Stihl Inc. recently awarded Ismael Ruelas of Brigham Young University, ID, a $1,200 scholarship as part of the Professional Landcare Network’s (PLANET) Academic Excellence Foundation (AEF). The scholarship reception, sponsored in part by Stihl Inc., took place on March 22, 2011 as part of this year’s PLANET Student Career Days event at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.
“This scholarship exemplifies the commitment that Stihl, PLANET, and the green industry community have toward helping students design, build, and maintain our dreams,” said Ruelas, who is expecting his first child with his wife this summer. “Receiving this scholarship also is a great responsibility for myself and future students to ensure we succeed and represent the industry to the best of our abilities.”
Ruelas, who served as a youth leader in his church and completed a two-year volunteer service mission to the Nevada Las Vegas West Mission, has worked with his father in landscaping since he was young and hopes to be a landscape architect. He also served as the president of the Hispanic Association at Hilltop High School and as a grounds supervisor for the Thomas E. Ricks Gardens at BYU-Idaho, where he oversaw a team of ten students.
“I have full confidence that Ismael will be a leader in the green industry because of his work ethic, communication skills, experience and because a great company reached back to help a student in need,” said Reese Nelson, Ph. D., who works in the Horticulture Department at BYU-Idaho and served as one of two faculty advisors to the Ruelas’ team. “This generous help is where the proverbial rubber meets the road and is what characterizes Stihl Inc.”
Ruelas plans to use his scholarship to support his planned summer internship with Heads Up Landscaping and Sprinkler Repair in Albuquerque, N.M. During PLANET Student Career Days, he competed in computer-aided landscape design, irrigation assembly, and irrigation design.
The AEF presented more than 60 scholarships and awards, totaling more than $70,000, at the annual recognition reception. Since its inception in 1998, the PLANET AEF has presented more than $650,000 in scholarships and awards to more than 645 recipients.
A founding Ambassador of the AEF, Stihl has increased its scholarship endowment to the Platinum Ambassador level with a commitment of $50,000. With that, the Stihl Landscape Scholarship awarded in 2012 also increased from $1,000 to $1,200. In addition to increasing its endowment, STIHL also announced that starting this year, the scholarship will be presented to a Hispanic student interested in pursuing a career in the green industry.
“By promoting viable career options and encouraging educational success in these fields, we are helping to ensure that the future is bright for the green industry,” said Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for Stihl Inc. and a PLANET AEF board member. “Stihl is proud to align with the PLANET Academic Excellence Foundation and support a program that provides the means to students to further their education.”
For more information about PLANET AEF, visit www.landcarenetwork.org/foundation/index.cfm.
