Pennsylvania College of Technology: Faith Mitchell & Sophia Wiest
Penn State University: Zachary Fuchs, Killiann George, Zac Pulcini, and Dylan Walker
Temple University: Grace Lenart

Congratulations as well to Chase Minnick and Seth Strickland, who were the 2021-2022 recipients of the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association Scholarship in the College of Agricultural Science at Penn State University.

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The Foundation pledged $50,000 and Penn State is making a 1:1 matching contribution to the principal account of the fund in the amount of $50,000 for a total endowment of $100,000.  The endowment will be known as the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association Scholarship in the College of Agricultural Sciences.  Penn State will manage the funds and determine the recipient.  With the establishment of the endowment the Foundation Trustees were allowed to direct and restrict the funds based on interests and some demographics. 

The PLNA Scholarship will be given to full-time undergraduate students who are enrolled or planning to enroll in the College of Agricultural Sciences, who have a demonstrated financial need for funds to meet their necessary college expenses and who are pursuing a degree in one of the following majors: Landscape Contracting, Plant Science with the Horticulture option, Turfgrass Science, or Forest Ecosystem Management.  First preference shall be given to students whose home address of record is within Pennsylvania or states contiguous to PA.

The Foundation Trustees are thankful for the donations over the years that allow them to make these annual awards and now establish a scholarship that will live in perpetuity at Penn State University.  Being able to provide assistance to students interested and committed to pursuing careers in horticulture is just one of the many objectives of the PLNA Foundation, and by far, the most rewarding investment in the future of horticulture.

Click here to pledge your donation to help the PLNA Foundation continue to provide these scholarships and other investments in this industry’s future workforce.

PLNA tries to keep track of the past recipients and we have learned that many have gone on to own thriving businesses in the industry.  Stay tuned as we will be adding a new feature to the newsletter, highlighting some of the past scholarship recipients.

New this year, the Foundation Trustees elected to present the scholarships during a surprise visit to campus. Trustees Dan Eichenlaub and Ted Ventre visited Penn College and Bill H. Wells and Ed Copenhaver visited Delaware University. Scheduling conflicts prohibited the Trustees from a surprise presentation at Penn State, so a visit is being planned for a Hort Club meeting early in 2019.

Congratulations to the 2018-19 PLNA Foundation Scholarship Recipients!  Please click on their name for more information about each student.

Craig Hart – Delaware Valley University

Rachel Hill – Pennsylvania College of Technology

Nicholas Shelton - The Pennsylvania State University

Aaron Sledge, Jr. – The Pennsylvania State University

Kendra Snyder – Pennsylvania College of Technology

Kendall Wanner – Pennsylvania College of Technology

Credit Pennsylvania College of Technology. PLNA Foundation Board members Ted Ventre (left) and Dan Eichenlaub (far right) with scholarship recipients (left to right) Kendall Wanner, Kendra Snyder and Rachel Hill.

Credit: Delaware Valley University. PLNA Foundation Board members Ed Copenhaver ’75 (left) and William H. Wells (far right) present Craig Hart ’20 (center), a Delaware Valley University horticulture major, with a scholarship.

The Foundation Trustees look forward to growing and continuing the scholarship program in the future. If you know of any students who may be eligible – family, friend or intern, please inform them about the program. The 2019-2020 scholarship application will be available on PLNA.com in April 2019.

To learn more about the PLNA Foundation and/or Invest in the Future of Horticulture through a donation please click here.  The PLNA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) registered charitable organization.