Two recent graduates in Pennsylvania College of Technology's landscape/nursery technology major were state-certified as horticulturists after passing a four-part exam administered May 6 at the college.
Melissa D. Berrier, of Mifflin, and Scott A. Brown, of Unityville, each of whom was awarded associate degrees at the end of the spring semester, join a select group of Penn College alumni and faculty in earning the Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist designation. Both enrolled in the landscape/nursery technology major, which was revised last year into ornamental horticulture with emphases in landscape technology, plant production and horticulture retail management.
"Melissa and Scott should be very proud of earning this credential. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to pass this test on the first try," said Carl J. Bower, a member of the horticulture faculty in the college's School of Natural Resources Management near Allenwood. "This will definitely set them apart from the competition."
A number of alumni also hold certification, as do Bower and his predecessor, Richard J. Weilminster, a retired horticulture professor in whose name the school's arboretum recently was dedicated.
The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association is the primary trade association representing the commonwealth's $5.6 billion green industry. Founded in 1904, its 750 members include production nurseries, garden centers, landscape designers, landscape-maintenance firms, arborists, interiorscape firms, florists and other private-sector companies in one of the Northeast's leading horticultural states.
A PCH is a horticultural expert who has successfully completed a comprehensive study program and examination that tests a student's knowledge and helps him or her gain professional credibility. In order for an individual to obtain certification, a level of 80 percent or above must be attained in each of the four subject areas of the test: plants and their growth, plant maintenance, landscape design and installation, and retail operations.
For more about the School of Natural Resources Management, visit online or call (570) 320-8038. For information about Penn College, visit on the Web, e-mail or call toll-free (800) 367-9222.