When Mary Coffee, a senior, went to talk to her general studies adviser to discuss choosing a major, she had no idea what she wanted to do. As the adviser started throwing out ideas, Coffee was surprised to hear her say “floral design.” After declaring her major in horticulture, she entered the American Institute of Floral Design Student Competition and won third place for her design of a centerpiece for a sweetheart table.
“I felt like [horticulture] fell in my lap,” Coffee said. “I love it now. When I was living in the sorority house my sophomore year, I always gave out flowers to girls who were struggling with something. Then, I was talking to my adviser and she said ‘you can do anything you want; you can be an engineer, you can do floral design,’ and I just knew it was for me.”
B.J. Dyer, chairman of the American Institute of Floral Design Student Competition Committee, said the judging for the competition was technical, with points given for methodical use of color, depth, line, balance and proportion.
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