Twenty scholarships will be awarded to students, interns at botanical gardens, nature centers and/or parks, and to beginning professionals. Any student, intern or beginning professional who can demonstrate an interest in native plants and their use in the landscape--through horticulture, botany, ecology, landscape architecture or a related field--is encouraged to apply.
Scholarship Prospectus
Two (2) categories of scholarships are available:
NR – Not Restricted. Open to students and student interns.
BP – Beginning Professional. Open to applicants that have less than five years professional experience in a native plant-related field.
And two (2) types of scholarships are available:
Field Trip Scholarship – Recipients must arrive at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC between 6 and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Field trips begin early on Wednesday and last all day.
Non-Field Trip Scholarship – Recipients arrive Wednesday evening, July 22, 2009. The conference officially begins on Thursday, July 23.
Applicants may apply for either a field trip or a non-field trip Scholarship. Both types of scholarships cover all conference expenses: registration fee, a semi-private room and all meals during the conference. Field trip scholarships cover the additional fee for the field trip and Tuesday night housing and meal.
To apply for a scholarship, write a letter and include the following applicable information:
Your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address where you can be reached until May 31, 2009.
The name of the school you attend and a description of the degree program or internship in which you are enrolled/employed.
Your expected date of graduation or completion of internship, your overall grade point average, and your cumulative grade point average in your degree program at the completion of the most recent academic term.
If you are a beginning professional, please describe what you do, how you became involved in your work, and how you envision it evolving.
The type of scholarship for which you are applying.
A statement explaining financial need.
A statement explaining your specific interest and current involvement with native plants and why attendance at the Conference would be of value.
Students are asked to provide a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in their degree program. Interns and beginning professionals are asked to provide a letter of recommendation from an advisor, employer, mentor, professional colleague, or client.
Scholarships will be awarded based on merit and need. Please note that scholarship winners will be selected primarily on the strength of their letter of application and their faculty or professional recommendation. All applicants are strongly advised to review their submissions to ensure that all the requested information has been included. Applications without the information requested are incomplete and will be considered only after complete applications have been judged and awarded.
Mail or email scholarship applications to:
Miegan Gordon
Cullowhee Scholarship Committee
35 Cullowhee Street
Asheville, North Carolina 28801
Email: rcgordon@bellsouth.net
To assure consideration application material must be received by Friday, April 10, 2009. Applications received after this time will be considered after punctual applications have been judged and awarded. Applications without the requested information are incomplete and will be considered late. An announcement of the scholarship awards will be made May 31, 2009.
For additional information, email Miegan Gordon at rcgordon@bellsouth.net or call 828-254-5733, leaving a message, your phone number and a time window for a return call.