Category: Scholarship Winners

WVNLA’s board of directors has selected two recipients for the 2021 Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship. Sarah Naegele and Jacob Riggleman are both students at West Virginia University.

Sarah Naegele is a senior studying landscape architecture at West Virginia University. She grew up in Charleston, where she graduated from Capital High School. Her path to landscape architecture was initially sparked by a love of art.

“When I came to West Virginia University, I was undecided but had been leaning toward art or landscape architecture for my major,” Sarah explained. “I had taken art classes all four years of high school and already knew what to expect, but I had no clue what landscaping would require. So I decided to take one of the basic classes, History of Landscape Architecture, and absolutely loved the idea of the job. It was amazing to think that my creativity could be reflected and produced into the landscape for people to enjoy.”

Summer employment with TerraCare in Charleston helped Sarah understand the type of work a licensed landscaper does. She used her auto-CAD skills for design, furthered her knowledge of plant materials, and installed beds. Her projects ranged from basic residential jobs to the elaborate flowerbeds on the State Capitol campus.

“It helped me realize that my job will have me outside as much as inside,” she said.

In her recommendation letter, Sarah’s landscape architecture advisor, Lisa Orr, spoke highly of her academic performance, as well as her potential.

“Sarah was a talented designer even at an early stage in her academic career,” Lisa said. “I expect her to be an accomplished professional in the field after she graduates.”

The news that she was a scholarship recipient surprised Sarah.

“When I received the email letting me know that I had received the Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship, I was very shocked. I do not think it quite set in until I received the letter a few days later. I did not stop smiling the whole day, it was such an honor,” she said.

After her graduation in May, Sarah hopes to return to TerraCare.  An avid hiker, she hopes to one day design trails for state or national parks.

 “I would love to come back to West Virginia and be able to design something new and unique, to leave my own mark on these beautiful mountains,” she said.

Jacob Riggleman is a junior studying horticulture at West Virginia University. He grew up in Buckhannon, where he enjoyed working in vegetable gardens at an early age. When he was 16, he started his own lawn care and landscape business in his hometown.

After Jacob graduated from Buckhannon-Upshur High School in 2018, he decided to further his education in horticulture. He attended WVU Potomac State College in Keyser, where he earned an associate’s degree in horticulture in the spring of 2020. The following semester, he enrolled at WVU in Morgantown, where he is on track to earn a bachelor’s degree in  horticulture in 2022.

“I was very excited about this program, as it is what I am very passionate about,” he said.

Jacob’s advisor and instructor at Potomac State, Donna Coffindaffer, said that he is not only an excellent and devoted student, but that he also seeks experiences outside the classroom to further his education.

“He worked with our sustainable agriculture coordinator, Corey Armstrong, and our farm supervisor, Andy Walker, to gain hands-on knowledge of greenhouse work, high-tunnel production, maple syrup production, and general farm tasks,” Donna said.  “These have enhanced his education with practical knowledge that will serve him well in any future work. The work ethic that Jacob brings to each task is far beyond the normal college student.”

Today, Jacob mows some 15 yards and usually completes at least one landscape job a week. During the school year, he travels from Morgantown on weekends and some evenings to meet his customers’ needs. After graduation, he plans to grow his business and hire employees. He hopes to start a greenhouse for growing bedding and vegetable plants, and for propagating fruit trees.

“I would like to thank the West Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association for this scholarship. I intend to dedicate my future to making our world more aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable,” Jacob said.

Rennix Scholarship Winner is Grounded in Experience

Described by his professor as a “credit to our landscape architecture program,” Tyler Bailey adds the honor of being named 2020 WVNLA scholarship winner to his credentials. Tyler is a native of Poca working toward his bachelor of science degree in landscape architecture at West Virginia University. He was selected as the 2020 Marcus W. Rennix Scholar based on his impressive work background, professor recommendation, and academic record.

Although Tyler began his college career as a civil engineering major, his experiences working summers for his father, Terry Bailey, who owns a landscape business, L&T Property Solutions in St. Albans, drew him to a landscape architecture major.

“I am excited and dedicated to being able to incorporate sustainable designs and seeing my designs come to life in the field. I think it is extremely awesome to plan a design and watch it come to life. This is the main reason I chose the landscape architecture profession to pursue my career dreams,” Tyler said.

Early on, while working for his father, Tyler learned hands-on how to bid, design, plan, schedule, and build projects in the field. He recalls learning to drive a dump truck when he was 14 years old. Later, as a project manager, he learned to take a project from start to finish. The projects included retaining wall and patio construction, sod installation, and lawn irrigation system installation. He operated skidsteers and excavators, and learned estimating and training techniques.

 “Being able to acquire hands-on field experience has provided helpful knowledge that directly relates to my landscape architecture career while studying at WVU. I credit my father with providing me the proper opportunities and experience that directly resulted in being able to decide on my career path,” Tyler said.

Tyler says the guidance of both his father and his mother, Lisa Bailey, has played a key role in shaping him and the career he’s chosen. He watched the example set by his father, who started L&T Property Solutions when Tyler was very young.

Tyler’s classroom demeanor, leadership, performance, and work ethic impressed Assistant Professor Vaike Haas, who has instructed him in three courses. In his classroom and on projects, Vaike has observed Tyler exploring creative solutions and incorporating feedback from peers and instructors.

“He’s not afraid to take a chance or to learn from constructive criticism, and he is always willing to refine a concept to a finished design—markings of a strong designer in the making,” Vaike wrote in his recommendation for Tyler.

After graduation, Tyler hopes to find a position that will lead to a project manager job or perhaps toward starting his own firm as a licensed landscape architect in West Virginia.

“Being born and raised in West Virginia, I believe there are many opportunities to incorporate design elements and enhance a variety of locations across the state,” he said.

We wish Tyler well and congratulate him on being named the 2020 Marcus W. Rennix Scholar.

West Virginia University students Brent Mitchell of Shady Spring and Nicholas Oxendale of Oak Hill have been selected as the 2019 WVNLA Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship recipients. Both are landscape architecture majors.

Brent, who plans to minor in horticulture, has owned and operated his own landscaping company, HighLine Landscaping, for three years. He began the company while attending Concord University and Bridgemont Community and Technical College, where he  knocked out some of his early semesters of course work. His experience with his landscaping business, which has grown each year, led him to a green industry career path.

“My decision to become a landscape architect was based upon my business. I hope to one day run my company as efficiently as possible with all the knowledge that I will gain in this program. Landscape architects focus on aesthetically pleasing areas in the field and that is exactly what I strive to do,” Brent said in his application.

Landscape Architecture Assistant Professor Elisabeth Orr, who has instructed Brent in several courses, recommended him for the scholarship. “I am certain he will continue to excel in our program, and I expect him to be an accomplished professional in the field after he graduates,” she said.

A junior, Nicholas Oxendale manages to hold down four jobs in addition to his course work. When he’s not in class, he works occasionally for a landscaper and is also a personal trainer, group fitness class instructor, and AutoCad instructor.

Nicholas particularly enjoys landscape architect classes that take students on-site for projects. “Our natural terrain is a thing of wonder, but it can be fragile. Development must recognize this and adapt projects to be compatible with it. I would hope to use in my professional career as a landscape architect the principals of adapting economic and development projects to the terrain to enhance both human life and the environment,” he wrote in his application.

Associate Professor Peter Butler wrote a glowing recommendation for Nicholas, whom he has known for the three years Nicholas has been a WVU student.

“Nick is a highly motivated student who strives to find creative and thoughtful solutions to complex design problems.… His communication skills are excellent. He has a strong interest in plant materials and their application to improving aesthetics, quality of life, and spatial definition in our contemporary environments,” wrote Peter.

Both Brent and Nicholas met all the requirements of the scholarship. We wish them the best as they pursue careers in the green industry.

Congratulations to Amanda Hamilton, who was recently selected as the 2016 recipient of the Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship. A junior horticulture major at West Virginia University, Hamilton grew up in Raleigh County and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. She was chosen for the award based on her excellent grades, involvement in student activities and glowing teacher and employer recommendations.

Hamilton’s interest in plants started when she was a child. She loved playing outdoors and  in her family’s gardens, where they grew lots of vegetables, herbs and flowers. In high school, Hamilton excelled in biology. Her teacher, Ms. Clark, encouraged students to excel and to consider careers in the sciences. For Hamilton, she recommended agronomy or horticulture.

“After some investigation of what the field of horticulture included, I fell in love. It was the perfect mix of biology, chemistry, art and hands-on work,” she said.

Hamilton encourages other students to consider careers in the green industry. “Any student who doesn’t want to spend their working career in a cubicle from 9 to 5 should consider horticulture or the green industry,” she said. She finds cultivation particularly rewarding.

In addition to succeeding in her course work and being involved in activities such as the Horticulture Club at WVU, Hamilton has held two enriching internships. At The Greenbrier resort, she developed an interest in public grounds maintenance. She credits her employers there with giving her both hands-on skills and lessons about management.

“I learned that every garden had a history and a value to cherish. I learned how to cherish it through my coworkers and the guests at the resort, who would approach us just to tell us how beautiful the grounds were,” Hamilton said.

Her second internship was with Bob’s Market and Greenhouses in Mason County. This large-scale production facility gave her a new perspective on the industry’s demands and challenges. After working there, she saw “what it takes to produce the petunias, and all the hands required to grow and harvest the seeds we buy in paper envelopes each year. We saw why the costs keep rising and all of the sacrifices our very own planet makes just so we can enjoy these delicate delights.”

After she graduates in 2017, Hamilton hopes to land a job maintaining public or historic grounds, or a botanic garden. She is interested in helping people understand a garden’s history and how plants connect to the past, the environment and to people.

WVNLA is pleased to announce the selection of Jesse Poe as the Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship winner for the 2015-16 school year. Jesse is a junior Horticulture major at West Virginia University. He is from Charleston, WV, where he graduated from George Washington High School.

Jesse began his college career at West Virginia State University, where he worked in the greenhouses, helping graduate students collect fruit data for gene mapping. At WVU, Jesse interned at the Plant and Soil Science Farm, where he planted seed, installed drip irrigation, mulched, weeded, mowed and harvested crops. Currently, he works in the greenhouse that contains the University’s extensive plant collection. His duties range from propagating plants asexually to washing pots in the workroom.

“Greenhouse and farm work have given me the highest appreciation for plants and other people who love them as well,” Jesse said.

Jesse is president of the Horticulture Club at WVU.

Dr. Sven Verlinden, a WVU Horticulture professor who has worked with Jesse extensively, both at the organic farm and in his classrooms, recommended Jesse for the scholarship.

“I would rate Jesse in the top 10 percent of students I have worked with over the years when it comes to diligence and attention to detail. Jesse is clearly a hard work and does a great job balancing extracurricular activities, work and classes,” Sven said.

Congratulations and best wishes to Jesse Poe, West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Associations’ 2015 scholarship winner

Members of WVNLA’s board of directors were unanimous in their selection of Silas Childs as the recipient of the 2014 Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship.

This hard-working student is an honors student in Horticulture at West Virginia University, and is also married with two small children at home.

Despite the challenges of balancing family, job and school responsibilities, Silas maintains a 4.0 GPA and was highly recommended for the scholarship by WVNLA members Pat Biafore, a former employer, and his professor Dr. Sven Verlinden.

“Silas is a one-of-a-kind student that we see in our program every 5 to 10 years. A devout Christian man, he works 20-plus hours while taking a full load of classes to provide for his family and to put himself through college,” said Sven in his letter of recommendation.

Interested in horticulture since high school Silas has worked in various nurseries and landscaping companies since then. He currently works for WVU’s Division of Plant and Soil Sciences in the greenhouse and at the farm.

Silas plans to use the scholarship to help pay for tuition, fees and living expenses.

“This extra money would enable me to concentrate more on classes and getting horticultural experience rather than working long hours to pay the bills,” he said.

Silas is scheduled to graduate in 2015 and plans to attend graduate school, studying plant breeding of ornamental or edible horticultural crops. Ultimately, he thinks he’ll pursue a career as a plant breeder.

Three deserving and hard-working horticulture and landscape architecture students at West Virginia University were selected as recipients of the Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship for the 2013-14 school year.

Whitney J. Garton

Whitney is a Horticulture major, with a minor in pest management. She is a native of Jane Lew and developed an interest in horticulture after starting plants from seed and realizing their vulnerability to disease and fungi. She decided upon a career in research and collegiate instruction from which she hopes to develop solutions to disease and fungi that threaten plants.

Whitney has worked on research projects in the fields of organic mulches’ effects on tomato development, the efficacy of cocoa hulls, waste wool and living crop mulch as an organic weed suppression method and on effective ways to compost wool.

“I also helped a WVU graduate student with her research on biodegradable pots. I was specifically drawn to the diseases and ways to control them. Doing this research strengthened my desire to attend graduate school and my excitement about education and a potential career in research and teaching,” Whitney said in her scholarship application.

Erin Vorholt

Erin is a Horticulture and Agriculture Business major from Poca, West Virginia. In addition to her good grades, Erin’s work ethic is evident in the summer jobs she’s held since she was 14 years old. Most recently, she interned at Gritts Midway Greenhouse in Putnam County, where she was hired as an assistant grower and offered a job upon graduation.

After graduation and some time spent working in the industry, Erin hopes to open and operate a flower farm, where customers may come and pick their own selections from her fields. “I plan on selling flowers that are not part of the “pick your own” section of the farm at the Capitol Market in Charleston and other farmers markets. Also at my farm, I would like to incorporate education classes and hands-on workshops for local people in the area to learn more about plants,” Erin said in her application.

Leah Comerci

Landscape Architecture student Leah Comerci impressed her professors, particularly Peter Butler, who worked with her in design studios, especially her work designing an outdoor classroom for a Wyoming County school?

Professor Butler recommended Leah, saying, “I believe that with her work ethic; commitment to intellectual growth and exploration; strong graphic and verbal communication skills; and leadership abilities that she is deserving of your organization’s scholarship. If she continues to progress academically and personally, I believe that she could contribute to the field of landscape architecture, especially with her specialized interest and passion for horticulture.”

2012 Rennix Memorial Scholarship Winners

West Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association awarded two Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarships in for the 2012-2013 school year. Megan Mahoney and Aaron Diedrich, both West Virginia University students, each received a $2500.00 scholarship.

Megan Mahoney

Megan is a native of Morgantown, and studying Horticulture and plans to pursue a career in the plants about which she is passionate.

Aaron Diedrich, a native of Frazier’s Bottom, is studying landscape architecture and plans to focus on future innovative and creative designs that promote environmental friendly and sustainable systems.