2027 NHFGC SCHOLARSHIPS
This year, the NHFGC will award two scholarships. These are the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Scholarship in the amount of $2000 and the Jean L. Thompson Scholarship (in the amount of $1000), which was established in her honor by her daughters, Lindsay Thompson and Elizabeth Thompson. They can be applied for by undergraduate or graduate students attending a 2- or 4-year college or university that is accredited and listed on the official website of the U.S. Department of Education at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. The student must be in a program and concentration related to Plant Science, Agriculture, Forestry, Ecology, Conservation, Environmental Sciences, Plant Biology, Horticulture, Forest Technology, Environmental Conservation and Sustainability Studies, Wildlife Management, or other closely related programs. Recipients must be New Hampshire residents and are selected on the basis of academic performance, good character, service, and leadership ability in their fields of endeavor. A minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required.
Application Requirements
1) Completed Application Form. Click here for the form (doc) or (pdf).
2) Copy of Current and Complete Transcript.
3) Personal Letter by Applicant: Letter should discuss background, education and career goals, commitment to chosen field of study, special circumstances. Not to exceed one (1) typed page.
4) Extra-curricular Activities and/or Honors Received: Attach a descriptive list.
5) Letter of Recommendation: One (1) Letter of Recommendation, not to exceed one (1) typed page, is required from someone who is not related to you and who is able to discuss the following: Your scholastic ability, character references, work-related experience.
Submit these five (5) items as one (1) packet, either by e-mail or USPS, to the NHFGC Scholarship Chair on or before March 31, 2027.
Audrey Vargish, Scholarship Chair
22 Montana Drive
Sandown, NH 03873
603-887-3743
scholarship@nhfgc.org
List of NHFGC Scholarships Awarded in Prior Years
The NHFGC Scholarship is funded through gifts from its clubs, members and friends. In order to continue to support the outstanding young people who are recipients of this scholarship, it is important for all clubs in NHFGC to participate in annual donations to the Scholarship Fund.
NATIONAL GARDEN CLUBS (NGC) SCHOLARSHIPS
Each year, National Garden Clubs, Inc. offers up to forty-five scholarships (limited mostly to one per state) in the amount up to $4000. One year scholarships are available to juniors, seniors and graduate students pursuing a Master’s Degree who are planning a career related to gardening, landscape design, environmental issues, floral design or horticulture. A list of eligible majors can be found online. Among the criteria for applicants: one must be a US Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident of the United States: one must be attending school full-time as defined by the NGC: one must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale). Full information on requirements and application forms can be found at: https://www.gardenclub.org/college-scholarships . Between December 1 and February 1, forms can be downloaded, printed or completed online by uploading the necessary documents. Also, applicants can directly submit their forms by mail by February 1st to the NHFGC Scholarship Chair, Audrey Vargish, at 22 Montana Drive, Sandown, NH 03873. All applications received will be judged by that Chair and a committee to choose one winning application. After judging has been completed at the state level, the chosen application will be sent to the NGC Scholarship Chair by March 1st.
In 2022, Lydia Barnes of Stratham, NH was awarded a $4000 scholarship. Read the press release here and photo.
In 2012, Henry Glick was awarded NGC’s Kitty Larkin Scholarship in the amount of $3500.
During NGC President Shirley Nicolai’s term (2011-2013), she asked her Scholarship Chairman to contact the State Presidents of all 50 states and the National Capital Area to determine the total number of dollars awarded to students, on average, in any given year through their garden club sponsored scholarship programs. As President Nicolai suspected, the grand total was astounding: $ 1,515,034! YES, One million, five hundred fifteen thousand and thirty-four dollars! And this number is most likely on the low side as some clubs and/or state organizations, for their own reasons, chose not to divulge their scholarship numbers. New England alone awarded $307,175 to high school and college students pursuing fields of study related to horticulture and the environment. Yeah us!
Several NH garden clubs offer scholarships of their own. One needs to contact their local club for more information.
2026 NHFGC SCHOLARSHIPS
Audrey Vargish, Scholarship Chair
This year’s response to the NHFGC Scholarship offerings was less than last year. I spoke with a Dean at UNH who told me that she had 100 less students ask for applications this year than in any other year. I was also surprised by the fact that we did not receive a single application from UNH which has always been the highest number in the past. However, we did receive applications from a few students at schools that we had not heard from previously. The applications we did receive were several from Plymouth State University and Paul Smith’s College, plus Marist University and Nashua Community College. These scholarships provide financial support to either undergraduate or graduate students in programs and concentrations such as plant and environmental sciences, conservation, horticulture, sustainability and other closely related programs. Recipients must be New Hampshire residents and attend qualifying schools that are 2- or 4-year colleges and universities that are accredited and listed on the official website of the U.S. Department of Education. Recipients are selected based on academic performance, good character, service, and leadership ability in their fields of endeavor.
The New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Scholarship was awarded to Norah Conley of Windham, NH. She is in her junior year at Plymouth State University where she is majoring in Environmental Science and Policy and has a GPA of 4.0. Norah has been a student researcher for the NH INBRE program studying cyanobacteria in NH lakes and has been a regular farmhand at Abenaki Farm in Campton, NH. She is certified by NH Fish and Game as a Project Wild and Aquatic WILD educator. As such, Norah has hosted PSU guided tree tours, taught elementary students during their School to Farm Day at Rock Estates and facilitated school and town events such as annual visits to the Arnold Arboretum. Norah says, “I want to base my life around service – service not only to those around me, but to the Earth itself. I feel called to do everything in my power to protect the natural systems that sustain all life, as well as the rights of all their inhabitants.” In her letter of recommendation, Dr. Rachelle Lyons has said “Norah remains driven to build her knowledge, skill and experience and put them to use serving others.”
The Jean L. Thompson Scholarship was established in her honor by her daughters Lindsay Thompson and Elizabeth Thompson. Jean was a 40-year member of the Federated Garden Club and served from 2005-2006 as President of the NHFGC. This year’s recipient is Jonas Robert Welch from Derry, NH. He is in his freshman year at Paul Smith’s College where he is majoring in Forestry Ecological Forest Management and has a GPA of 4.0. As a child helping his grandmother in her gardens, Jonas first became interested in plants and their natural lifecycle. Now as a student, Jonas is developing scientific knowledge and practical field skills. Upon graduation, Jonas wants “to work as a professional consulting forester, helping manage private forests in a way that balances ecological health, sustainability, and the goals and values of landowners” and “contribute to the protection and responsible use of forest ecosystems so that they can remain healthy and productive in an ever-changing world for generations to come.” In his letter of recommendation, Professor Don Radcliffe, PhD says Jonas “stood out for his enthusiasm, curiosity, and prior knowledge.” In one assignment, Jonas went way beyond the one page that was needed because “he said that it was too much fun learning about the subject to just stop there.”
The NHFGC Scholarship is funded through gifts from its members, clubs, and friends. In order to continue to support the outstanding young people who are recipients of these scholarships, it is important for all clubs in the NHFGC to participate with annual donations to the Scholarship Fund.