Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship

Established in 2002 by the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Inc. (MANTS), the Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship honors the legacy of one of MANTS’ founders and a respected leader within the horticulture industry. Carville Akehurst served for more than three decades as Executive Vice President of MANTS and held leadership roles with numerous state and national horticulture organizations, including the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association and the Maryland Greenhouse Growers’ Association.

Created in partnership with the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), this scholarship reflects Mr. Akehurst’s belief that education creates opportunity and is essential to the future strength of the nursery and landscape profession. Through this fund, MANTS continues its commitment to supporting students pursuing horticulture careers and sustaining the industry Mr. Akehurst helped shape.

Eligible Degree Programs

HRI scholarships are intended for students pursuing horticulture or closely related degrees. Programs commonly considered horticulture degrees include:

Horticulture
Horticultural Science
Nursery or Greenhouse Management or Production
Landscape Design, Construction, or Management
Ornamental Horticulture
Sustainable Horticulture

Closely related degrees may also be considered when applicants clearly demonstrate how their education is applied within the horticulture industry. Examples include:

Plant Science
Plant Pathology
Landscape Architecture
Forestry
Business or Marketing (when directly applied to horticulture businesses or industry roles)

Applicants pursuing closely related degrees must clearly articulate how their coursework, experiences, and career goals demonstrate a direct and practical application within the horticulture industry.

Academic Requirements

Minimum GPA: ≥ 2.25
GPA is evaluated holistically as part of the overall application.
Applicants must be an enrolled, full-time student in good academic standing during the semester the scholarship is granted, pursuing one of the following degree levels:
Undergraduate: Associate or Bachelor’s degree
Graduate: Master’s or Doctoral degree

Note: Individual scholarship funds may specify preferred or prioritized degree levels, but applicants at all levels listed above are eligible unless a fund explicitly restricts eligibility.

Geographic Requirements

All applicants must be enrolled at an accredited institution located in the United States. Some scholarship funds include geographic preferences or requirements based on: