2022 NHFGC SCHOLARSHIPS
Audrey Vargish, Scholarship Chair
This year, three scholarships in the amount of $1000.00 each were awarded to students in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture at UNH. These scholarships provide financial support to either undergraduate or graduate students in programs and concentrations related to plant and environmental sciences, such as plant biology, environmental horticulture, forestry, forest technology, environmental conservation and sustainability studies, wildlife management, environmental sciences, and 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.
The New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Scholarship was awarded to Jenna Meyer who is a junior from Concord, NH. She is majoring in Wildlife Biology and Conservation with a dual major in Ecogastronomyand has a GPA of 3.97. In her essay, she wrote “Wildlife and Conservation Biology fuels my passion to help organisms that cannot protect themselves, while also protecting the future of the environment. Ecogastronomy satisfies my desire to encourage sustainable living and the production of clean food.” She is a member of several student organizations including the frosty club and the forestry honors society, Xi Sigma Pi. She is part of the Slow Food at UNH student organization and is a member of NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness. NAMI helps to provide a community for people struggling and those who want to support others on the UNH campus. She is an active rock climber. Her plans for the future involve conservation related research and “to make a difference in how the environment is treated.”
The Alice and Karl Jorda Scholarship was established by them on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary and is currently supported by the Jorda family. This year’s recipient is Elizabeth Mower who is a sophomore from Goffstown, NH. She is majoring in Wildlife Biology and Conservation with a GPA of 3.91. In addition to being a stellar student, Elizabeth is active on campus as a member of the organic garden club and the Trash to Treasures program in which students collect unwanted items at the end of the semester and sell to students the following semester to reduce waste. Also, she is her resident hall’s sustainability advocate. She attended the Lead UNH program, during which she developed a social change blueprint to improve the UNH dining halls in terms of quality of food for student wellbeing and sustainability. On top of that, she plays clarinet and marimba and is an active crafter and painter. She plans to study abroad in New Zealand through the EcoQuest program.
The Jean L. Thompson Scholarship was established in her honor by her daughters, Lindsay Thompson and Elizabeth Thompson. This year’s recipient is Steven Hardy, a junior from Newmarket, NH. Steven is majoring in Environmental Science: Ecosystems with a GPA of 3.5. Steve is passionate about plants. He hopes to study abroad with EcoQuest in New Zealand. In his essay, he writes “My goal to make communities better will be achieved when I have a career that allows me to engage with community members, participate in the decisions about the community, and use my educational background to help make the right decisions. I participate in my community currently, but only on a small scale. I hope to have a larger role in the future by using my environmental science degree to make communities more sustainable and healthier.” Steve joined the Coast Guard after high school. His adjustment to college was made more challenging by starting during a pandemic and having to take classes online, but he has been very successful. Steve is a member of both the Newmarket community garden and the UNH organic garden club, as well as the Coast Guard reserves.
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.
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NGC Scholarships
Each year, National Garden Clubs, Inc. offers up to forty-five scholarships (limited mostly to one per state) in the amount of $4500.00. 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 . Starting in 2023, forms can be downloaded, printed or completed online with 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!
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Several NH garden clubs offer scholarships of their own. One needs to contact their local club for more information.
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NHFGC Scholarships Awarded in Prior Years
In 2021, three scholarships were awarded to:
NHFGC Scholarship ($1000) Emily Chen
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($1000) Elaine Badders
Alice and Karl Jorda Scholarship ($1000) Hannah Jenkins
In 2020, three scholarships were awarded to:
NHFGC Scholarship ($1000) Jessi Chmielewski
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($1000) Kelsey Mercurio
Alice and Karl Jorda Scholarship ($1000) Emily Chen
In 2019, three scholarships were awarded to:
Jean L. Thompson scholarship ($1000) Preston Massingham
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($1000) Maggie Albert
NHFGC scholarship ($1000) Amy Labrecque
In 2018, five scholarships were awarded to:
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Susanna Bicknell
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) David Moore
Jean L. Thompson scholarship ($500) Matthew Morris
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Sabrina Bellerose
NHFGC scholarship ($500) Marc Lachance
In 2017, five scholarships were awarded to:
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Katherine Andrews
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Chloe Carter
Jean L. Thompson scholarship ($500) Matthew Morris
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Bekah Diamond-Bier
NHFGC scholarship ($500) Mikaya Minor
The 2016 scholarships were awarded as follows:
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Kaitlyn Orde
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Samantha Werner
Jean L. Thompson scholarship ($500) Molly Jacobson
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Daryn Clevesy
NHFGC scholarship ($500) Emily Balcom
The 2015 scholarships were awarded as follows:
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($1000) Matthew Smith
Jean L. Thompson scholarship ($500) Shenandoah Crook
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Natalie Feldsine
NHFGC scholarship ($500) Rory Carroll
The 2014 scholarships were awarded to:
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Jill Bartolotta
NH Federation of Garden Clubs ($500) Christopher Blackington
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Brendan Newell
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Abigail Gronberg
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Lisa Graichen
The 2013 scholarships were awarded to:
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($1,000) Nicholas B. Lanzer
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Jessica S. Veysey
NH Federation of Garden Clubs ($500) Leandra M. Mema
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Hannah M. Traggis
In 2012, the scholarships were awarded to:
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($1,000) Emily Spognardi
Alice & Karl Jorda Scholarship ($500) Stephanie Coster
NH Federation of Garden Clubs ($500) Lindsay Green
Jean L. Thompson Scholarship ($500) Jessica Veysey