The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund Names Its 2026 Recipients

The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund, created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), has announced the names of 12 students from seven southeastern universities chosen to receive academic scholarships this year. Eight of the awards are named scholarships honoring past industry leaders or loved ones. This year, awards have been increased to $2,500 each, totaling $30,000, up from $2,000 each and $24,000 total in 2025.

2026 Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund Recipients

Awards are being presented to the following excelling scholars (listed in alphabetical order):

• Afrifa Amoah-Mensah, University of Florida — Richard J. Hackney Scholarship
• Carly Anderson, University of Florida — Dr. Bryson L. James Scholarship
• Rylee Brown, University of Arkansas
• George Buss, North Carolina State University — Robert L. VanLandingham Scholarship
• Michael Cook, Texas A&M University — Dr. James & Fay Foret, Sr. Scholarship
• Tori Guarino, University of Florida
• Homa Hajarian, Virginia Tech — Art & Millie Lancaster Scholarship
• Tanner Hamerling, University of Georgia — Arthur A. “Buck” Jones Scholarship
• Ashley Jackson, University of Florida — Lee C. Howell Scholarship
• Kimberly Mayer, Texas Tech — Sally Smith Scholarship
• Christina Mercado, University of Florida
• Edilzon Ramirez, University of Florida

Scholarship recipients are determined through a competitive application process, administered by a selection committee, based on academics, determination, demonstrated interest in the horticulture industry, and financial need. This year’s recipients were chosen from a very competitive group of applicants.

Danny Summers, the Executive Vice President of the fund, praised students who received scholarships, highlighting their academic excellence and passion for horticulture. According to Summers, these scholarships are crucial for these students, reducing financial stress and allowing them to focus more effectively on their studies. He expressed confidence that the scholarship recipients will become valuable contributors to the horticulture industry upon completing their education.

This was the fourth year that the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) announced their collaboration in creating a common application form for their respective scholarship programs. This partnership makes it easier for students to apply for multiple scholarship programs at once and mitigate the time-consuming application process. Feedback from this year’s applicants confirmed the process was easy, and the ability to apply for more than one scholarship (if eligible) was beneficial.

The financial support offered by the fund has allowed many students the opportunity to work toward their educational goals. With this year’s awards, the fund has awarded a total of $704,000 since its establishment in 1989. The fund’s current assets are now more than $1,250,000. Eight named funds have been established to date:

1. The Dr. James & Faye Foret Fund
2. The Richard J. “Dick” Hackney Fund
3. The Lee C. Howell Fund
4. The Dr. Bryson L. James Fund
5. The Arthur A. “Buck” Jones Fund
6. The Art & Millie Lancaster Fund
7. The Sally Smith Fund
8. The Robert L. VanLandingham Fund

For those interested in establishing a Named Scholarship to honor a loved one, past industry leader, or company, named Scholarships are established with a commitment of $30,000, with a minimum of $5,000 to begin and fulfillment over the next five years. Once established, a scholarship will be awarded annually in the designated name.

Those interested in supporting horticultural students in the Southeast are encouraged to visit the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund website for details.