WGIF Scholarship Awarded to Janet Clark

The WGIF sponsored West Bend Mutual Insurance Company scholarship is awarded annually to a college student involved in, or pursuing a career in the Green industry.  Janet Clark, a La Crosse resident and non-traditional student, has been selected to receive the $500 scholarship from WGIF and WGIF member company West Bend Mutual Insurance Company.  Janet returned to college recently, after five semesters in the Department of English at Carroll College in Helena, Montana.  She is now enrolled at Western Technical College (WTC) in La Crosse, pursuing a degree in Landscape Horticulture.  She’s also taking courses in bookkeeping, accounting, and computers, and maintaining a 3.78 GPA. 
Janet has worked at several nurseries in recent years, including Anderson Tree Farm, Linda’s Flowers, and Fimrietes Sunset Gardens.  Janet’s education and scholarship will come in handy as she and her family are purchasing a tree farm, with the goals of managing the leasing and harvesting of various tree species.
A member and officer of the Landscape Horticulture Club at WTC, and a committee member of both the Tree Campus USA and Sustainability committees, Janet’s education has given her the opportunity to pursue her passion in the fields of horticulture and sustainability.
The Landscape Horticulture program at Western Technical College has been a very positive experience for me in that not only does it provide training for future employment, but has served to enlighten me concerning the broader aspects of the green industry and the need for using sustainable practices in every area of life,” she remarked.
Janet’s school work has introduced her to a broad range of topics that have captured her attention. 
“My interests have greatly expanded from the Program requirements to include urban gardening, farmer’s markets, permaculture practices, ecological farming and agricultural practices, arboriculture, and others.  I expect that what I’ve learned from the program at WTC will be the initial phase of my interest and education in the green industry and implementation of sustainable practices in all areas of my life, at home and in the workplace,” she commented.