SHA Scholarship and Award Recipients

SHA Scholarship Recipients:

2024:

2023:

Tyler Bigos
Kelley Chase
Chandler Deering
Nate Higley
Ian Holcomb
Isaac McKay (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)
Brandon Scott
Parker Stephenson

2022:

LilyRose Arriaga
Seth Banjamin
Daniel Dick
Chloe Grabb (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)
Emma Grant
Joe Reamsnyder
Robyn Zallen

2021:

Anna Baker
Emma Brinks
Bre Craig
Hannah Kyro
McKenna Merkel

2020:

Danielle Ellsworth
Joy Johnson
Ryan Murray
Caleb Spall
Elise Tomaszewski
Mary Tuski (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)

2019:

Tyler Hampton
Brad Koetje (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)
Colton Schlitters
John Slinkman
Anthony Soster
Rachel Wood

2018:

Tyler Gilson
Abby Denning
Corinne Johnston
Delaney Williams (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)

2017:

Josh Beasley
Jocelyn Brumwell
Beth Copeland
Amanda Denney
Stephanie Makela (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)
Abby Makowski
Josh Nieuwsma

2016:

Lindsay Cashner
Connor McKernin
Preston Zoellner
Corinne Tucker (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)
Abby Makowski
Neil Rion

2015:

Benjamin Leonard
Lauren Sielof (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)
Brian Gayheart
Ben Harcey
Neil Rion

2014:

Zach Robinson
Jeff Elshoff
Brian Keuning
Megan Weidman (Ruthie Smith Scholarship)

2013:

Zach VanDyke
Katie Nickolaus
Bethany Troy
Chris McKellar

Crystal Walton Award

Our department is fortunate to have so many talented students whose passion for horticulture is evident both in and out of the classroom. Some shine academically, others have great creativity or an aptitude for design, still others enjoy growing plants and are very hard-working. Choosing a student who is the “best” can be not only difficult but often qualified with “it depends” on how you define best. In 2010, SHA decided to create one award which lauded what their “best” was by selecting one member as the “Crystal Walton Horticulture Club Member of the Year.” To better understand why they wanted to name their “best” member in her honor, here are some things to know about Crystal.

Crystal Walton earned her B.S. degree in Horticulture in 2009, with honors. Academically, Crystal made the Dean’s List every semester that she was on campus. In 2008, she was named the winner of the Outstanding Student Award by the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association and also earned the ASHS Collegiate Award. Crystal was a very active member of the MSU Horticulture Club and served as vice-president. In 2009, she was one of a four-person team that represented MSU at the Mid-American Collegiate Horticulture Society competition in Wisconsin; they earned first place. She was a valuable member of the MSU PLANET Student Career Days (NALP NCLC) team that competed in Atlanta in 2008 and in California in 2009. In addition to her studies and full work schedule, Crystal volunteered much of her time for numerous causes. In 2006, she was part of a group that went to New Orleans to help restore New Orleans City Park after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In 2007 over Christmas break, she not only volunteered to go back for more clean-up, but organized and planned the entire trip. In addition, she volunteered over 120 hours for the MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities. Crystal is a person who puts other’s needs ahead of her own. You could always count on her to get something done, on time and with a smile. She even knew every Hort Club member’s name and made it a point to get to know them.

One member of the Student Horticulture Association will be awarded the Crystal Walton Student Horticulture Association Member of the Year Award at the Spring Show Dedication Dinner in April. The student receiving this award should be optimistic, energetic, encouraging, prompt, a gentle leader, friendly, excellent at communication, possess a can-do attitude, a great recruiter for the association, have a sense of humor, have a desire to get to know everyone in the association, and finally contain an extensive knowledge and passion for horticulture.

Past Recipients of the Crystal Walton Student Horticulture Association Member of the Year Award:

2021: No Recipient

2020: No recipient

2019: Tye Thomposon

2018: Laura Kall

2017: Abby Makowski

2016: Neil Rion

2015: Bethany Troy

2014: Chris McKellar

2013: Kate McDonald

2012: Joe Shear

2011: Brenda Landuis