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Five fellows selected for prestigious Longwood master's program

9:50 a.m., Aug. 18, 2003--The new group of fellows in UD’s Longwood Graduate Program in Public Horiculture is nothing if not diverse.

The Longwood graduate program Class of 2005 gathered recently at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa., for a group photograph. Seated (from left) are Jacqueline Venner and Elaine Grehl, and standing (from left) are Longwood graduate program coordinator Jim Swasey and fellows Christian Galindo, Joshua Steffan and Doug Conley.

One fellow, an assistant country club superintendent, was responsible for the condition of the golf course during Ladies Professional Golf Association events. Another fellow worked at a herbarium in his home country of Guatemala, where he wants someday to help revitalize that nation’s public gardens. Another fellow worked as a woodland technician, proposing design alternatives to save woodlands from development.

Although their backgrounds and interests are diverse, the new Longwood fellows share a common goal—to receive a master’s degree in public horticulture from what is considered the preeminent program of its kind in the nation.

UD’s Longwood program trains professional managers and leaders in public horticulture for careers in garden management, curatorship, education and design. The program is a cooperative effort between UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Longwood Gardens, the internationally acclaimed horticultural display garden near Kennett Square, Pa.

The five students in the Class of 2005 arrived on campus in June. Douglas Conley, Christian Galindo, Elaine Grehl, Joshua Steffen and Jacqueline Venner each will receive an $18,000 stipend and full tuition while they pursue their master’s degrees.

This summer, the new Longwood fellows are taking part in the “Leader’s Internship.” During this intensive practicum, the students work directly with leaders at Longwood Gardens to meet challenges they will face in their own careers.

The Longwood Graduate Program is highly competitive and the new fellows are some of the most talented and promising students of public horticulture in the nation.

Douglas Conley graduated from Ferris State University in Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in applied biology and associate’s degree in ornamental horticulture. He was formerly assistant superintendent of Walnut Hills Country Club in East Lansing, Mich., and a horticulturist at Dow Gardens in Midland, Mich. At Walnut Hills, he led efforts for certification in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for golf courses.

Christian Galindo is a native of Guatemala, where he worked as a volunteer at the Jardin Botanico de Guatemala. He received his bachelor’s degree in environmental horticulture from the University of Florida and his associate’s degree in agribusiness from Escuela Agricola Panamericana. He has worked as a landscape foreman and nursery manager assistant for California Bay Nursery in Novato, Calif., and as an intern for the Chicagoland Grows Program. Galindo said he wants to return to Guatemala to lead a public garden and encourage eco-tourism to that country.

Elaine Grehl earned a bachelor’s degree in landscape horticulture from Michigan State University and worked as a woodland technician for the city of Novi, Mich. In that role, she proposed design alternatives to save existing woodlands from development. Grehl also was employed as a general manager for Bogie Lake Greenhouses in White Lake, Mich. Grehl said she dreams of educating the world about the need for plants in everyone’s life.

Joshua Steffen, a Michigan State University grad, received bachelor’s degrees in both horticulture and plant biology. He is no stranger to Longwood Gardens, where he previously worked as a grounds intern. Steffen said he hopes to use his Longwood training to establish a new public garden someday.

Jacqueline Venner received her bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Iowa State University. Raised on a farm, she has interests in education, agriculture and social betterment. Venner worked as a counselor for Iowa Agricultural Youth Institute and as a garden maintenance intern for Reiman Gardens at Iowa State.


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