Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee Annual Scholarships 2025
Following our mission to educate members and the community about the art and science of gardening, floral design, landscape design, and horticulture while embracing best practices that promote sustainability, protect the environment, and conserve our natural resources, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee established a scholarship in 2018. This opportunity has expanded through the years to now offer multiple awards via 35 public and private colleges, universities, and technical colleges in Wisconsin. Applicants must complete a rigorous process and are rated on established criteria that support the GCGM mission.
Applications for merit-based scholarships will be available on our website by January 21, 2025
GCGM Scholarship opportunities for 2025:
- Provide 3 merit-based college/university scholarships @ $3000 (per student)
Applicants must be studying at a WI public or private college; completing at least sophomore status and have a
GPA of 3.4 or above. Interested applicants send a completed application, college transcripts, essay and 2 letters of
recommendation by April 1, 2025. Based on established criterion, awards will be announced by May 1st and must be used for tuition (only) in 2025. Each finalist may only receive one award.
- Provide 2 technical college scholarships @ $1000 (per student)
Applicants must be enrolled in a Wisconsin technical college associate degree program, have completed 30
credits, and maintained a 3.0 GPA or above. Interested applicants send completed applications, college transcripts, essay and 2 letters of recommendation by May 15, 2025. Based on established criterion, awards will be announced by May 30 th and must be used for 2025 tuition (only). Each finalist may receive only one award.
- Provide 1 project-based college/university scholarship for Capstone program @ $3000
Applicants must be enrolled at UW-Madison in the Landscape Architecture capstone program and utilizing skills, knowledge and solving problems related to horticulture/ecology/landscape/ gardening. Applications are due by Feb 21, 2025, reviewed by committee members and finalist announced by March 1, 2025. Award must be used for tuition (only) in 2025.
Gabe Olson-Jensen
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved with different research applications throughout high school and my undergraduate education at UW-River Falls. I’ve worked on a range of crops including roses, apples, cherries, and turfgrass. These different genera and taxa have exposed me to a variety of breeding systems and their genetic architecture that supports them. I’ve also been introduced to multiple selection and breeding systems such as metabolomics, marker assisted selection, advanced phenotyping techniques and molecular biology.
After my undergraduate education, I plan to attend graduate school to be trained professionally in plant science, breeding and genetics. Given this knowledge and experience, I will pursue a professorship in higher education. This allows me to give back to the community who built my knowledge, to train the next generation of students, and conduct research for horticultural crops.
My career goal is to support gardeners with new varietals of ornamentals and fruits for their landscapes. This scholarship assists in funding my undergraduate education and helps me experience internships, research and classroom experience to prepare me for graduate school.
Thank you, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee, for awarding me this opportunity
Natalie McNeely
I am a junior at Ripon College, double majoring in biology and environmental studies with a minor in educational studies. My career goals align well with this scholarship program's intentions, as I am deeply passionate about pursuing a career in a botany-related field. In addition, I am driven to conserve and protect the environment using my educational background and experience. My ultimate goal is to work as an education coordinator at a nature center.
Since coming to Ripon, I have expanded my love for plants beyond gardening and am interested in environmental sciences, sustainability, and the power of education. I am involved in various clubs, organizations, jobs, and research programs that have increased my passion for plants and more specifically prairie plants. This past summer, I was in a research program at Ripon, where I researched prairie pollinators floral preferences in central Wisconsin prairies.
Also, I attended an Eriogonum Society conference in Salida, Colorado, where I fell in love with the genus Eriogonum and spent the last semester researching the genus and learning how to create herbarium collections. I am the campus greenhouse employee, and this past spring and summer, I helped to plant and grow native prairie plant species for a new prairie study garden on campus. As president of the Environmental Group of Ripon, I have organized and participated in prairie clean-ups within our campus prairie where we remove woody invasives and clear trash.
Thank you, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee, for encouraging me to continue my botany and environmental studies journey.
Connor Tanck
My career journey has been deeply rooted in hands-on experiences and a passion for agriculture and horticulture. From working on our family farm, museum, and petting zoo, to my employment at the Flower Source Greenhouse, I have honed my skills in growing fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. At the greenhouse, I have gained valuable experience in plant care, propagation, and customer service, further solidifying my love for horticulture.
In addition to my work at the greenhouse, I am eagerly anticipating my upcoming summer internship at the Sturgeon Bay Peninsular Agriculture Research Station. This opportunity will allow me to delve deeper into the nuances of fruit and vegetable growing, providing me with invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience that will better prepare me for my future career aspirations.
Over the years, I have taken on increasing responsibilities, from tending to our family garden since childhood to spearheading the planning and care of extensive demonstration gardens. The creative freedom afforded by my family has allowed me to delve deeper into the study of horticulture, culminating in projects like establishing new orchards and fields of specialty crops. I have embraced the social and educational aspects of our family business. Engaging with thousands of visitors each season has sharpened my communication and teaching abilities, reinforcing the importance of agriculture in society. These experiences have laid a solid foundation for my career aspirations in production agriculture and plant research and genetics. Looking ahead, I am committed to continuing my involvement in agriculture and horticulture.
This scholarship will help alleviate financial burdens but also enable me to gain foundational knowledge at UWRF that one day will help me pursue my goals of owning a farmer’s market or conducting research to enhance fruit and vegetable genetics. With the support of my family, I am eager to expand our family business into production agriculture, offering educational experiences like U-pick fruit crops.
I am grateful for the support from the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee. With a strong foundation in practical experience, education, and a network of support, I am ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in my professional career in horticulture.
Keegan Ripley
UW-Madison’s Landscape Architecture program requires seniors establish a Capstone Project which allows students to work directly within a community. Capstones provide students the time to research, plan, and design a project that solves a “real world” problem. These students commit to spending
additional time studying and being directly involved and responsible for a significant community effort.
Keegan Ripley, a senior L.A. capstone student, discovered a “hidden gem” county park along the Milwaukee River about 20 miles north of Milwaukee called Hawthorne Hills. This public park has opportunity to improve its entry to promote awareness and development of this natural resource. While preserving the park for public recreation, proposed developments include an expanded trail network, improved youth camp, new campground, and ADA accessible kayak launch to the river. These changes will provide more families, scouts, and schools with the opportunity to explore the outdoors.
Making the most of his landscape architecture degree, Keegan is also designing a nature-based children’s garden at the botanical gardens in Madison. Developing parks that are to be used by the public is Keegan’s passion. He realized during the pandemic the value of nature, and some of the difficulties that keep people from being able to access and enjoy all that being outdoors has to offer. He plans to also study multiple cultural perspectives and bring more familiarity of the natural world with consideration for different experiences.
As an outstanding student, leader of UW Madison’s American Society of Landscape Architecture chapter, and collaborator with Ozaukee County Parks, Keegan has earned recognition and excellent recommendations from all who have worked with him. GCGM Scholarship Committee is very pleased to
be able to award Keegan Ripley a $3000 Capstone scholarship for tuition. The Garden Club will receive a copy of his UW- L.A. Capstone final publication.
Grace Kielkucki
Hello, my name is Grace Kielkucki and I am currently a student at Fox Valley
Technical College, in the Landscape Horticulture and Greenhouse Operations
associate degrees! I am also a part of my school's grounds crew.
As a kid, I loved being outside in nature and observing the bugs all over my yard. So, when I found out that could be my career, there was no better option! Sadly, this is my only real background in horticulture, and grounds crew at my school is my first job in the green industry!
As a member of grounds crew, I am responsible for weed identification and
removal, tractor operation, mulching, tree pruning, softscape installations, and
landscape bed cleanup/maintenance. I am put in charge of collection of food
scraps for compost and annual planter maintenance (watering, fertilizing,
pruning/deadheading, pest control). I also water all the new plantings around
campus. I have some greenhouse experience as well. I know how to identify and control pests with organic methods and help with watering when needed.
I am not entirely sure what I want to do when I graduate, but I do know that some of my passion lies with native pollinators and plants, especially prairie plants. I have been reading about native pollinators and how to attract them using native plants. I am hoping to incorporate these plants into my own yard someday! I am also interested in sustainability and conserving resources. I am hoping that someday I will overcome my shyness enough to be a positive voice for these topics!
I want to thank the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee for this scholarship
opportunity and for supporting me in my horticulture journey! It is awesome that this club is so dedicated to helping the environment!
Kalyn Vander Grinten
Thank you, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee, for supporting my horticulture
studies at Fox Valley Technical College. My educational journey has been a
testament to my perseverance and passion for sustainable living and holistic
wellness. I am dedicated to advancing my knowledge in horticulture, particularly in Greenhouse Operations.
Choosing to specialize in Greenhouse Operations stems from my deep-seated fascination with plant cultivation and sustainable management practices. Beyond academic pursuits, I am driven by a vision of creating a homestead that promotes nutritious foods and medicinal herbs year-round. This scholarship acknowledges my dedication to horticulture and affirms my commitment to contributing positively to my community's well-being and environmental sustainability.
This scholarship is an honor and a validation of my journey thus far. It inspires
me to continue pursuing excellence in my studies and to forge a path that
integrates knowledge, sustainability, and community service. I am grateful for the opportunity this scholarship affords me to further my education and make a meaningful impact in the field of horticulture.
Meet 2023 GCGM Scholarship Winners
Daphne Jacak
Daphne Jacak
Daphne Jacak
Daphne Jacak
Daphne Jacak
My name is Daphne Jacak and I am a sophomore student at UW-River Falls. My love for horticulture started when I was very little. I grew up on a 20-acre hobby farm and always loved to grow gardens, search for native edible plants, and experiment with plant’s taste, smell, and luster. Throughout high school I worked at Witte’s Vegetable Market who taught me how to own a family business, grow, produce, and market fruit and vegetable crops. From these experiences I decided to pursue a Horticultural degree at UW River Falls.
At River Falls I am very active in the Horticulture Society, where I currently hold the position of Senior Floral Purchaser. In this role I organize and purchase plants for sales that fund our society, design floral arrangements for events and sales on campus, and supervise plant related workshops held by the society. We also volunteer for various local businesses and events and work closely with the River Falls Garden Club for plant sales and events. With the skills gain from my education and experiences I hope to produce plants that will help beautify the world landscapes and introduce new varieties into society for others to enjoy.
My goal is to dive into the greenhouse production and/or the landscape design business. I feel these professions are a perfect combination of my interests in art, science, and horticulture. If the opportunity comes about, I would love to start my own business in designing and producing landscape varieties, annual, and perennial flowers. Seeing my professors have a passion for their own crops, I also aspire be able to introduce a new variety to the market as a breeder.
This summer I am interning at the Green Bay Botanical Garden. I am excited to learn about the industry of public gardening, gain valuable social experience, and practice my skills of leadership, teamwork, and public speaking. I look forward to producing plants that bring smiles to growers and will become a lasting beauty in the world around me.
I want to thank the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee for their generous scholarship and encouragement as I pursue my passion in Horticulture.
Claire Jensen
I am so thankful to be receiving the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee Scholarship this year. After I graduate college, my goal is to get a position working as a soil scientist for the Federal Government whether it be through the US Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Department of Interior. My goal as it relates to the Garden Club is to learn about, protect, and conserve the environment. I have a passion for soil science and how it directly impacts the crops, flowers, and trees we grow. I want to use the knowledge I have gained throughout college to help farmers and landowners manage their land to prevent soil erosion,
maintain high soil fertility, and promote pollinators with the re-introduction of native plant species. Throughout college I have had many opportunities to really get into what I was studying and to join related clubs. I am currently an officer for the Soil and Water Conservation Society Chapter on campus. I am the research coordinator and am continuing the twenty year research project that the club has been working on for 9 years now on rotational grazing practices on a local farm.
I am employed at the pedology lab I have completed my own research project with some other students. We looked for spodosol development in Schmeeckle Reserve and determined if the portable x-ray fluorescence is an acceptable diagnostic for determining spodic material presence. I am also an active member of the soil judging team and competed in Oklahoma for the national competition this year and went to Illinois for the regional competition in October. Soil judging has been extremely beneficial because it allows me to look at soils from around the United States
and understand how texture, color, structure, parent material, slope position, etc. affects soil development and how the land can be effectively used. Overall, I’ve had a great experience at UWSP this far and am excited to finish one more semester and graduate in December of 2023.