TREE Press article: TREE Fund Scholarship Update- Rylie Hannis

We are connecting with some of TREE Fund’s recent scholarship recipients to see how they are coming along in their studies and their careers.

Today, we feature Rylie Hannis, who received the Fran Ward Women in Arboriculture Scholarship in 2023:

In the days since being awarded the Fran Ward Women in Arboriculture Scholarship in May of 2023, I completed my final year at Penn State University, earning my Bachelor of Science in Plant Science with a concentration in Horticulture.

I began my professional career working as an Area Manager with Ruppert Landscape based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania serving commercial clients in Philadelphia and beyond. Although the beginning stages of starting my career were incredibly strenuous – a recent grad, navigating the expectations of a new team in a new company, in a market where our clients are incredibly passionate about their landscapes – I quickly found my place. I had decided around the time of my graduation that my top priority when starting my career would be to educate my clients on the leading horticultural practices for their properties. Thanks to Ruppert and the amazing clients I get to serve, I can make this priority a reality every day. Whether working with turfgrass providers, arborists, wholesale nurseries, irrigation technicians, and beyond, during the past 6-months I have been able to expand my knowledge in countless ways, and more importantly pass on that invaluable knowledge to my clients and help improve the landscapes of their properties at the same time.

I thank TREE Fund and their donors for investing in the education of our industry’s future as their donations allowed me to chase my dreams and attain the career I find purpose in every day.