Shinoda Foundation Honors 2010-11 Scholars
The Shinoda Foundation recently announced its 2010-11 scholarship winners, including the second annual Shinoda Scholar of the Year. The honorees were carefully selected from a pool of 24 of horticulture’s finest students, based on career goals, work experience, academics, extracurricular activities and need.
- Shinoda Scholar of the Year: Evan Schnabel is the 2010-11 Shinoda Scholar of the Year, which honors the best of the best in floriculture, horticulture or a related field. A senior horticulture major at Iowa State University, Schnabel also received a 2009 Shinoda Foundation Scholarship for $2,500. His degree includes an emphasis in greenhouse production and management. He completed an internship with TimberPine Nursery and Greenhouse and conducted undergraduate research on poinsettia cultivars. He is a member of Pi Alpha Xi Horticulture Honorary, in the top 2% in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and served as Treasurer of the Iowa State University Horticulture Club. Schnabel will receive $5,000, a plaque and a letter of recognition, and he will be recognized at the OFA Short Course this summer.
- Shinoda Foundation Scholarships: Recipients of the Shinoda Foundation Scholarships are Evan Schnabel, senior horticulture major, Iowa State University ($5,000); Jenny Freed, junior horticulture major, University of Nebraska-Lincoln ($1,000); Molly Gilbert, senior horticulture major, University of Wisconsin-River Falls ($1,000); Joanna Kusilek, senior horticulture major, University of Wisconsin-River Falls ($1,000); John Lamont, senior environmental horticultural science major, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo ($1,000); Keri Livingston, senior environmental horticultural science major, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo ($1,000); Charlotte Vetter, senior horticulture major, South Dakota State University, Brookings ($1,000).
- California Floral Council (CFC) Scholarship: Keri Livingston. CFC President Hardy Neuendorff created the annual award in 2005 to help offset rising education costs.
To help encourage future scholarship applications, the Shinoda Foundation sends 10 percent of each scholarship to the winners’ educational institution departments. For 2010-11, this brings the total funding awarded to $12,100.
The California State Florists’ Association established the Shinoda Foundation in 1964 in memory of Joseph Shinoda, a pioneer of the state’s floral industry. The foundation encourages educational opportunities for young people interested in entering the industry. Since then, the foundation has awarded scholarships valued at $717,750 to more than 600 undergraduate floriculture students.
“The potential, growth and advancement of horticulture are embodied in these awards,” said Paul Ecke III, president of the Shinoda Foundation. “We’re proud to support these students as they grow and enrich the future of our industry.”
Information about applications for the Shinoda Foundation’s scholarships is sent each January to horticulture and floriculture departments at universities across the nation. Applications are available on the foundation’s website and accepted from January until March 30 each year. For more information on contributing to the foundation or applying for a scholarship, visit www.shinodascholarship.org.
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