Campus & Community

Three Palm Beach State College students studying horticulture and landscape management have received $2,750 in scholarships from organizations that preserve and promote Florida’s green spaces.

The Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden, recently awarded their annual scholarships to two students enrolled in Palm Beach State’s Landscape and Horticulture programs:

• Amanda Newell was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to help her pursue the Landscape and Horticulture Specialist College Credit Certificate and possibly go further. The Delray Beach resident grew up in Palm Beach County and earned a bachelor’s degree before discovering her interest in farming, organic gardening and sustainable horticulture. Newell also completed the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Master Gardener program with Palm Beach County Extension Service.

• Meagan Mottinger received a $750 scholarship to aid her in completing the Associate in Science degree in Landscape and Horticulture Management. Another Palm Beach County native, she resides in Jupiter and has been an active Master Gardener volunteer at local schools for several years. Her enjoyment of working with children inspired her to become an educator and teach about environmental horticulture, sustainability and protecting Florida’s resources.

The Florida Turfgrass Research Foundation awarded a $1,000 William J. Entwistle Memorial Scholarship to Bryan Wackes, who recently graduated from the Landscape and Horticulture Management A.S. degree program. After earning a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Supervision and Management from Palm Beach State in 2012, Wackes developed a passion for horticulture. He decided to pursue the A.S. degree and is currently applying what he learned as an employee of Island Environmental in West Palm Beach.

“What a pleasure it is to see community support for our talented students who have earned this assistance through hard work in the classroom and outdoors in the dirt and bugs,” said Professor George K. Rogers, Ph.D., chair of Palm Beach State’s Landscape and Horticulture department. “You could scarcely recognize more deserving individuals who bring it all to the table. A special thanks is due Mounts Botanical Garden for continuing to sustain our multi-decade, mutually beneficial relationship promoting horticulture in Palm Beach County, as well as to the Florida Turfgrass Research Foundation.”