Barney Hobbs Memorial Horticulture Scholarship

The Barney Hobbs Memorial  Horticultural Scholarships in the  amount of $3000 are awarded each  year.  

Eligibility, Terms, Criteria, and Judging

Application Deadline March 15, 2023

The Master Gardener Program, sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, is a volunteer training program whose purpose is to educate the community about gardening and horticultural topics. In keeping with this purpose, the Hamilton County Master Gardener Association (HCMGA) awards annually the Barney Hobbs Memorial Horticulture Scholarship. Barney Hobbs was a founding member of the HCMGA who possessed a strong volunteer spirit. Scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each pay tribute to Mr. Hobbs and his many horticultural accomplishments.

Eligibility Requirements

• Hamilton County (Indiana) resident or child/grandchild of an HCMGA member
• High school senior or full-time undergraduate college student
• Intent to major in horticulture, botany, landscape architecture/design or an agriculture or environmental science that includes a plant-focused component.
• Must be a full-time college student in the fall of 2023. The scholarship cannot be deferred a year.

Terms of Scholarship

• Several scholarships will be awarded on a yearly basis in June and will be paid directly to the recipient’s college at the beginning of the school year.
• $3,000 will be awarded for each one-year scholarship, with $1,500 paid per semester upon verification of proof of full-time enrollment.
• Any unused portion of the scholarship award will be returned to the HCMGA scholarship fund at the end of the school year.
• Scholarships can be renewed for up to 3 years (or 4 years when enrolled in a 5-year degree program) if the student reapplies and meets the criteria for renewal, as listed below.
• Award of scholarships will be without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Award of scholarships will be based on merit only. Demonstration of financial need will not be a determining factor.

 

Criteria for Submission

• A completed application that includes the following:
  • An official high school transcript reflecting a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for high school applicants, OR
  • An official college transcript reflecting a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0 and full-time student status (12 credit hours minimum) for college applicants
• An essay of no more than 500 words detailing your reasons for choosing horticulture or a related major, career objectives, and any current or past gardening experiences
• A personal recommendation from either an instructor, counselor, club advisor, church leader, or employer
• Above items must be submitted by 4:30 p.m., March 15, 2023, to the Hamilton County Extension Office. Applications may also be placed in the Extension Office drop box between 4:30 p.m. and midnight on March 15.

Judging Considerations

• A scholarship committee of the HCMGA will review all applications and select
  recipients based on the following criteria:
  • Academic performance (25%)
  • Essay (25%)
  • Personal recommendation (25%)
  • Character, personality, and leadership as reflected in school, community, or work activities and awards (25%)

Applicants may be requested to interview with the scholarship committee

 

Criteria for Renewal

• A completed renewal application that includes the following:
  • An official college transcript reflecting a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a scale of
    4.0 and full-time student status (minimum of 12 credit hours)
  • An essay of no more than 500 words outlining what you have accomplished over the past year to further your goals in your chosen field of horticultural study

Renewal applications will be reevaluated each year.

Above items must be submitted by 4:30 p.m., March 15, 2023, to the Hamilton County Extension Office. Applications may also be placed in the Extension Office drop box between 4:30 p.m. and midnight on March 15.

Application forms are available at the Hamilton County Extension Office or can be downloaded from the Master Gardener website at https://hcmga.org/.

Hamilton County Extension Office
2003 Pleasant Street
Noblesville, IN 46060-3697
(317) 776-0854

2023 Application Form