LEAF (Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation)
2008 Leaf Scholarship Winners
This year, CLCA has named 15 outstanding students as recipients of their annual LEAF scholarships. CLCA has been giving the annual awards since the organization was founded in 1952. Funded through its (LEAF) Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation, students pursuing degrees in horticulture at California's community colleges and four-year universities are eligible to apply. These students have displayed exemplary academic achievements, and CLCA is proud to help them in their pursuit of careers in the green industry.
- Katelyn Burlason is the recipient of scholarship awards from the San Diego Chapter and from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. Burlason is a student at Southwestern Community College, and expects to graduate this year with an associate's degree in landscape architecture. Her plans include attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in the fall of 2009 to pursue her bachelor's degree in landscape architecture. Burlason currently works as a floral designer at A Symphony of Flowers in Chula Vista and is an active volunteer in the San Diego Anglers Club.
- Catherine Canelis has won scholarship awards from three CLCA Chapters: San Fernando Valley, North Coast and Sacramento Valley. She is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and is pursing a bachelor's degree in environmental horticulture. She expects to graduate in 2009. Canelis' future plans include employment with a landscape contractor that specializes in high-end residential design/install projects. Currently she works at Los Osos Valley Nursery in Los Osos and is secretary of the Environmental Horticulture Science Club at Cal Poly, SLO, and secretary of Phi Alpha Xi, the honorary society for agricultural students.
- Nicholas Chloupek, a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is the recipient of the Joy and Warren Thurston Memorial Scholarship, the Ben Slade Memorial Scholarship, the Robert Kaplanek Memorial Scholarship, the Tom Blosl Memorial Scholarship, and the Henry Soto/Rose Marie Head Memorial Scholarship. He also received an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary.
- Brian Corcoran, a student at Butte College, is the recipient of the Ken Jenner Memorial Scholarship, the Elizabeth-Lloyd Davis Foundation Scholarship and the Jere Driscoll Memorial Scholarship. He also received an award from the North Valley Chapter and from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. Corcoran expects to graduate with an associate's degree in environmental horticulture in spring of 2009. His plans include transferring to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental horticulture. This year, Corcoran marks his tenth year of work in the green industry. He is a former president of the horticulture club at Butte College.
- Matthew Daugherty has received an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary in addition to winning the AMO Scholarship. He is a student at Mendocino College.
- Sandy Duran, a student at Long Beach City College, is working toward her vocational certificate in horticulture, which she expects to receive in 2009. She plans to continue her education by transferring to Cal Poly, Pomona, where she will pursue a bachelor's degree. Duran was recently accepted into the federal work/study program for horticulture at Long Beach City College. This summer she will be an intern at Glen Ivy Farms, a certified organic farm in Corona. Duran is the recipient of the Orange County Chapter Scholarship, the John Redmond Memorial Scholarship and the Tom Matsuoka Memorial Scholarship. She also received an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary.
- Brie George, a second-year horticulture student at San Joaquin Delta College, is the recipient of the AMO Scholarship and an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. George expects to graduate in 2009 and her future plans include continuing her education in the green industry or starting her own landscaping design and contracting business. She currently works at a garden center and recently passed the California Certified Nursery Professional exam.
- Angela Magdaleno is the recipient of scholarships from the San Fernando Valley Chapter and CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. In addition, she is the winner of the Redwood Landscaping Fund Scholarship and the Ron Heaviland Memorial Scholarship. Magdaleno is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
- Jessica Elizabeth May, a student at Mendocino Community College, has won the Edron Schneider Memorial Scholarship and the Hans Biland Memorial Scholarship. She also received an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. May expects to receive two associate's degrees in spring 2009; one in natural resources and the other in ornamental horticulture. Her future plans include transferring to Humboldt State University to pursue a bachelor's degree in ornamental horticulture. For the past three years, May has worked as a greenhouse technician for the agriculture department at Mendocino Community College.
- Erin McCoy has received an award from the Joy and Warren Thurston Memorial Scholarship, the Tom Yanase Memorial Scholarship, and the Hi Kellogg Memorial Scholarship in addition to an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary.
- Sheryl McEwan is a student at Cabrillo Community College, where she is pursuing an associate's degree in horticulture. She expects to graduate in 2011. McEwan is the winner of the Sigrid Raeth Memorial Scholarship and the Paul Shogren Memorial Scholarship in addition to an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. McEwan's future plans include a career in landscape design, installation and maintenance. Currently, she works as a maintenance gardener for Terra Nova, an ecological landscaper in Santa Cruz. She has been certified as a UC extension master gardener and is currently enrolled in a perma-culture design course in Santa Cruz. She is one of the originators and organizers of the annual smart gardening fair in Scott's Valley.
- Emily Meigs has received the Bill Hayes Memorial Scholarship, the San Francisco Bay Area East Chapter Scholarship, and the John Brauns Memorial Scholarship, in addition to an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. Meigs is a student at Butte College.
- Gary Meyer is the recipient of the Central Coast Chapter Scholarship in addition to an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. A student at Cabrillo College, he is pursuing an associate's degree in horticultural landscaping and expects to graduate this year. Currently, Meyer is running his own landscaping company and working towards earning his C-27 license. He is also enrolled in the landscape architecture certification program offered by the UC Berkeley Extension.
- Julia Pollex is the recipient of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Scholarship, the John Lyngso Honorarium Fund Scholarship and the Herb Frank Memorial Scholarship in addition to an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. Pollex received her associate's degree in environmental horticulture from Foothill College this spring. She plans to transfer to the University of California, Davis, to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental horticulture. Currently Pollex is program assistant to the director of the horticulture program at Foothill College and runs her own landscape maintenance business. She has an internship at Confidence Landscaping Inc. in Campbell, and is the president of Foothill College's CLCA Horticulture Club.
- Tsuyeko Western, an intern at Kew Gardens in London this summer, has received the George Kunimoto Memorial Scholarship and the Tom Takahara Memorial Scholarship. She is currently pursuing a degree in environmental horticulture and design at Foothill College and expects to graduate in 2009. Western works as an assistant at Foothill College and is the vice president of the CLCA student horticulture club on campus. Her goals for the coming school year include getting a job with a design or construction company.