now accepting applications through March 1, 2017. The HortScholars program is open to any student in a horticulture-related degree program, and includes students pursuing any degree level including associates, bachelors, masters, or PhD. Students wishing to apply should go to AmericanHort.org/Scholars, and submit a resume and a letter of recommendation to Lauren Snyder at [email protected].

HortScholars will spend seven days in Columbus, OH, prior to and during Cultivate’17 with an all-access pass to Cultivate, as well as a one-year membership with AmericanHort. HortScholars experience the behind-the-scenes logistics of readying the Columbus Convention Center for Cultivate and have exclusive opportunities for in-depth discussions with industry leaders. These meetings provide HortScholars with insights into industry history, as well as opportunities moving forward.

Since 2007, 58 students from around the world have participated. Twenty-two colleges and universities have been represented, showcasing the diversity of top-level horticulture programs. Each year, applications reflect vast variations in interests and passions. In 2016, the HortScholars’ majors ranged from Horticulture Entrepreneurship to Landscape Management.

“Being a HortScholar has allowed me to make amazing professional connections as well as some pretty awesome friends,” says Sayde Heckman, a 2016 HortScholar from the University of Missouri. “My favorite experience at Cultivate was being able to present my Ignite presentation in front of my peers and the industry. Being able to speak on a topic that I am so passionate about reminded me how much I enjoy getting other people excited about horticulture.”

HortScholar alumni have gone on to do valuable research in the realm of plant genetics, green infrastructure, and growing technology, while others have pushed the limits of how horticulture products are marketed and shared. Yet others go on to help manage and run family businesses, start businesses of their own, or assume critical leadership roles in advancing the industry.