New SNA Scholarship Announced

Jennifer Zurko

The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund, created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), is announcing a new named scholarship to honor Dr. Bryson L. James. Dr. James not only served as Director of Horticultural Research for the SNA and coordinator of the annual conference and editor of the Annual Proceedings for 37 years, but was active in the SNA Research Conference for nearly 50 years. Dr. James passed away in 2017.

The Sidney B. Meadows Board voted to establish the fund in honor of Dr. James to build a perpetual scholarship to be awarded in his name. Marc Teffeau, newly-elected President of the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund, said, “Very few individuals have impacted horticultural research in the southeast as much as Bryson. His efforts will have an influence throughout our industry for decades to come. The naming of a scholarship in his honor will be a permanent reminder of his work and love for our industry.”

The SNA Research Conference features a student research competition also named for Dr. James. The Bryson L. James Student Research Competition provides an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to present their latest research results, hone their communication skills and compete for cash awards. These students historically demonstrate strong academic and research ability, and move forward in the industry to make outstanding contributions.

Created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund is a 501(c)(3) corporation providing scholarships to students who are residents of the 16 states SNA represents—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia—pursuing a career in horticulture.

To date, the fund has awarded a total of $522,000. The fund’s current assets are now more than $850,000. The financial support offered by the fund has allowed many students the opportunity to begin or continue to work toward their educational goals.

An application for 2019 scholarships is available online at www.sbmef.org. Those interested in receiving scholarship information or the latest fund news can subscribe to the automated information system on the fund’s website. GT