2017 ASHS Annual Conference

It seems like I was born with an innate interest in plants. Whether that is true or not, I have certainly inherited from my family a passion for sustainability and an appreciation of the natural world. Shortly after joining FFA in high school, I began to think about pursuing an education in horticulture.

For the past four years I have had the privilege to study at the University of Georgia, which in my (extremely biased and limited) opinion houses one of the most dynamic Horticulture departments in the world. I jumped right in my freshman year, exploring local opportunities for advancing sustainable agriculture and landing a job at the UGA Trial Gardens. Along the way I was inducted into Pi Alpha Xi, where I have been active in production, record-keeping, and sales for our annual poinsettia fundraiser. After returning from a six-month internship at Metrolina Greenhouses, I am completing my final year of classes and serving as Vice President of the UGA Horticulture Club, with the responsibility of coordinating spring and fall plant sales to fund educational trips and scholarships for club members.

It was an honor to have been nominated for this award by my department, especially given that unlike many of my classmates, I will be graduating without having applied to graduate school. I have been fascinated by the scientific method as early as eighth grade, when I woke up early and stayed up late at night to count germinating lettuce seeds and observe the effects of gibberellic acid treatments. My passion for science has never been stronger than it is now. However, after interacting with dozens of graduate students, industry consultants, and professors (not to mention conducting a full-fledged research project of my own), I have come to realize that graduate school requires a tremendous amount of hard work, resilience, and focus. Most importantly, it is necessary to have a plan for putting that degree to good use, and that’s something that I don’t have right now. I am still considering graduate school as a future possibility as I work towards a career path that suits my particular strengths, desires, and expertise. No matter how my career takes shape, I will benefit from what I have learned thus far, and I will continue to uphold truth and logic in all areas of my life.

I am thankful to the ASHS Board of Directors for offering this opportunity to advance the next generation of horticulturists. If awarded, I will use the scholarship money to pay for travel expenses to and from UGA to Costa Rica, where I will spend June-December conducting research and educational tours on their sustainable farm.