CCE Master Gardeners Announce Scholarship Recipients

Brewster, NY, June 1 2022 – CCEPC is proud to announce the 2022 Master Gardener Volunteers Scholarship recipients: Haldane High School’s Jesse Osterfeld and Carmel High School’s Spencer Schmidt.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County Master Gardener Volunteers annually award two scholarships of $500 to eligible Putnam County residents who are graduating seniors from any high-school or home-school program. Awardees must plan to pursue advanced education in a recognized institution of higher learning for the study of Plant Science, Horticulture, Floriculture, Architectural Landscape Design, Forestry, Botany or other environmentally related program.

The CCEPC Scholarship Review Committee bases awards on scholastic achievement, student volunteerism, community service, along with letters of recommendations. Additionally, students submit a short essay describing their desired field of study and their educational goals. Lastly the applicants undergo an interview with the Committee.

Mr. Osterfeld will be attending the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University to pursue a degree in Viticulture (study of grape growing) and Enology (wine making) to prepare to become a leader in the wine industry. This major includes course work in plant science, food science and microbiology, economics and business, foreign language and internships.

Mr. Schmidt is headed to Worcester Polytechnic Institute to pursue a degree in Environmental Engineering.To forge his path in this in-demand field his course of study will entail a breadth of knowledge covering such subjects as sustainability, keeping water supplies safe, designing processes to handle industrial waste and reduce chemical toxicity, or remediating contaminated sites.

Past scholarship recipients have attended programs in Environmental Science and Sustainability at Cornell University and SUNY Plattsburg,Electrical Engineering and Renewable Energy at R.I.T., Wildlife and Conservation Law at Unity College and Stanford University’s Earth Systems Program.