Four horticulture students from colleges and universities nationally were awarded. Each one received a $2500 scholarship for the 2019-2020 granting period. The students were chosen from a competitive national applicant pool for their academic achievements, exemplary leadership abilities, and commitment to pursuing careers in horticulture.  One of the four national honorees was from the Horticulture program at Naugatuck Valley Community College.

Jacklyn Stupienski is entering her second year of a 2-year horticulture program at NVCC. She has received the Connecticut Horticulture Society Scholarship, and a merit scholarship for outstanding GPA and achievement. Jacklyn’s interests include design, propagation and growing, and last year she was accepted into the summer internship program at Monrovia. After she graduates, she hopes to apply for opportunities that involve growing, propagation, or sales.

On receiving notice of the scholarship, she commented, “I am so thankful for the passionate professors who have made my studies at NVCC so enjoyable. I’m also grateful that I live in close proximity to a publicly-offered horticulture program, which is a privilege given their scarcity. The program has provided me practical experience for a future in the horticulture industry and it gave me the skills and knowledge that led me to win the scholarship.”

NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D., noted, “We are grateful for the good work of our students, faculty and staff. NVCC is honored that one of our students was selected for this national scholarship. We appreciate the support of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) to bring attention to this program that helps students to obtain the education necessary to successfully pursue horticultural careers.”

Christopher Tuccio, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of the Horticulture & Landscape Design degrees at the Naugatuck Valley Community College, commented “Jacklyn is an excellent student and has been a great representative for our program. We are pleased with the support for our students and the spotlight on Horticulture afforded by this award. NVCC is the only community college in Connecticut that offers a degree in horticulture. Through the program, students may continue their education at a four-year university or apply for employment in landscaping, greenhouses, garden centers or landscape design centers. Over 500 students have received training at NVCC and have gone on to start their own businesses. The University of Connecticut is the only other college in the state that offers a horticulture degree and graduates from our program can expect to seamlessly transfer to UCONN to earn a bachelor’s degree.”

A total of 33 Spring Meadow-Proven Winners® endowed scholarships have been awarded to students since 2004. Scholarship applications for 2021 will open in April, 2020. Individuals who are interested in applying for a scholarship can check the HRI website or contact Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator, at (614) 884-1155 for more scholarship application details.

The Horticultural Research Institute, founded in 1962, has provided more than $8 million in student scholarships and research grants for projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Nearly $11 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations.

For more information about Spring Meadow Nursery and Proven Winners® ColorChoice® visit www.ProvenWinners-Shrubs.com and www.SpringMeadowNursery.com