match the futurity of the flowered industriousness ; this year ’s Paul Ecke , Jr. and Altman Family Scholarship Recipients . They startle out like many of us — unassuming , immature , soon - to - be plant people search for a purposeful itinerary in biography .
With technology , sustainability , and possibilities on the brain , all three students are aiming gamy for the floral future with Hope to give back to the industry through their career endeavors . They cite Altman & Ecke Scholarships yield them the clock time and funds to pursue precise projects , ease the financial burden of their education , and expand their work .
2021 Paul Ecke , Jr. Scholar – Caleb SpallIn purity of the late Paul Ecke , Jr. , the Paul Ecke , Jr. Scholarship awards $ 5,000 a twelvemonth for two years ( $ 10,000 total ) to a consecrated MS / Ph.D. student attending a US land - Ulysses S. Grant university . Paul Ecke , Jr. was a extremely respected , long - time extremity of the industry who contributed critical knowledge through innovative inquiry and instruction program . This scholarship is awarded to passionate graduate students interested in contribute to the industry in a like feel through research and education . For more information , sink in here .
This Ann Arbor aboriginal sprouted a lovemaking for floriculture and horticulture through a middle school science labor . However , it was n’t until his sophomore year as an undergraduate at MSU that the interest shift into a career goal during a course of study on greenhouse structures and direction with his advisor , Dr. Roberto Lopez . “ It was amazing – I was fascinated by the combining of automation , engineering , plant , and art . It inspired me to specialize in flower gardening . ”
This course laid the foundation which invigorate Caleb ’s first internship . Caleb interned at Green Circle Growers in Oberlin , OH , where he was first exposed to commercial greenhouse operation and sparked interest in growing recitation , industry trouble , and alternative solutions .
“ I learned that it was an exciting metre to be infix the manufacture . While the diligence is already so advanced , there is a set that can be improved on and I was excited about that expectation . That ’s what drive me to pursue graduate school – to provide information to growers about unexampled sustainable technique . ”
Since then , Caleb has been pursuing his MS in Horticulture at MSU with many notable grants , accolade , and leadership titles under his belt . His focus lie in ignition practice , and since August 2020 , he ’s been involved in a collaborative undertaking with industry entities like Bloom Studios , Fluence , and Sakata Ornamentals , farm meaningful consequence in cut flower research . Like a true Ecke Scholar , he ’s set out to perish on the industry knowledge he ’s win by stepping into extra positions like MSU Student Horticulture Association mentor .
As Caleb continues his Education Department , his plans for the Ecke cash in hand include both share enquiry and learning more about these concepts through conference on domestic and international levels . He conceive these unwashed themes transcend the industriousness worldwide and wants to bring creative and novel proficiency to the American diligence .
“ you’re able to learn and apply so much to your current growing operation by observing and collaborating with others . I ’d love to apply these monetary resource in part for eventual travel , and to learn about flower gardening on an international plate . ”
Beyond that , Caleb hopes to land a domesticated problem in floriculture inquiry and development to help improve the sustainability and productiveness of our industry . He cite AFE as a adult incentive and tremendous support in his education , professional development , and report of ornamental flower gardening and gardening . “ AFE supports every vista of the diligence . It ’s encouraging to have an establishment that has your back – helping students , young professionals , and businesses alike . ”
2021 Altman Family Scholars – Mason Marshall and Mary LewisPassionate industry advocacy is a staple for the Altman Family Scholarship . Created in 2015 by Ken and Deena Altman , this Scholarship seek to support melioration in gardening education and enquiry by induct in undischarged , untested industry professionals .
The Altman ’s believe in the power of giving back and do so through the reach of this scholarship and Altman Plants programs that pop the question growing expertise to the manufacture . This erudition provide an annual learnedness ( this year $ 5,400 ) to promising and consecrated graduate scholar pursuing a career in gardening . For more selective information , click here .
Mason Marshall , Texas A&M UniversityBefore his world grew in green , Mason Marshall mean to pursue a medical calling . However , the semen of horticulture was planted by a summer job he got at a local business in Odessa , TX called Yard Dog Garden Center .
Mason observe , “ It open my heart to the cosmos of gardening . I really owe a lot to proprietor Randy and Lynn Correa . They put me on the path that I ’m on today . Working in the baby’s room , seeing all the fresh genetic science , petunias , and all the unexampled things on the market place got me interested in gardening and that ’s really when I fell in sexual love with it . ”
Two years into this line , Mason transferred to Texas A&M where he later on fine-tune with a bachelor ’s degree in gardening and nestling in bugology and plant fostering . Today , he ’s pursuing his master ’s at Texas A&M in Horticulture Science . Through graduate shoal , he branched into floriculture through research in the efficaciousness of plant development governor on potted plant sunflowers and potted industrial plant yield in a greenhouse . These projects have allowed Marshall to help introduce novel hybrid helianthus to the market with unique branching habits and continuous unfolding potentiality .
In addition to his research and slew of departmental learnedness , Mason has taken on four semesters as a Graduate Teaching Assistant . Having amount from a family of educators , teaching is in his line of descent . “ I ’ve taught over 100 students now and that ’s what I feel most proud of . I want to glide by on my cognition through filename extension , academia , or teaching . I ’m very lofty of being able to serve others in the manufacture . ”
Mason ’s favorite things about his amour in the industry are authorise his noesis on and being environ by plant . Sharing that connector and newfangled information with industry members contributes to industry growth , which he notes as very promising .
The progress in plant genetics he witnesses and contributes to help motivate his plans for the future . Mason hopes to enter the private sector , academic extension , or even continue his work with sunflowers . “ I ’ve been doing sunflower research for three years . I ’ve really grown partial and passionate about sunflower . ” So much so , that he ’s even considered get down his own farm .
Mason consider the opening are dateless for those who move into the floriculture and horticulture industry , as they are for him . prompt forward , he ’d get laid to finally apportion the research he ’s been working on and showcase a bit of what the eruditeness investment company have gone towards to give back to the industry .
“ I ’m unrestrained to be able-bodied to share my resultant — not only to give updates on my research to AFE to show them what these finances have contributed to but to share my final result with the diligence . ”
As an Altman scholar , Mason is also a big AFE advocate . Having been involved with AFE since attending a Board meeting and research presentation at Texas A&M in 2019 , Mason has since receive an additional scholarship from AFE and advocates for their grandness within the industry . He knows and appreciates the chance the organization offers , from scholarship , internships , and grants , to inquiry and career ontogenesis . He unceasingly encourages his students to apply for the sake of the manufacture ’s hereafter and his scholar ’s success .
“ specially after being a receiver , I want others to have the opportunity that I have been given . I found access to amazing scholarships , internships , and grants through AFE – I want others to know what ’s out there . ”
Mary Lewis , University of GeorgiaMeet Mary Lewis , or as some may bang her , Mary Snowberry . This untried , enthusiastic , self - glorify plant peeress has been surrounded by category members in the ground science field her entire life . It was only a matter of time until Mary found a corner of her own .
During a class hike stumble in the white mountains of New Hampshire when she was 11 , Mary and her syndicate were take heed to a naturalist give a lecture on local unparalleled plant species , one of which was the common snowberry . The snowberry is a rare , small plant with an edible , lily-white berry that taste like a tic - tac . On this trip , Mary was the snowberry spot - charwoman . “ That became the present moment in time for me where I say myself I be intimate plants . I thought , ‘ this is a very unique affair that I want to be a part of ’ because I really enjoyed the whole process . ”
As Mary puts it , she go down the plant hare gob . She later got her unmarried man ’s degree in gardening at the University of Georgia . She credits the former Dr. Paul Thomas and other consecrated , care prof for allow for the cognition and crowd she and others need to act on opportunity within the theater of operations like enquiry , scholarships , and internships . Since then , she has not only been act on her PhD in ornamental plant breeding but has been awarded AFE scholarships on multiple occasions , amass acknowledgment in legion research competition , and even interned at Disney .
While inspire by her experience , she ’s also very encouraged by the industry ’s ability to respond to interchange establish on consumer preference . “ I love that the industry is not growing the same varieties in the same agency for years on death . I love how the methodology will change and even the unlike types of plant you uprise will change . ” The same goes for breeding . Speaking as a fellow member of the floral community she continues , “ We take what we get a line based on what consumers like , want , or see , and we get to institute in plants that they would have never discover of or ensure of . We conform them and we change them so that they ’re more beneficial not only to the consumer and their yard , but for the bees , caterpillar , or anything that might total into tangency with the plant life . ” AFE - funded enquiry enhances best practices , plant breeding processes , and bloom quality like Mary mentions above . The industry is constantly evolving and AFE inquiry further the former advances and modification .
Despite what can be an unpredictable part of the floriculture and horticulture industry , the daunting possibility of upbringing are what she describe as a good job to have . Wanting to determine and do as much as potential , Mary enjoin that the Altman Scholarship has assuage financial accent from her didactics allow her to whole - heartedly pursue her most inspired plant endeavor .
mesmerized by breeding , Mary ’s research focuses specifically on the interspecific hybridization of asclepias . In the future , she hop to enter the theatre of operations of decorative industrial plant breeding and be a sort of liaison for growers , inform them on how to be successful in raise the plants she creates . Through possibly join a commission , connecting with a college , or volunteering , she hopes she can give back to the industry she lie with .
