University of Maryland graduate student receives 2024 Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship

The Horticultural Research Institute announced Elliott Kenney as the 2024 recipient of the Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship was established in 2002 by the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show to honor Akehurst’s significant contributions to the horticulture industry and his commitment to education.

Kenney is a third-year graduate student in landscape architecture at the University of Maryland and serves as treasurer of the Maryland student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

She spent 10 years working in nonprofit advocacy. Her master’s thesis, inspired by her own experiences as a late-diagnosed neurodivergent individual, focuses on designing public parks that prioritize accessibility and inclusivity, fostering environments of beauty and belonging for all. She's also involved in research using VR technology to model urban flooding.

“This scholarship honors our father’s belief in the power of education and his passion for the green industry. We are thrilled to see the scholarship awarded to Elliott Kenney. We are proud to support her educational journey and look forward to seeing her contributions to the industry," said Vanessa Finney, executive vice president of MANTS and daughter of Carville Akehurst.

The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship, part of the HRI scholarship program, commemorates the legacy of Akehurst, who dedicated more than 30 years to the horticulture industry, including his role as executive vice president of MANTS and executive secretary for numerous Maryland horticulture associations.

MANTS established the scholarship with the belief that a strong education is essential to the future success of the nursery and landscape profession, embodying Akehurst’s values of opportunity and achievement through education.

To learn more about HRI's scholarship program, including the Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship, visit the HRI Scholarship Application and Resources website.