Horticulture and business students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University now have access to a heavier crop of financial awards thanks to significant new scholarships from a Delta greenhouse.
Windset Farms will provide three new annual scholarships totaling $4,000 to promising horticulture and business students that owners John and Steven Newell hope will become the future of the diverse industry.
"We believe students enrolled in Kwantlen's programs can help us define the horticultural reality our children will inherit," said John Newell.
The process of delivering fresh produce to the table is a complex and technology-driven operation, said Newell. That's why Windset is constantly encouraging its team to obtain new knowledge and stay on top of - and often lead - change.
With these financial awards, Windset is adding to its focus those who are not yet but could eventually become their employees, and those who will almost certainly contribute to the industry overall.
"In today's information-and technology-based economy, post-secondary education not only benefits students but also our industry and society as a whole," said Newell.
"There are always new ways of growing produce and new technologies to manage farms better. By supporting these students, we hope they can help us achieve higher goals."
At last year's School of Horticulture Annual Scholarships and Awards Celebration, students were presented with over $55,000 in industry donor awards.
"To hear that one of the world leaders in the greenhouse fresh produce industry is putting up these new awards is fantastic news for Kwantlen students and opens even further their future career opportunities," said Gary Jones, co-chair of the School of Horticulture and instructor in the greenhouse vegetable production course.
The $2,000 Windset Farms Greenhouse Horticulture Award will be presented to a graduate with the highest academic grades in the horticulture technology diploma program specializing in sustainable crop production.
The $1,000 Windset Farms Aspiring Greenhouse Graduate Award will go to a first-year student enrolled in the horticulture technology diploma program specializing in sustainable crop production, while the $1,000 Windset Farms
Entrepreneur of the Year award will go to the graduate with the highest GPA in the BBA entrepreneurial leadership program.
