Elizabeth Pierson, a horticulture major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has been chosen for Lawn & Landscape magazine’s Richard Foster Award, which recognizes outstanding students planning careers in the landscape, lawn care or horticulture business.
“Elizabeth’s willingness to seek out different experiences in horticulture shows the strong interest she has in making a career in the industry,” said Chuck Bowen, Lawn & Landscape editor and associate publisher. “Her desire to learn not only about design but also working hands-on with the different elements of a landscape is a great example for the industry.”
Pierson is a senior at Nebraska and will graduate in May 2017.
She hails from Sabetha, Kansas, where she became more interested in horticulture after working in a greenhouse for four years in high school. She then worked at a retirement complex, performing grounds works where she learned to work with shrubs and perennials while preparing the outdoor landscape for winter.
From there, she accepted positions at a large retail greenhouse and with UNL landscape services while still attending school. Her overall drive to succeed in the industry also impressed her professors.
“Elizabeth is interested in going beyond the landscape ornamentals learned in my earlier classes and frequently helps her peers to select plant and hardscape material for use in design work,” Richard K. Sutton, professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, wrote in his recommendation letter.
“Elizabeth has shown initiative by getting outside her comfort zone, seeking an internship on the East Coast, which to me demonstrates another feature of a leader – getting outside the box.”
That internship was at Chapel Valley Nursery, which she completed recently.
“They had me learn many different areas of their operation,” she said. “This included landscape installation, maintenance, design and corporate. I worked in a variety of areas. As a student from the Midwest, I was exposed to a whole new high-end scale of landscaping.”
Pierson plans on using all of these experiences to pursue a career as a landscape designer.
“I aspire to share my passion for horticulture with others and to take on the challenges of the industry,” she says. “Thanks to Lawn & Landscape, I am able to achieve my goals through my college journey. I look forward to my senior year and furthering my education with hopes to give back to others in the industry.”
The scholarship is named after GIE Media founder Richard Foster. GIE is the parent company of Lawn & Landscape, Golf Course Industry, Nursery Management, Greenhouse Management and Garden Center magazines, and a leading media company serving the lawn and landscape, golf course, nursery, greenhouse and garden center markets. This fund was established to support academic scholarships for outstanding college students focused on leading in the green industry.
To be eligible for the $2,500 scholarship, students must be enrolled at a recognized two- or four-year college or university working toward a degree in horticulture, environmental science or other field related to a segment of the green industry.
For more information on the GIE Media's Horticultural Scholarship Program, click here.
