Page 18 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2024_WEB

SCHOLARSHIPS

MNLGA 2024 Scholarship Recipients

In keeping with its mission to promote and provide for the future success of Maryland’s ornamental
horticulture industry, the Maryland Nursery, Landscape, and Greenhouse Association shall sponsor
academic scholarships to students pursuing an education in the field of landscape/ornamental
horticulture. We congratulate our 2024 scholarship recipients: Meg Smolinski, Cristi Demnowicz,
and Elliott Kenney.

Gardens with the five foci being the student groups, she strives to share
Natural Environment, Social Justice, her horticultural knowledge and
Mental Wellness, Utilizing Technology, learn from them. She recognizes that
and Landscaping Excellence. This answering questions makes her a
is something that she has shared better educator.
with many departments on campus
Lastly, she has had the pleasure of
and has helped her define her role
speaking to many people over the
and incorporate what she has been
past year. She has been asked to
learning in class directly into her work.
speak at the Professional Grounds
She is also excited to share that her
Management Society’s annual
classwork has motivated her to apply
conference, for the University’s
for and successfully achieve Maryland
Faculty & Staff Assistance Program,
Bird Campus designation for College
for honor programs such as the
Park campus through the Maryland
Meg Smolinski – 2024 MNLGA Bird Conservation Partnership. UMD College Park Scholars, and as part
Scholarship Award Recipient College Park is now part of the Bird of a panel discussion for Maryland
Public Television. She takes these
Meg is a grateful recipient of the City Network. This was achieved opportunities to promote the
MNLGA Horticulture Scholarship through her own research and that green industry and introduce
both in 2023 and 2024. In the of an Education Program Intern who undergraduate students to the field
past year, she has continued her reported to her, which was excellent very seriously. She feels that the
studies of Maryland agriculture training for her on how to best convey mission of the MNLGA aligns with
and agriculture education and horticultural information as it pertains her goals as well, specifically helping
put what she learned directly into to avian conservation. Additionally, people understand that horticulture
practice. Taking inspiration from the she continues to work with Epsilon and the act of gardening can
American Farm Bureau Foundation Eta, the environmental horticulture greatly improve one’s quality of life
for Agriculture’s Pillars of Agricultural professional fraternity on campus and mental wellbeing, and that
Literacy, she created a similar format and a brand-new Audubon Student environmentally sound practices lead
to highlight the Pillars of Education Chapter, as well as the Community to certifications like the most recent
for the Arboretum & Botanical Learning Garden. With each of these
Maryland Bird Campus designation.

18 WINTER 2024 • Free State News