"I would like to thank you and the Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Committee for the marvelous scholarship you awarded me for this last school year (1965-1966)... (It) was indeed a very great help and also a great encouragement to work more enthusiastically in my studies. I am truly grateful for all the kindness, attention and help that you all have given me."

     Richard Tsukushi
     Retired Cut Flower Grower
     Redwood City, CA
     Shinoda Scholar, 1965

   (Richard Tsukushi received one of the two $1000 scholarships awarded by the Shinoda Foundation in 1965, the first year it selected recipients. He served on the foundation's Board of Trustees from 1973 to 1977.)

   "The Shinoda Foundation scholarship was particularly beneficial to me because I personally had to work, borrow or receive scholarships for all my funding while attending Colorado State University... . I was honored to receive the award."

     Royal D. Heins
     Professor Emeritus of Horticulture
     Michigan State University
     Shinoda Scholar, 1974

   "I truly believe that we are a 'family' in floriculture, and that we help each other in many ways... . One of my first experiences with this sense of 'family' was from the Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship Foundation. The scholarship I received from them many years ago, when I needed it most, helped me realize that we need to help one another in the industry. If we do, floriculture will continue to thrive in the U.S."

     Mark P. Bridgen
     Professor of Floriculture
     University of Connecticut
     Shinoda Scholar, 1976

   "I was awarded a Shinoda Scholarship for use during my senior year... (It) came at the ideal time, providing the last push needed for my degree... My educational experience provided a strong foundation for the successes I have experienced during my tenure with the Ecke Ranch."

     Andy Higgins
     President
     Paul Ecke Ranch, Encinitas, CA
     Shinoda Scholar, 1986

   "The scholarship...had special meaning for me... (It) removed part of the financial burden and allowed me to participate in ornamental horticulture clubs and gain experience by growing several crops through the enterprise project program... The recognition from the (Foundation's) Board of Trustees for my efforts (also) was like receiving a needed 'pat on the back.'"

     Susanne Koch Snyder
     President
     Koch California Ltd., Nipomo, CA
     Shinoda Scholar, 1986

   (Susanne Koch Snyder is vice president of the Shinoda Foundation. She has been on its Board of Trustees since 1996.)

   "Since graduation, I have worked...in the flower seed industry. I have been fortunate to be involved with the growing, evaluation, and production of new bedding plant varieties. I am thoroughly enjoying my career and will always be grateful for the opportunities the scholarship provided me."

     Robert Landreth
     Stock Seed Manager
     Pan American Seed Co., Guadalupe, Calif.
     Shinoda Scholar, 1987

   "Shinoda Foundation Scholarships were instrumental in providing financial support during my years at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. These scholarships were an indication to me academic achievement and extracurricular activities (related to ornamental horticulture) were being rewarded. This was a motivating influence to perform well academically and maintain involvement in outside activities that would provide valuable horticultural experience... I felt extremely privileged to have received Shinoda Foundation Scholarships."

     Raymond A. Cloyd
     Professor of Entomology
     Purdue University
     Shinoda Scholar, 1987, 1988, 1989