Shinoda Foundation Invests in Horticulture’s Future

Jennifer Zurko

The Shinoda Foundation has awarded its annual scholarships, recognizing horticulture’s best and brightest students. Based on rigorous criteria including academics, work experience, career goals, extracurricular activities and need, the Foundation selects winners from programs across the nation. This year’s awards included seven scholarships, plus grants, to colleges and universities, all totaling $22,000.

“It’s our honor to contribute to horticulture’s growth by investing in the students that will be its future,” said Bob Otsuka, president of the Foundation. “These future horticulturists represent some of the best potential our industry has.”

This year’s recipients include:

Shinoda Foundation Scholarships

• Bay Boysen, Senior, Iowa State University—$2,500
• Erin Hsu, Junior, University of California-Davis—$3,500
• Whitney Kwok, Senior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign—$3,500
• Jaclyn Nelson, Junior, University of Nebraska, Lincoln—$2,500

California Floral Council Scholarship (applicants residing in California)

• Erin Hsu, Junior, University of California, Davis

Leo Goldberg Memorial Scholarship (given in memory of Skyline Flowers’ Leo Goldberg)

• Whitney Kwok, Senior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Shinoda Design Center Scholarships (applicants from community colleges in California majoring in floral design)

• Alida Jenks, Golden West College, Huntington Beach—$500
• Tara Whitefield, City College of San Francisco—$500

The Shinoda Foundation was established in 1964 under the auspices of the California State Florists’ Association in memory of the late Joseph Shinoda, a highly regarded pioneer of the floral industry. The Foundation’s purpose is to encourage educational opportunities for young people interested in entering the industry. The Foundation has awarded scholarships valued at over $811,000 to more than 667 undergraduate floriculture students since 1965.

Information about applications for the Shinoda Foundation’s scholarships is sent each January to horticulture and floriculture departments at universities across the nation. Applications are available on the Foundation’s website and accepted from January until March 30 each year.

Information about making contributions to the Foundation or about its scholarship program can be obtained from its website, www.shinodascholarship.org, or by writing to Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation Inc., 962 Pecho St., Morro Bay, CA 93442, or Pat Broering at pbroerin@gmail.com. GT