Bill Inabinet Scholarship Recipients

Bill Inabinet was a vocal leader in the green industry and a long-time supporter of education efforts. In 2017, GGIA revamped our scholarship program and named the new program to recognize Bill and his lasting impact on the industry. The Bill Inabinet Scholarship Fund will help support the dreams of students who are pursuing a career in horticulture. Scholarship availability will be announced each fall with the winners being recognized each year at WINTERGREEN. T he Bill Inabinet Scholarship Program from the Georgia Green Industry Association exists to serve and support the students who aspire to be future leaders in our industry. The financial aid given is one way we can invest in their efforts and thereby invest in the success of ornamental horticulture in Georgia. The program is named to honor Bill Inabinet, a longtime leader in the green industry and a staunch supporter of education. Bill recognized the need to foster a desire for learning and that education was key to providing the green industry with future generations of leadership. Funding for the scholarship program comes from the generous gifts of industry members. Additional funding is provided through GGIA’s membership dues. With pride, GGIA presents the three scholarship winners for this year and congratulates them on their accomplishments. We look forward to seeing these bright students become successful members of the green industry very soon.

KATHERINE PAUDA ORTEGA

Gwinnett Technical College Major: Environmental Horticulture

JOHNATHON STRICKLAND

Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College Major: Environmental Horticulture

JACOB WINKLES

University of Georgia Major: Horticulture Katherine Pauda Ortega is a student at Gwinnett Technical College pursuing an associate degree in environmental horticulture. She obtained a certificate in floral design during her studies and is currently pursuing a landscape design certificate. Ortega recieved the Fulton County Master Gardeners’ Scholarship and works in the campus greenhouse part-time through the Federal Work-Study Program. As a work-study student, Katherine participates in and assists with almost all of the horticultural events on campus, including plant sales, farmer’s markets, and horticulture club activities. Aaron Poulsen, one of her professors, regards Ortega as one of the top students and leaders in the horticulture program. Ortega will be the first person in her family to receive a college degree. After graduation, she plans to work as a landscape designer and intends to go back to college to pursue a degree in landscape architecture.

Johnathon Strickland, now in his senior year, is an environmental horticulture major at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He has dedicated countless hours to serving his undergraduate institution with the ABAC Ambassadors where he currently serves as the ambassador president. He is heavily involved with the ABAC Horticulture Club and has served as both vice president and president, and he worked to plan, organize and execute the last three major Spring Plant Sales at ABAC. He completed an internship with Reynolds, Lake Oconee gaining field experience working on different golf courses. Strickland currently works as the ABAC greenhouse manager. He thrives in a greenhouse setting and hopes to one day own his own greenhouse where he can help people find a love for horticulture. He desires to share the knowledge he has been blessed to acquire in his years of

involvement within the industry with others.

Jacob Winkles is a junior at the University of Georgia majoring in horticulture. Winkles admiration for horticulture stems from his teenage years, during which he worked for a company which provided fresh produce to restaurants and markets in Knoxville and Chattanooga. Winkles currently works two jobs at UGA while maintaining his position at the top of his class. He serves as vice president for the UGA Horticulture Club, for which he, along with the other officers, worked diligently to set up a plant sale website. At the moment, Jacob is considering either pursuing a graduate degree in breeding or starting a career in ornamental production—but no matter which career path he chooses, Winkles’ strong work ethic and outgoing personality will certainly guarantee him success in his

horticulture endeavor.

GROWING THE FUTURE GGIA Mentor Program

Today’s horticulture industry offers a wide range of career choices. From landscape design and maintenance to high tech growing operations, there is an endless variety of job choices along with employers who are constantly searching for qualified employees. The GGIA mentoring program is designed to connect students pursuing a career in the green industry with seasoned professionals from across the industry’s many sectors.

A little time can pay big dividends.

For students and employers alike, investing time in the GGIA mentor program can have big payoffs. Mentors can help students better prepare for their future with real industry experience and expertise. Students and mentors alike can make valuable connections that can lead to future job opportunities down the road.

It’s been one year since the launch of the GGIA Mentor Program. Our active Student Membership Committee picked up the challenge of evaluating our progress and made some suggestions to improve the process. The committee is compromised of GGIA Board Members, Horticulture Advisors from 2-year and 4-year Horticulture programs across the state and Horticulture Club Presidents and student members from different Horticulture Departments.

The revised program takes some of the pressure off of mentors and mentees to make a personal connection. Instead, program participants will work though the popular group messaging app, Group Me. Please reach out to the GGIA office to participate in the GGIA Mentor Program.