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Supporting tomorrow’s visionary leaders and educators is a vital part of today’s Garden Club of America. Awarding its first fellowship in 1928, the number of merit based scholarships offered by the GCA has grown to 24 and annually exceeds $200,000 in funding. To date, more than 800 graduate and undergraduate level students have received GCA scholarships. In 2010, the GCA awarded scholarships and fellowships to these deserving recipients:
The Anne S. Chatham Fellowships
in Medicinal Botany
Wesley Beaulieu is a graduate student in the Department of Biology at Indiana University. He will study “Morning Glories and Ergot Alkaloids” and plans to use multiple approaches to confirm the presence of fungi in other species.
Rachel Meyer, a student at New York Botanical Garden, will explore the “Diversity and Regulation of Phenolic Compounds Found in Asian Heirloom Eggplant Varieties and Wild Relations."
The GCA Awards in Tropical Botany 
Stephanie Stuart (Ecology), is a Ph.D. candidate in Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her thesis topic is “What will happen to tropical forests as aridity and rainfall seasonality increase?” She will test her hypothesis in three wet and three dry forests in Australia by measuring twenty functional traits that address different aspects of plant function.
Genevieve Croft (Systematics), is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolution and Population Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. She will investigate the genetic and ecological relationships between wild and cultivated populations of a domesticated Neotropical fruit tree, Byrsonima crassifolia, in Mexico, Panama, Brazil and Bolivia. Her goal is to gain insight into the impact of human activities on the distribution of genetic and ecological variation through space.
Vanessa Boukili (Ecology), is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. She will measure processes of recovery in naturally regenerating tropical forests in Costa Rica by comparing traits between secondary tropical forests to those in mature forests.
Cynthia Hong-Wa (Systematics), is a Ph.D. candidate in Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO. She will be working in Madagascar to test whether sympatric species are closely or distantly related, have similar or different morphologies, and occupy similar or different ecological niches, thus testing hypotheses of patterns of tropical plant diversification.
The GCA Summer Scholarships in Field Botany
Luka Negoita is a junior at College of the Atlantic in Maine, where his studies have focused on field botany and ecology. He helped conduct a study of the natural history of Little Duck Island in Maine, sampling the vegetation cover, soil samples, and other ecological information in sixty-seven plots. Luke is now analyzing the data to examine correlations between ecological features and species distribution, and has initially identified 150 species belonging to forty-two plant families. Once the species are confirmed he will deposit them at the college’s herbarium. Luke writes that “this summer has been one of the most important learning experiences in my academic career and I am grateful to the Garden Club of America for supporting my education.”
Diana DelleChiaie, a senior at Colby College with a double major in Biology and Government, is working in a five-month internship at the Colorado Bureau of Land Management State Office. She is helping to make seed collections of 20,000 seeds per species to be used for later habitat restoration efforts, with a goal of at least fifty collections. She is also monitoring rare plant species to see if their populations are stable or if current management practices need to be changed. Diana reports that “this experience has been instrumental in helping me to refine my career goals” (natural resources management) and thanks Garden Club of America for its generous support. Diana’s scholarship was funded by Kanawha GC (WV), Zone VII, in memory of Mary Price Ratrie.
The Joan K. Hunt and Rachel M. Hunt
Summer Scholarship in Field Botany
Yuliya Labko is studying population dynamics of invasive species and preservation of local forests. A sophomore at Rider University in New Jersey, Yuliya’s summer experience included attending an Ecological Society of America conference where she presented current research on the varying populations of Garlic mustard (A. petiolate). She is measuring chemical exudates in the soil of Garlic mustard and will test these in different seasons and growth stages in comparison to its population dynamics and native species interaction.
The Zeller Summer Scholarship in Medicinal Botany
Eden Kinkaid is a sophomore in the Environmental and Plant Biology Department of Ohio University, Athens. Eden will be a part of the Herbal Earthways Program where she will study herbalism and receive instruction and practice in identifying, harvesting, and using herbs and wild foods.
The GCA Awards in Coastal Wetland Studies
Schuyler Van Montfrans is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biology at the University of Florida. His research focuses on the relative importance and interaction of bottom-up physical stressors (climate change, drought, eutrophication, etc.) and top-down consumer effects on community structure and primary productivity in marine ecosystems, particularly salt marshes.
Leanna Heffner is a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. She expects to graduate in May 2012. She is studying Coastal Marine Ecology, focusing on ecosystem response to human disturbances and the efficacy and development of coastal management and policy.
Joshua Atwood is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island. He expects to graduate in May 2011. Joshua’s thesis is entitled “Post-establishment evolution of nonnative plant species in coastal wetland habitats: a test of the ERCA hypothesis.” Funded by Garden Club of Barrington (IL), Zone XI in honor of Maryjo Garre, former President of GCA.
Cheryl Whritenour is in the Master’s Program in the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at State University of New York (SUNY). Her thesis is entitled “Ecological Stoichiometry of the Salt Marsh: Si:N Ratio and Effects on the Lower Food Web.” She expects to graduate in May 2010.
GCA Award in Desert Studies
Eugenio Larios Cardenas is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. His proposal outlines a novel way to measure seed size after germination has occurred and will investigate whether low water availability or seedling competition more strongly favors larger seeds. Eugenio hopes to detail the mechanisms of how natural selection acts on seed size in heterogeneous environments.
The GCA Fellowship in Ecological Restoration
Annalisa Weiler is a M.S. candidate in Biology at the University of Central Florida. She is conducting experiments in former citrus groves in Central Florida to determine if current non-native vegetation structure limits native plant germination and growth, and whether soil fertility or pH limits native plant establishment. Her results will provide land managers with guidelines for restoring former citrus groves.
Megan Katherine Gallagher, a M.S. candidate at Northwestern University and Chicago Botanic Gardens, Evanston, IL, is using four study sites in Western Minnesota to test her hypothesis that plants grown from local seeds are more adapted to their locales than non-local seeds. Kate's research will result in more sustainable prairie restoration projects for both the site and for surrounding native habitat.
Rebecca Tonietto, a Ph.D. candidate, Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, will investigate bee communities in 20 prairie restoration sites in order to understand the effects of restoration on wild bees. In restoration sites, they promote the success of seeding by pollinating, and thereby propagating, desirable native forms. She will use the results of her study to make recommendations for prairie restoration techniques to better support a diverse and abundant native bee community.
The Douglas Dockery Thomas Fellowship in Garden History and Design
Jennifer Gorospe is a Master’s degree candidate at San Jose State University, Department of Environmental Studies. Her research will determine relationships between concentrations of heavy metals in garden soils and ethnicity, income level, and garden locations within San Francisco.
The GCA Internships in Garden History and Design
Carolyn Chesarino, a Master’s candidate at both North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is working on a Master of Arts Degree in Public History and a Master of Science in Library Science with concentrations in Archives and Records Management. Carolyn is very interested in the subject of gardens and particularly interested in the vast photographic records of them at the Archives of American Gardens (AAG). Additionally, she appreciates the special considerations these photographic collections of gardens present to archivists, including the accuracy of their provenance.
Kate Fox is a Master of Arts candidate in Decorative Arts and Design History at Bard Graduate Center, New York. Kate has practical experience in archival work and has had coursework in American women designers, including Beatrix Farrand and the women of the Lowthorpe School. As an intern in the AAG she hopes to gather new skills that will assist her in a post-graduate career committed to the thoughtful and animated study and care of archives and collections.
The Catherine H. Beattie Fellows in Conservation Horticulture
Elizabeth Lauren Stephens is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Central Florida. Restoration is a key component in conservation of threatened habitats such as Florida scrub, which is rapidly diminishing due to human development and resource exploitation. Successful habitat restoration depends on establishment of native plant populations. Beth will study five endangered herb species and two more widespread native herb species to assess the importance of seed and seedling dynamics in scrub habitat. Her study will be conducted at the 5,193-acre, globally-significant Archbold Reserve in Highlands County, Florida.
J. Matthew Jones is a Master’s candidate in Botany at the University of Oklahoma. Matt will analyze how mating system dynamics inform conservation strategies for the rare, riparian shrub Alnus maritima (Seaside Alder), the most highly disjunct distribution of any tree species in North America. It has small populations in Georgia, Oklahoma and the Delmarva Peninsula along banks of fast-moving streams. He is building upon previous population genetic studies of Alnus maritima (Seaside Alder) in order to gain further insights into the fine scale genetic structure and mating system of this rare species. The study not only provides fundamental information about the genetic diversity and reproductive ecology of this species, but also data to support conservation effort.
The GCA Interchange Fellowship and RHS McLaren Horticultural Scholarship
Natalie Daniels, Interchange Fellow to the United States, is a graduate of University of Sheffield in Yorkshire, England, with a degree in Architecture and Landscape; her coursework focused on the relationship of architecture and landscape from an environmental and socially sustainable perspective. She is currently completing her architecture education at Oxford Brookes University. She plans to study Landscape Architecture here in the United States.
Sylvia Julianne Schmeichel, the Martin McLaren Scholar to Great Britain, received her B.S. from Tennessee Technological University and is now working at the Lurie Garden in the Millennium Park in Chicago. Her passion is public gardening, and she intends to study green roofs and environmentally sustainable practices during her ten-month stay in England. She will be studying, researching, and learning at a variety of gardens administered by the Royal Horticultural Society, the National Trust, and major botanic gardens in the United Kingdom.
The Katharine M. Grosscup Scholarships in Horticulture
Sarah Alward is a Master’s degree candidate in Landscape Architecture from 
the University of Michigan. She wants to connect underrepresented segments of society to nature, increase environmental stewardship through unique and innovative landscape design, and create sustainable designs through the use of native plants and low-impact design strategies.
Matthew Berger is a junior at West Virginia University majoring in Horticulture. After gaining some experience, he wants to own a small native-plant nursery.
Amy Hinkle is a junior at Pennsylvania State University majoring in Horticulture Science. Amy has experience working on her family’s farm and hopes to turn it into a specialty cutflower farm after graduating.
Brenda Landuis is a senior at Michigan State University. Her academic concentration is in Landscape Design and Build. She has started a small business, designing garden beds in her hometown, and hopes to expand her landscape business upon graduation.
Kennon Lorick is a senior at Michigan State University. Her major is Landscape Architecture and she states, “through my work experience in gardening and garden design, and my college education, I hope to transform dull 
urban spaces into vibrant gardens where humans and nature are fully integrated 
and the lines between them blur.”
Caitlin Taylor is a senior at Michigan State University majoring in Landscape Architecture. She aspires to start her own firm that specializes in sustainable practices.
The Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship in Tropical Horticulture
Mark Powers, a senior at the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia, will spend a semester at the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica compiling a journal of tropical plants that have both ornamental and edible/useful qualities.
The Rome Prize Fellowship in Landscape Architecture
Fritz Haeg is an artist, designer, gardener and writer based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture, Mr. Haeg works across a range of disciplines and media, well beyond the realm of architecture alone. He has exhibited in museums around the world, including the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Tate Modern. Fritz Haeg’s project is titled Roman Wilderness MMX: Urban Agriculture, and Street Choreography.
The Frances M. Peacock Scholarship for Native Bird Habitat
Juliet Lamb is a Master’s candidate at the University of Massachusetts. In the Gulf of Maine, Common and Roseate Terns were nearly eradicated at the start of the 20th century. They have since rebounded due to intensive restoration efforts and continuing stewardship. However, the heavy concentration of birds in restored nesting colonies has given rise to unforeseen consequences, including a rapid loss of nesting habitat due to overgrowth by annual and perennial plants. Juliet’s project will assess the effectiveness of controlled burning and fabric barriers for restoring tern nesting habitat in the Gulf of Maine.
Katie Percy is a Master of Science candidate at the University of Tennessee. Golden-winged Warblers have experienced precipitous population declines over the last forty years, linked primarily to loss of early-successional habitat. In the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee, a stronghold for the warblers (estimated 370 pairs), prescribed burning has been used to restore and maintain needed habitat. Currently 600 acres of land are managed specifically for Golden-winged Warblers. The goal of this project is to monitor the Golden-winged Warbler response to management actions including prescribed burning, further refining a conservation strategy for the Cumberland Mountains.
Caroline Thorn Kissel Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
Elizabeth Craig, a resident of Mendham, NJ, and a graduate of Columbia University, is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Zoology at Cornell University. This summer, Elizabeth will study the carry-over effects of winter diet on Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) in New York Harbor. She will use isotope analysis of feathers to determine cormorants’ winter foraging locations.
Erin Wiley, a University of Michigan graduate, is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. Erin’s summer program will focus on the effects of defoliation on Black Oak in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Erin will monitor defoliation’s effect on tree growth and carbon reserves.
Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholar
Talya ten Brink, a junior at the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington. Talya’s goal is to bring the values of sustainability and environmental consciousness to underprivileged communities. As a participant in the Tokyo/Kobe/Awajishima Hyper-Urbanism program, Talya will study hyper-urban spaces as a foundation for her future career in Landscape Architecture.
The GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
Cristobal Valencia, a sophomore at Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona, will travel to Nepal this summer to conduct his research. Cristobal’s chosen program, Sustainable Nepal: Dreams and Designs, will probe the question of whether Nepal can leapfrog into an ecological and sustainable path. Funded by Sasqua Garden Club (CT) Zone II and South Side Garden Club of Long Island (NY) Zone III.
GCA Summer Environmental Studies Scholarships
Simon Vecchioni, a Brown University freshman, will participate in Operation Wallacea’s Indonesia Expedition 2010, which will afford him an excellent opportunity to conduct biodiversity fieldwork and environmental research. Simon’s career goal is to conduct international health and environmental research, using the tools of anthropology to integrate local communities into the agenda for global environmental preservation. Funded by Piscataqua Garden Club (NH), Zone I.
Casey Martinez, a freshman at Columbia University, will conduct her summer research on the ecology and environmental sustainability of marine and coastal life. The project will take place at the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation at the Earth Institute of Columbia University in the Dominican Republic. Funded by Garden Club of Darien and Fairfield Garden Club (CT), Zone II.
Sophia Wen, a sophomore at Harvard University, will serve as an intern with the Foundation for Sustainable Development. Sophia will work on environmentally-related community development projects. Funded by Millbrook Garden Club (NY), Zone III.
Madalyn Watkins, a sophomore at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville majoring in Environmental, Soil and Water Science, will focus on community development in Belize. She will participate in a multidisciplinary project for developing and maintaining a community garden near the city of Dangriga. Funded by Amateur Garden Club (MD), Zone VI.
Caitlin Campbell, a freshman at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, will create educational materials and present programs for visitors in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, including a guided nature walk, a children’s program, and presentations on beavers, coyotes, bears and the natural history of Colorado. This is a summer project ideally suited to Caitlin, a young scholar concentrating in environmental studies, with a minor in art and writing. Funded by Green Spring Valley Garden Club (MD), Zone VI.
Elizabeth Gardner Norweb Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
Ryan Moraski, a sophomore at Penn State, plans ultimately to teach Biology and Ecology at a major research university. Ryan’s summer research will focus on the effect of inbreeding and damage on a plant’s production of volatile organic defense compounds and, in turn, the ecological impact of these compounds on attracting beneficial parasitoid insects to the plant.
Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
Ashley Jo Langer, a sophomore majoring in Environmental Chemistry at Minnesota’s Northland College, will study permaculture at Ecocentro IPEC. IPEC (Instituto de Permacultura e Ecovilas do Cerrado) is situated in a beautiful valley in Pirenopolis in the state of Goias, Central Brazil.
The GCA Zone VI Fellows in Urban Forestry, Funded by the Casey Trees Endowment Fund
Andrew Koeser received an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin, graduating cum laude, and will enroll as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois in the fall. He expects to graduate in 2012. Andrew’s project title is: “How Green Are Urban Trees? Carbon Sources and Sinks from the Nursery to Carbon 
Neutrality.”
Frank Grano, a junior at Pennsylvania State University, expects to graduate in May 2011. His interests center around plant health care, particularly the health of urban forests within arboretums.
Sarah Mincey, a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Science, expects to graduate in December 2011. Her primary focus is to assess the influence of complex institutional dynamics on urban tree canopy, e.g., 
what institutional arrangements exist that affect the urban tree canopy.
Nancy Falxa-Raymond, a Master’s degree candidate at Columbia University, expects to graduate in May 2011. Her research includes the comparison of nitrogen content and nitrate 7 reduction in leaves and roots of young red oak in an urban and rural forest.