National group awards scholarship to Cincinnati State student

March 23, 2011

The Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS), a national organization headquartered in Baltimore, Md., has awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Alex Benoit, a student at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Benoit, a Milford, Ohio, resident, is a second-year student with a double major in Landscape Horticulture and Turfgrass Management.

Each year the PGMS scholarship committee awards monetary scholarships to students in horticulture or related fields. The awards committee looks for students who have solid grades and past or current employment in the green industry, involvement in the industry with apprentice or professional organizations as well as civic projects and outreach programs. The committee also looks for any personal development classes and involvement in sports or clubs.

“The scholarship program is a wonderful way to recognize interns who work for you or college students you meet in the industry,” said PGMS executive director Tom Shaner.

Shaner said PGMS would like to thank member Walt Bonvell, grounds foreman at Xavier University in Cincinnati, for sponsoring Alex for this scholarship. He said the organization would also like to recognize Denny Baker, lead landscape grounds tech at Cincinnati State who has been a PGMS member since 2003, for serving as a good example of leadership in the industry.

ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL GROUNDS MANAGEMENT SOCIETY
Founded in 1911, PGMS is an individual membership society of grounds professionals dedicated to advancing the grounds management profession through education and professional development. Further information on PGMS is available at www.PGMS.org.