ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has awarded the 2016 Altman Family Scholarship to Joshua Henry of North Carolina State University.
Henry is the first recipient of the Altman Family Scholarship, which was created in 2015 by Ken and Deena Altman, owners of Altman Plants.
This merit-based, prestigious scholarship assists in funding the education of floriculture graduate students (MS or Ph.D.), who will become leading floricultural scientists and educators.
The Altmans are highly appreciative of the field of horticulture and support numerous efforts to improve education and research for the industry.
Joshua Henry is pursuing a Master of Science at North Carolina State University and is an active member of several horticultural activities and clubs, including the Horticultural Science Graduate Student Association. Henry will receive $5,900 in funding from this scholarship.
"Floriculture and greenhouse production have been my passion for many years and I am so excited to be pursuing my master's degree in this amazing field," said Henry.
"This scholarship will make such a difference as I continue my education and I am so thankful to AFE and the Altman family for making opportunities like this available."
Henry performed a six-month internship at Smith Gardens in 2015 through AFE's Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Program, and "truly raised the bar for all future interns," said Don Spence, Production Manager and Intern Director at Smith Gardens in Oregon.
Henry's primary area of research is in plant nutrition of annuals and potted plants, specifically with phosphorus. He finds it rewarding to help diagnose different plant issues with growers.
His aspiration is to help growers directly through extension and indirectly through research.
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The American Floral Endowment is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the floriculture and horticulture industry through funding research, educational grants and scholarships. Since 1961, more than $15 million has been funded in research and educational projects, and more than $1.5 million has been funded in scholarships and internships designed to attract and retain the future leaders of the industry. To learn more about AFE or make a tax-deductible contribution, visit www.endowment.org.
Source: The American Floral Endowment