The next generation of the floral industry is getting ready to kickstart their hands-on internships at production and retail operations around the country through AFE's Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program and Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program. This year, nine exceptional students passionate about floriculture have been awarded internships through the Endowment's programs.
These programs place students in paid internships, and award scholarships upon completion. The scholarships help provide students with additional financial security as they finish their academic studies and prepare to enter the floral industry after graduation.
The Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program places students at commercial production greenhouses or nurseries for three-, four-, or six-month durations and provides a scholarship of up to $6,000, depending on the length of their internship. Vic & Margaret Ball Interns also qualify for our Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Intern of the Year Award. This award recognizes students with exceptional participation in their internship and grants them paid hotel, registration, and airfare to the Cultivate conference, $500 spending cash for the event week, networking and photo opportunities with the AFE team, and a featured article in AFE publications. You can read more about this year's Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Intern of the Year Awards here.
The Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program places students at leading floral retail, wholesale, or supplier businesses for a period of 10-16 weeks, with a $2,000 scholarship upon their completion of the program. Depending on their placement, Mosmiller interns often hone their floral design skills, learn more about the ins-and-outs of managing a floral business, and improve their customer service skills.
According to the American Floral Endowment, both of these programs are beneficial for the industry as a whole – they allow companies to bring new, forward-thinking talent to their operations, while aspiring floriculture students get a chance to hone their skills outside of the classroom and immerse themselves in direct professional experience. The Endowment is proud to support and help these students along each step of their journey and careers.
"I am deeply committed to pursuing a future working with plants, and am so excited to take the first step of this journey through the Vic & Margaret Ball Internship," Brianna Wilson, one of our 2024 Interns, said. "I feel my passion, dedication, and experience will be a solid contribution to the wellness of the floral industry, and I know I can make a meaningful impact in my time as an intern."
For more information
American Floral Endowment
Tel.: +1 (703) 838-5211
www.endowment.org