Reaping Aggie Benefits, Sowing Seeds for Success
July 16, 2013
Class of 2004 Ag funds scholarship in honor of horticulture professor and academic advisor
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| Jed Waltemathe '04 at the flagship Circle D Nursery in Bryan, Texas. |
As a student, Jed Waltemathe ’04 spent much of his time working for the
Department of Horticulture
with top professors and mentors in his field. Though he didn’t know
exactly what he wanted to do, he knew that learning more about
horticulture would unearth his passion.
“I wanted as much on the job training as
possible. I wanted to be with people who worked in the field in which I
was interested,” he said.
Waltemathe worked with several industry
leaders before and after graduation, including Hines Nurseries and
Landmark Nurseries in Houston, learning from their successes before
attempting to venture into his own enterprise. And in 2008, he opened
Circle D Nurseries,
a re-wholesale nursery that services professional landscapers and
commercial accounts throughout Central Texas. With the flagship nursery
in Bryan thriving, he opened a second location in Leander, Texas, last
year.
“I believe when you get, you should give,”
Waltemathe said. This year, he gave back by establishing an endowed
scholarship through the Texas A&M Foundation for horticulture
students. “I don’t feel I could ever give back enough to Texas A&M
to repay what it gave me,” he said. The scholarship is named for and
honors his academic advisor Sharon Duray and retired Texas A&M
horticulture professor Dr. Don Wilkerson.
“It would be hard to
express the impact Sharon and Dr. Wilkerson had in my life,” Waltemathe
said. “I wouldn't be where I am today were it not for the help and the
wealth of knowledge they shared with me.”
Duray navigated Waltemathe through the
murky waters of class choices so that he could achieve his goals. “I
trusted her to advise me without question because she was always a few
steps ahead of me,” he said.
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| Sharon Duray and Dr. Don Wilkerson |
During
her 28 years as an academic advisor in the Department of Horticulture,
Duray was recognized for her outstanding service to students with the Ed
Guthrie Award for advising in 2003, the Vice Chancellor’s Award in
Excellence in 2005 and the President’s Meritorious Service Award in
2006.
Waltemathe
credits Wilkerson, who advised him through the process of opening his
own business, with the fast-paced success of Circle D. “Being able to
consult with Dr. Wilkerson has been priceless,” he said.
“As a student, Jed recognized the value of
getting to know his professors and continued using them as resources
following graduation,” Wilkerson said. “Jed patiently laid the
groundwork to pave the way to his success.”
During his appointment with the
Texas Cooperative Extension,
Wilkerson worked closely with growers throughout the state on cultural
and management problems, primarily dealing with environmental issues
concerning the nursery/floral industry. At Texas A&M, Wilkerson
received the
Texas Nursery and Landscape Association’s
(TNLA) Staff Award and TNLA’s Arp award for his outstanding service and
dedication to the Texas nursery/floral/landscape industry.
Duray and
Wilkerson have been equally appreciative of Waltemathe. “We are very
proud of Jed's accomplishments,” Duray said. “Most importantly, Jed is a
great guy, a loyal Aggie, and an asset to the horticulture industry and
Texas A&M University—he’s the total package.”
Waltemathe
hopes his scholarship will support Aggie students pursuing careers in
the green industry in the same way he was supported by the people in the
horticulture department. “By recognizing students with this scholarship
I hope it will give them the confidence to open their own businesses
someday and help them realize success is a combined effort involving the
support of many people and prayer,” he said.
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| Shelby Hollaway '14 |
Shelby
Hollaway ’14 is the first recipient of the Don Wilkerson and Sharon
Duray Scholarship, and her own connection to Duray makes the scholarship
that much more special to her.
“This
particular scholarship touched my heart greatly,” Hollaway said. “Ms.
Duray was my favorite person in the horticulture department, and she was
always there to help me out with whatever problems I had.”
Hollaway
said the scholarship will help her family afford her education, which
she hopes will lead her into a career in the wine industry. She plans to
get a job at a vineyard in North Texas when she graduates in December.
And maybe one day she’ll follow in more of Waltemathe’s footsteps.
“The
fact that the scholarship is in the name of two people who have meant
so much, not only in my life, but in the life of many former students,
will hopefully inspire others to one day give back,” Waltemathe said.
By Joanna Raines ’14
You can support research
efforts in Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences with a gift of an endowment to the Texas A&M Foundation. Request your A&M Support Kit to learn how your gift can make a difference.
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