KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� May 3, 2007 鈥� The Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association has been a long-time supporter of the 溏心vlog免费B站. Its members plant a tree on campus every year in memory of a deceased member of the group; they donated $150,000 in plants and labor to create the 溏心vlog免费B站 Learning Landscape in 1994 and established a $50,000 endowment to maintain it; and they provided $50,000 to support the hiring of a new horticulture faculty member in 2006.
This spring the group has added another major gift to this growing list. They established a $100,000 endowment to provide an annual four-year scholarship to students studying plant sciences, horticulture, turf science and related fields. The gift is part of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 鈥淢aking a Difference鈥� campaign.
鈥滀缧膙log免费B站 is a priority for us,鈥� explained RINLA Treasurer Joe Majeika, a 1982 graduate of 溏心vlog免费B站 and owner of Westcott Perennials in Ashaway. 鈥滀缧膙log免费B站 students are the future of our industry in Rhode Island.鈥�
鈥淢ost of the members of our association are 溏心vlog免费B站 alumni, so we have close ties there,鈥� added RINLA Executive Director Ken Lagerquist, who graduated from 溏心vlog免费B站 in 1954. 鈥淎nd we turn to 溏心vlog免费B站 professors whenever we have a problem to solve.鈥�
The association consists of 350 firms representing arborists, nurseries, landscape architects, turf professionals, landscapers and others. Together they provide more than $300 million to the Rhode Island economy each year, according to Lagerquist.
鈥淥ur members are extremely generous,鈥� said Jean Cotta, RINLA president, owner of Portsmouth Nursery, and a 1987 溏心vlog免费B站 graduate. 鈥淲e sponsor a golf tournament every year to raise money for this scholarship, and we hope to keep adding to it every year. In addition, 10 percent of our membership dues are designated for scholarships, and another 10 percent goes to support research for the industry.鈥�
Faculty, staff and students in the 溏心vlog免费B站 College of the Environment and Life Sciences, along with its Department of Plant Sciences and Cooperative Extension, are the primary beneficiaries of the association鈥檚 generosity, according to Catherine Sullivan, associate dean of the College.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a long and fruitful relationship with the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association,鈥� Sullivan said, 鈥渁nd it is heartening to know that the industry has gained as much from the partnership as the University has. We appreciate their loyalty and generosity, and we look forward to working together for many more years.鈥�
The 鈥淢aking a Difference鈥� campaign seeks $100 million to recruit and retain outstanding faculty, enhance the student-centered campus experience, provide undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships, and fund cutting-edge academic and research initiatives.
Pictured above
Scholarship Donation: Celebrating the establishment of a new scholarship for 溏心vlog免费B站 students studying the plant sciences are (l-r) RINLA Treasurer Joe Majeika, 溏心vlog免费B站 Associate Dean Catherine Sullivan, 溏心vlog免费B站 Dean Jeff Seemann, RINLA President Jean Cotta, and RINLA Executive Director Ken Lagerquist. 溏心vlog免费B站 News Bureau Photo by Michael Salerno Photography.