Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship Recipient Named

Jennifer Zurko

The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) has recognized Nicholas Dzurenda as the 2019 Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship recipient. Nicholas is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Horticulture with a minor in Civic Agriculture at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).

MANTS—a corporation formed from the state nursery and landscape associations of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia—established this scholarship with the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) with the belief that the strength and future success of the horticulture industry lies in the solid education of today's students.

The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship was established in 2002 by MANTS. This scholarship serves to memorialize Mr. Akehurst, who served the horticultural industry as one of the founders of MANTS. In addition to his 30-plus years as Executive Vice-President of MANTS, Mr. Akehurst served as Executive Secretary of the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association, the Maryland Nurserymen's Association Horticulture Research Foundation, Maryland Christmas Tree Growers, American Conifer Society, and Maryland Greenhouse Growers' Association.

MANTS’s establishment of this scholarship is a reflection of Mr. Akehurst's firm belief that education begets one the opportunity to achieve. Through this scholarship, MANTS provides opportunities to qualified students to help ensure the continuity of the nursery and landscape profession. GT 

Pictured: Vanessa Finney, executive vice president of MANTS; Nancy Akehurst, wife of the late Carville Akehurst and Vanessa’s mother; and Nicholas Dzurenda, recipient of the Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship.