Page 74 - Free State Spring 2023_WEB
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GROWING FORWARD (Continued)
Profile: Ellie Chetelat What kind of work are you currently doing in the
green industry?
Studied at: Morgan State University - Master of Landscape
Architecture I am currently working as a designer on ecosystem
restoration projects from living shorelines to stream
Awarded: MNLGA Ornamental Horticulture Scholarship
2021 restorations and nature-based stormwater management.
What would you like MNLGA members to know about
How did you hear about the scholarship, or what
prompted you to apply? their investment in you?
My next step is to take the LARE and become a
I am trying to remember how I heard about it, I have
attended MNLGA events before, so maybe I got a licensed landscape architect.
newsletter and saw an advertisement for the scholarship? What piece of advice do you think would be helpful
I also did a lot of research to find scholarships I was for others following in your footsteps?
eligible for. Get as much diverse experience as possible to figure
How did the scholarship help with out which direction you want to take and also to give
your studies? you insight into the different disciplines you will work with
in the future. I have worked as an urban farmer, a nursery
I am very grateful to have been a recipient of the
scholarship, which helped me avoid taking out worker, a construction project coordinator, and I’ve even
loans for school! The scholarship helped me by relieving worked on trails in state parks... all of these different
financial pressure so I could work fewer hours and experiences led me to where I am and also gave me a
dedicate more time to my studies. better understanding of all that goes into a project and
the different actors involved to make things happen.
Profile: Isabel Emanuel funds enough to attend my first research conference,
Plant Health (hosted by the American Phytopathological
Studied at: The Ohio State University - Plant Pathology
Society) in 2019. At this conference, I was able to give a
Awarded: Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship 2018 research talk to present my work to others in my field. I
How did you hear about the scholarship, or what received valuable feedback from this conference and was
prompted you to apply? able to meet some new collaborators who helped further
my work.
The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) had a
scholarship reference list that included the MANTS What kind of work are you currently doing in the
scholarship application details and requirements. My lab, green industry?
the Ornamental Crops Pathology Laboratory at OSU, I am currently wrapping up my PhD project at The
works closely with HRI as we receive research funding Ohio State University, with plans to graduate in the
through this organization. spring of 2023. The work I completed during graduate
How did the scholarship help school centered around understanding an emerging
with your studies? fungal disease which causes latent fruit rot in winterberry.
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is an ornamental shrub which
During my first few years of graduate school, I had bears colorful red or gold fruit throughout the fall and
yet to receive a grant to fund my research fully; at winter months. This plant is popular in landscape design
that point, I was working only with departmental and and as woody cuts for winter seasonal décor. Since 2012,
general laboratory funds, which my graduate program the Ornamental Crops Pathology Lab at OSU has been
and my advisor were very generous to provide. Receiving working on understanding a fungal disease which causes
the MANTS scholarship allowed me to extend these
fruit rot in winterberry and results in up to 100% crop loss.
74 SPRING 2023 • Free State News
