Leiah Devoux
Leno Bassett Scholarship
School: Lake Washington of Technology
Focus of Study: Environmental Horticulture
Graduation Date: Fall 2025

My goal in attending LWTech is not just to pursue an AAS and walk away, but to regain my knowledge about plants so that I can start my own business as an organic medicinal herb farmer and begin making my own organic bueaty products using the herbs that I grow.

Jennifer Fisher
Fred Palmer Scholarship
School: Bastyr University
Focus of Study: Certificate of Holistic Landscape Design
Graduation:

My educational goals are to learn about permaculture in the context of public landscape design ethics, and to facilitate community outreach with local government. Ideally to provide education about food security, habitat protection and environmental stewardship.

Permaculture seems to carry with it the intersection of beautiful landscape design, human connection, and environmental stewardship. I am passionate about creating outdoor spaces for people to connect. And to use beautiful thought-provoking landscapes as a means for activism and healing. Landscapes that can spark new ways of thinking.


Talia Halperin
Marland Edwards Scholarship & Jim Brown Scholarship
School: Edmonds Community College
Focus of Study: Landscape Design and Sustainable Landscape Management
Anticipated Graduation: May 2026

I would like to cultivate a career in horticulture that allows for creative expression, creation of environments and evocation of emotion – all while outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Daniel N. Wright
Walters Family Scholarship & Ray Holmberg Scholarship
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Study: Environmental Horticulture
Anticipated Graduation: Spring 2025

Upon gaining my AAs in Environmental Horticulture from LWTech, I am seeking to take a certified professional horticulturist exam and pursue an internship at a botanical garden.

My eventual career goal is work in the propagation of endangered species, as the loss of plant biodiversity is something I care deeply about, and I believe needs to be more thoroughly addressed. I would like to work at a nursery or garden gaining experience in propagation or rare species until I gain sufficient knowledge to pursue my own venture. At some point in the future, I would very much like to find my own botanic garden or conservatory specializing in woodland species, emphasizing landscaping and design inclusive for those with disabilities. 

Sophia LeBard
Pauline Smith Scholarship & WaFlora Scholarship
Washington State University
Study: Landscape, Nursery & Greenhouse Management. Minor: Music & Horticulture.
Anticipated Graduation: December 2024

I would like to pursue a career in the flower industry, growing and distributing flowers is my goal. After completing the genetics course, I would be interested in also looking into research opportunities or attending grade school to further this interest.  My current career goal would be to won my own flower farm where I can produce high quality crops for florists. I would also like to use some of these flowers for my own floral designs to decorate weddings. Plants and agriculture are important o me and I cannot wait to dedicate my career and life to learning and understanding them and our ever changing environment.

Rachel Taylor-Carleton
Herbert & Marion Frost Scholarship & Windsor Bond Scholarship
Eastern Oregon University and Wenatchee Valley College
Study: Agricultural Entrepreneurship. Minor: Business, with horticulture emphasis.
Anticipated Graduation: June 2025

My husband and I are excited about the future we can create in the tree fruit industry. I am from a ranching and agriculture family in central Oregon and he [ husband ] is from an apple orchard in Manson, Washington. During the pandemic we took a break from college, but when his parents began talking about selling their 40-acre apple orchard, we jumped at the change to take on the opportunity. As with anything in agriculture, we quickly realized there was a lot to learn. For two years we have been living and working in Manson and immersing ourselves in the apple industry.

Natalie Valdez
Peter Van Well Sr Scholarship, Johnnie Holmason Scholarship & Bert Snyder Scholarship
Washington State University
Study: Environmental Science/Landscape, Nursery and Greenhouse Management. Minor: Horticulture
Anticipated Graduation: May 2025

My dream job is to have a botanical garden where people can visit and have their special events. However, I also would like to be able to teach others how to garden and care for landscapes sustainability. I plan to use my education and professional experience to make it a reality.

I believe that the most important thing we can do is take care of our land and environment and I appreciate every opportunity that allows me to do just that. Whether looking at fruit or creating landscapes that provide people a space to appreciate our Earth, I intend to improve the environment now and for the future.

Taylor Woodworth
George Gillett Scholarship & Junkoh Harui Scholarship
Washington State University
Study: Landscape, Nursery and Greenhouse Management. Minor: Horticulture.
Anticipated Graduation: December 2024

With this degree, I hope to work in a public garden or conservatory, where I can help educate the public and those with a passion for plants on how to care for them. With the ever-changing climate condition, I hope to be able to teach people how to care for and cultivate environments that bring joy to people while reducing environmental stress brought by some traditional methods of growing. In education and participation from the community, people will notice and aim to change current climate change policies to better regulate harmful inputs to our ecosystems.