2023 Scholarship Winners
Hamilton County Master Gardeners Association presents annual scholarships to Hamilton County (Indiana) residents or children/grandchildren of an HCMGA member, with an intent to major in horticulture, botany, landscape architecture/design or an agriculture or environmental science that includes a plant-focused component. Candidate must be a full-time college student in the fall of 2023. The scholarship cannot be deferred a year.
Congratulations to the latest recipients of the Barney Hobbs Memorial Scholarship. This year, HCMGA awarded $3,000 scholarships to each of seven outstanding students.
Grace Brisco. Visiting national parks can be ho-hum to some children, but their raw beauty was not lost on a young Grace. She is a third-time recipient from Noblesville and attends Ball State. Grace majors in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Natural Resources and Environmental Management.
Meredith Dodson. A seventh-generation Hoosier farmer clutching her John Deere Barbie doll … imagine that! Meredith is a first-time Hobbs Scholarship recipient and a 2023 Hamilton Heights High School graduate. This Arcadia native will attend Purdue majoring in Sustainable Food & Farming Systems. Breanna Hudson. Curious about why her first-time plant collection was only semi-successful, Breanna searched for answers, which led to an environmental awakening. She is a 2023 Hamilton Southeastern High School grad and a first-time recipient. The Fishers resident will attend Purdue majoring in Natural Resources and Environmental Science.
Abigail Krent. From hemp production to coffee growing to farming on Mars, Abigail already has a wide range of academic experience. She is a two-time Hobbs Scholar from Noblesville and attends Western
Kentucky University, majoring in Agronomy with a Plant Science Concentration and Spanish Language and Culture.
Samuel Landers. A love for cooking drove this Noblesville resident to transform a fallow garden into a “major success” of a veggie garden. Samuel, a first-time Hobbs Scholar and 2023 Noblesville High School graduate, will attend Purdue majoring in Biological Engineering (with a possible double in Computer Engineering).
Bethany Madore. A high school experience with the World Food Prize Youth Institute helped inspire Bethany to pursue plant science during her academic career. She is a first-time recipient from Fishers and will be a senior at Purdue. She majors in Plant Science with minors in Horticulture and Plant Pathology.
Madeline Rockey. A study-abroad trip to Costa Rica provided Madeline with experience in organic, sustainable farming and solidified her interest in environmental conservation. She is a two-time recipient from Fishers and attends Purdue majoring in Natural Resources and minoring in Environmental Science, Sustainable Farming, or Horticulture.