Penn College Floral Design Show Raises Funds for Scholarships
Published 11.22.2002
News
"Holidays 2002," a floral design show held recently at Pennsylvania College of Technology, raised nearly $1,300 for student scholarships while providing audience members with an opportunity to learn decorating techniques from floral-design professionals.
The event, which was held at Penn's Inn in the Bush Campus Center, was attended by 180 people, including representatives from 16 area garden clubs. The show featured the talents of five floral designers, four of whom are alumni of Penn College.
Other alumni of the College also participated and provided support for the event. In addition, 10 students enrolled in the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape program in Penn College's School of Natural Resources Management assisted with the displays.
Floral arrangements designed before and during the show were auctioned afterward for the benefit of the Endowed Scholarship Campaign for the School of Natural Resources Management. A total of $1,295 was raised.
Garden clubs represented at the show included: Dogwood Circle, DuBoistown, Forget-Me-Not, Jersey Shore, Lewisburg, Loyalsock, McEwensville, Mifflinburg, Mifflin County, Montoursville, Muncy, Northumberland, Point Township, Susquehanna, Tulpehocken and Williamsport.
"The Floral Design Show was an outstanding demonstration of creativity and artistic skill expressed through the use of various flowers, foliage and natural materials," said Wayne R. Longbrake, dean of the School of Natural Resources Management. "Four of the five designers are graduates of the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape program at Penn College."
Penn College alumni who participated as floral designers for the program are:
Jason Narber
Narber graduated with dual degrees in Landscape/Nursery Management and Floral Design/Interior Plantscape. He is involved in the family business, Narber's Landscape and Floral, in Boalsburg. Narber has presented programs and workshops for various groups and garden clubs. He also participated in the the American Institute of Floral Designers' exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Michael Hasco
Hasco graduated from Penn College in 1999 with a degree in Interior Plantscape/Floral Design. He completed a year-long internship at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, serving as assistant display specialist. Recently, Hasco was selected as one of five national recipients to be awarded the Jim Treadaway Memorial Scholarship to attend the AIFD National Symposium in San Diego. He's employed as a floral designer in Camp Hill and is working toward his goal of AIFD accreditation in July 2003.
Sharon Hostelley
A Penn College graduate with degrees in Landscape/Nursery Management and Floral Design, Hostelley worked as a floral designer in Honolulu and at a floral shop in Clarksville, Tenn. Currently, she is employed by Hometown Floral and Gifts, South Williamsport. Her style of design includes experimental tropical and English garden styles.
Karen Ruhl
Ruhl, a nurse for 24 years, enrolled in Penn College's Floral Design/Interior Plantscape program in 2000. She still works as a nurse part-time but also is a designer in a retail flower shop and operates "Special Occasion Florals" from her home in Muncy. She has presented programs for local garden clubs and worked at the AIFD setup for the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Serving as premier designer for the show was Daniel Vaughn. Vaughn has owned and operated Colonial Florist and Gift Shop in Mount Union for more than 26 years. A graduate of Arizona School of Floral Design, Vaughn is president of the Pennsylvania Florist Industry Association and is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers. He serves on the board and is president of the Northeast Region of AIFD. He is also a member of the American Academy of Floriculture. Career highlights include decorating at the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll and serving as chairman of the AIFD exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Christine A. Fink, a floral design instructor and floral-event coordinator at the College, served as commentator. Fink has a design degree from Rittner's School of Floral Design, Boston.
For more information about the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape major at Penn College, visit on the Web, or call 1-800-367-9222.
The event, which was held at Penn's Inn in the Bush Campus Center, was attended by 180 people, including representatives from 16 area garden clubs. The show featured the talents of five floral designers, four of whom are alumni of Penn College.
Other alumni of the College also participated and provided support for the event. In addition, 10 students enrolled in the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape program in Penn College's School of Natural Resources Management assisted with the displays.
Floral arrangements designed before and during the show were auctioned afterward for the benefit of the Endowed Scholarship Campaign for the School of Natural Resources Management. A total of $1,295 was raised.
Garden clubs represented at the show included: Dogwood Circle, DuBoistown, Forget-Me-Not, Jersey Shore, Lewisburg, Loyalsock, McEwensville, Mifflinburg, Mifflin County, Montoursville, Muncy, Northumberland, Point Township, Susquehanna, Tulpehocken and Williamsport.
"The Floral Design Show was an outstanding demonstration of creativity and artistic skill expressed through the use of various flowers, foliage and natural materials," said Wayne R. Longbrake, dean of the School of Natural Resources Management. "Four of the five designers are graduates of the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape program at Penn College."
Penn College alumni who participated as floral designers for the program are:
Jason Narber
Narber graduated with dual degrees in Landscape/Nursery Management and Floral Design/Interior Plantscape. He is involved in the family business, Narber's Landscape and Floral, in Boalsburg. Narber has presented programs and workshops for various groups and garden clubs. He also participated in the the American Institute of Floral Designers' exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Michael Hasco
Hasco graduated from Penn College in 1999 with a degree in Interior Plantscape/Floral Design. He completed a year-long internship at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, serving as assistant display specialist. Recently, Hasco was selected as one of five national recipients to be awarded the Jim Treadaway Memorial Scholarship to attend the AIFD National Symposium in San Diego. He's employed as a floral designer in Camp Hill and is working toward his goal of AIFD accreditation in July 2003.
Sharon Hostelley
A Penn College graduate with degrees in Landscape/Nursery Management and Floral Design, Hostelley worked as a floral designer in Honolulu and at a floral shop in Clarksville, Tenn. Currently, she is employed by Hometown Floral and Gifts, South Williamsport. Her style of design includes experimental tropical and English garden styles.
Karen Ruhl
Ruhl, a nurse for 24 years, enrolled in Penn College's Floral Design/Interior Plantscape program in 2000. She still works as a nurse part-time but also is a designer in a retail flower shop and operates "Special Occasion Florals" from her home in Muncy. She has presented programs for local garden clubs and worked at the AIFD setup for the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Serving as premier designer for the show was Daniel Vaughn. Vaughn has owned and operated Colonial Florist and Gift Shop in Mount Union for more than 26 years. A graduate of Arizona School of Floral Design, Vaughn is president of the Pennsylvania Florist Industry Association and is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers. He serves on the board and is president of the Northeast Region of AIFD. He is also a member of the American Academy of Floriculture. Career highlights include decorating at the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll and serving as chairman of the AIFD exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Christine A. Fink, a floral design instructor and floral-event coordinator at the College, served as commentator. Fink has a design degree from Rittner's School of Floral Design, Boston.
For more information about the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape major at Penn College, visit on the Web, or call 1-800-367-9222.