Jan 13, 2012

Shinoda Foundation Opens 2012-13 Scholarship ApplicationsSource: Shinoda Foundation

Shinoda Memorial Scholarship applications are now open for future growers, retailers, florists, and horticulturists.

“For college and university students planning a career in floriculture, the Shinoda scholarships present an enviable opportunity for advancement,” said Paul Ecke III, president of the Shinoda Foundation. “Through them our industry invests in the future, sowing the seeds for a lifetime of success.”

The esteemed Shinoda Foundation Scholarships, including the prestigious Shinoda Scholar of the Year, are bestowed annually. Two additional scholarships honor top floral design students: the Shinoda Design Center Scholarship and the Jimmy Shinoda Memorial Scholarship, which support California community colleges in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.

To be considered for any of these prestigious awards, students must complete and return the application by March 30, 2012. Winners are announced by the Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation later in the spring.

Winners of the scholarships, named in honor of California floral industry pioneer Joseph Shinoda, have gone on to become leaders in floriculture. Among the former beneficiaries are Andy Higgins, president of Ecke Ranch, Encinitas, Calif., and Royal D. Heins, horticulture professor emeritus at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.

The foundation has assisted more than 600 students with a total of more than $740,000 since Richard Tsukushi of Cal Poly State University and George Field of University of California, Davis, received the first Shinoda Scholarships in 1965.

Undergraduates in accredited colleges, universities and California community colleges are eligible. Preference will be given to applicants who have indicated a strong commitment of furthering their education in the field of floriculture (production, research, retail, floral education, floral design, and sales and marketing).

Find downloadable forms and detailed information on the 2012-2013 scholarships at www.shinodascholarship.org, or contact bmccaleb@calpoly.edu; 805.544.0717; or 234 Via La Paz, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 93401. Beginning in mid-January, information will also be available from horticulture department offices at colleges and universities across the nation.