The Arnold D. Haskell Scholarship was established in 2003 and has been bestowed upon select undergraduate students annually attending Cal Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo, awarding two students for the 2023-2024 school year.

This year marks a milestone for Sherman Library & Gardens as two dynamic and deserving students were presented with full scholarships upon the 20th anniversary of the Arnold D. Haskell Scholarship. Named in honor of the founder of Sherman Library & Gardens, this scholarship was established as a way to invest in future generations who show great promise in their educational endeavors relating to environmental horticulture science. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s School of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences has been named among the top four colleges for agriculture studies in the USA. Each Arnold D. Haskell Scholarship includes full coverage for the year’s tuition, including books. Additionally, Sherman Library & Gardens has asked the students to participate in a paid internship with housing for the Summer of 2024.

Each student who qualified for the scholarship opportunity wrote an essay on their educational and career goals. Marlene Delgado and Simon Lisieski were chosen as the Arnold D. Haskell Scholars for the current academic year. Delgado was a founding member of her high school Botany club, and is currently participating in a wetlands restoration project as an intern with Dr. Joyce Blueford, Ph.D. at Tule Ponds in Fremont, Ca. Lisieski, who is from Washington shared in his essay, “I’ve watched my whole life as more and more of the forest are clearcut for wood. Little is done to replant or restore these habitats and my goal would be to produce trees and plants that could be added back to the landscape. I would also like to be involved in work that encourages local support for restoration projects so people with private land become more invested in these positive outcomes.”

Gary Pickett, President of Sherman Foundation, stated, “the partnership between Sherman and Cal Poly is a special connection that allows us to honor students that show great promise in improving environmental awareness and sustainability in our community. We are proud to see this scholarship and internship pairing reach this 20-year milestone as well as continue forward for future generations. We have been fortunate to have many scholarship winners become full time employees in the gardens.”

“We look forward to partnering with these students to act as a catalyst for their bright futures. The world needs the next generation to be inspired by nature’s beauty, and we are thrilled to be able to provide that to them at Sherman Library & Gardens.” -Scott LaFleur, Executive Director of Sherman Library & Gardens.

About Sherman Library & Gardens

Sherman Library & Gardens is a non-profit that has been deeply rooted in Orange County, California for 57 years, serving the community as a sanctuary and education beacon for history, horticulture, and the arts. Founded in 1966 by Arnold Haskell, and named for his friend and mentor, M.H. Sherman, this iconic institution serves as a guardian of regional history and artifacts, a living library of plants both native and exotic, and a conservator of artistic works influenced by and produced in the Pacific Southwest. Today, Sherman Library & Gardens is a monument to Haskell’s dream of an educational and cultural center including a premier botanical garden and outstanding research library. Sherman Library & Gardens was recently recognized by the Newport Beach City Council with a proclamation, naming Sherman Library & Gardens as the “Cultural Hub” of Corona del Mar.