MEET HRI SCHOLARS
The Wright Family of Alabama Scholarship
Wright’s Nursery & Greenhouse, Inc. is a small, family-owned and operated business located in central Alabama. The Wright family has been farming for many generations and began growing plants in the late 1960’s. They grow a diverse selection of annuals, herbs, perennials, tropicals, and vegetables that are sold at local independent garden centers throughout central and north Alabama. The business started from what most would consider a horrific accident. David Wright, Jr. lost his right arm in a farming accident at the age of 14. He now considers it as one of the best things to have happened to him. Without the accident, they would not have started the nursery and greenhouse business, nor would he have had the chance to attend Auburn University where he earned a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and met his future wife, Martha. Their son, Davy and his wife, Heather, now own and operate the farm.
Charlotte Simmons
Tennessee Technological University
Charlotte Simmons is currently a senior at Tennessee Technological University where she is majoring in horticulture. Charlotte's lifelong passion for plants has led her to work as a grower for multiple flower farms and greenhouse operations in middle Tennessee and as a greenhouse production intern for Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Simmons has been active as an officer in her university's Plant Science Club and strives to share her love for all things plants with her campus community. Upon graduation Charlotte hopes to immediately enter the greenhouse production industry as a full-time grower.
The Spring Meadow—Proven Winners Scholarship Fund
Bright, well-trained, and qualified people are essential to the nursery industry, and that's what inspired Dale and Liz Deppe to create the Spring Meadow—Proven Winners Scholarship Fund in 1999. The fund is dedicated to helping aspiring students from across the country obtain a degree in horticulture. The Spring Meadow team has been blessed by this industry and the mentors who've helped them along the way. This scholarship fund is their way of giving back and sharing the excitement for plants and the nursery industry with others.
Jack Bobo
University of Georgia
Jack Bobo, originally from Dallas, Texas, earned his BS in Horticultural Science at Texas A&M University in 2019 and an MS from the University of Georgia. Following his graduation in 2022, Jack embarked on his doctoral journey at NC State University, joining Brian Jackson’s Horticultural Substrates Laboratory. His doctoral research focuses on mitigating phytotoxicity linked to engineered wood fiber substrates and cultivating annual crops in peat-free and peat-reduced growing media within greenhouse environments. Scheduled to complete his PhD in May 2025, Jack aspires to continue advancing sustainable growing media and greenhouse production in the green industry.
Jemima Essien
Hendrix College
I am Jemima Essien, a Master’s student in Agriculture, specializing in Horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas. With a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (Horticulture) from KNUST, Ghana, and experience in various horticulture industries in Ghana and at SFA Gardens in the U.S., I have built a strong foundation in ornamental propagation and sustainable practices. I am a member of Horticulture Club (SFASU) and have participated in conferences such Grow Pro Webinars by the American Floral Endowment. My goal is to contribute to the nursery sector, advancing propagation and disease control methods for ornamental and woody plants.
Mary “Keen” Maher
Hendrix College
Mary “Keen” Maher holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hendrix College and a Master’s degree in Agriculture from California Polytechnic State University. After earning her MS, she worked as a grower and manager for a small hydroponic vegetable farm startup and as a Breeder Assistant for Ball Horticultural in central California. She is currently in the second year of her PhD program in Horticulture at Oregon State University, with a specialization in Plant Breeding and Genetics. Her research focuses on evaluation drought stress tolerance in a variety of induced polyploid forms of common ornamental plants. After graduating, Keen hopes to pursue a career in plant breeding.
Greta Gallina
University of Georgia
Greta Gallina is pursuing a Ph.D. in Horticulture at the University of Georgia. She received her bachelor’s degree in plant science from the University of Florida and her master’s in Horticulture from Michigan State University. Her Ph.D. area of research is ornamental plant breeding and genetics, specifically hibiscus. Her research focuses on traditional breeding, mutagenesis, and biotechnology. Greta’s future goal is to be an ornamental plant breeder and bring more advanced breeding methods to ornamental plants.
Evan Villani
NC State University
Evan Villani is a Senior at NC State University studying Horticultural Science. His passion for plants began in high school, when he started working alongside gardeners. He was inspired by attending conferences such as the International Plant Propagator’s Society and Southeastern Plant Symposium, where he was blessed to meet kind and incredible professors and industry professionals. After spending time with NCSU’s own Sweet Potato Genetics program, Mountain Horticultural Crops program, and the JC Raulston Arboretum, Evan has completely fallen in love with plants. He is currently developing his skills in landscaping and gardening.
The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship was established in 2002 by the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Inc. (MANTS). This scholarship serves to memorialize Mr. Akehurst who served the horticultural industry as one of the founders of MANTS. MANTS established this scholarship with the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) with the belief that the strength and future success of the horticulture industry lies in the solid education of today's students. MANTS' establishment of this scholarship reflects Mr. Akehurst's firm belief that education begets one the opportunity to achieve.
Elliot Kenney
University of Maryland
Elliott is a third-year landscape architecture graduate student at University of Maryland and Treasurer of the Maryland student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Driven by her duel passions for nature and justice, she comes to landscape architecture after ten years working in non-profit advocacy and training/technical assistance focused on ending homelessness. Elliott’s master’s thesis project draws from her experience as a late diagnosed neurodivergent to explore centering disability in the design of public parks to create spaces of beauty and belonging. She is additionally assisting in research focused on using VR technology to model urban flooding.
The Susie & Bruce Usrey Education Scholarship Fund & The Usrey Family Scholarship Fund
Susie and Bruce Usrey of Monrovia Growers Inc. established the Usrey Family Scholarship in 2001 and the Susie & Bruce Usrey Education Scholarship in 2009. The Usrey family considers graduating students in horticulture to be the lifeblood of the green industry. These scholarships are awarded annually to horticulture students enrolled in a California state university or college.
Ernesto Sandoval
University of California, Davis
Ernesto Sandoval obtained his BS degree in Botany from UC Davis but has always practiced horticulture. It started with working for his father’s landscaping business, then as a student employee, and then becoming a staff person managing one of the most diverse teaching collections in the country at the UC Davis Botanical Conservatory. His passion has been helping people understand, in practical terms, the science of horticulture. To further pursue his personal and professional educational and teaching goals he’s currently working on soils (media) and succulents as a Master’s student in the UC Davis graduate program in Horticulture and Agronomy and will likely pursue the PhD.
The Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship Fund
Bryan A. Champion, president of Herman Losely & Son, Inc. in Perry, Ohio, was a 5th generation nurseryman with a passion for the nursery and landscape industry. Champion understood the value of a quality education and the importance of industry research. Bryan passed away on November 10, 2011 at the age of 47. In honor of his legacy and dedication to the nursery and landscape industry, his peers established The Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Abbie Wade
Ohio State University ATI
My name is Abbie Wade. I am pursuing my degree in Greenhouse and Nursery Management at Ohio State ATI. My career goal of working in a nursery started when I was in elementary school when I became a member of the Dirt Don't Hurt Club with the Erie Metroparks. After receiving my degree is to become a full-time employee at the City of Sandusky Greenhouse with the hopes of one day becoming the greenhouse manager. My overall dream is to start a camp with Sandusky City Schools to educate others about the importance of horticulture and its careers.
The Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship Fund
The scholarship was created in 1988 by the Bigelow family to aid students from New England who are seeking a career in horticulture. The scholarship was dedicated initially to one of the family's children, the late Timothy Bigelow. At Palmer W. "Bill" Bigelow's death, the name of its creator was added. The Bigelow family considers student scholarships the most important commitment the horticultural industry can make to ensure the growth and development of the nursery and landscape industry.
Dante Filadoro
Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst
My name is Dante Filadoro, and I’m a junior at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst, originally from Lynnfield, Massachusetts. After graduating with an associate’s degree in Landscape Contracting, I’m now majoring in Turfgrass Science and Management. I love working outdoors and enjoy combining my education with hands-on experience, constantly learning both in the classroom and out in the field.
The Mugget Scholarship
The Mugget Scholarship is one of HRI’s oldest scholarship funds, started by a group of industry folks who used to get together for social events at various ANLA and other industry events. So, what’s a Mugget? The Mugget Growers of America (MGA) was established back in 1981. (I like to imagine that the notion was conceived somewhere near a bar.) The group would meet at various industry events to discuss important plant issues regarding the development of a new (pretend) plant called ‘Mugget.’ During those “meetings,” they’d raise money for Horticultural Research Institute, ultimately creating and growing a scholarship fund of over $50,000.
Mason Marshall
Texas A&M University
Mason Marshall is a Ph.D. student in the Horticultural Sciences Department at Texas A&M University. Mason's interest in horticulture began during high school while working at a nursery in Odessa, Texas. His research focuses on the diversity and growth habits of Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Wooten & Standl., a native wildflower found throughout the United States. A goal of his project is to produce new R. columnifera cultivars that are suitable for growth in the south-central United States. Mason is passionate about teaching. garden history, and growing ornamentals.
