The Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Intern of the Year Award annually spotlights an emerging talent in horticulture and plant sciences. It recognizes exceptional internship performance through the Vic and Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program, administered by the American Floral Endowment.

The 2026 recipient is Alana Wood, a student at Kansas State University majoring in horticulture production.

Outstanding interns are also recognized as honorable mentions. The 2026 honorable mentions are Lemuel Dill and Parker Carlson. Lemuel is also a student at Kansas State University, majoring in horticulture production. Parker is a student at Texas State University, where he majors in agriculture with a concentration in horticulture.

The Paul Thomas recipient receives paid hotel and airfare to Cultivate, an annual convention for the green industry presented by AmericanHort. This year’s event will be held July 11-14, 2026, in Columbus, OH. Because Alana cannot attend, Parker will attend in her place, receiving free registration provided by AmericanHort and $500 spending cash courtesy of AFE’s Young Professional Council. Parker will have an opportunity for networking, tours, workshops and learning more about industry needs. During the event, he will also have a photo opportunity with AFE representatives and faculty members and be featured in articles in AFE publications and trade press.

Alana will receive $250 and have the opportunity to serve on the review committee for the 2027 Paul Thomas selection. Lemuel will also receive $250 for his recognition as an honorable mention.

“Internships are where passion meets practice. Programs like this are more than just recognition,” said Debi Chedester, CAE, executive director of AFE. “They are about investing in the future of floriculture. These students represent the next generation of leaders who will bring fresh ideas, energy and innovation to our industry. We are proud to support them at this pivotal stage in their careers.”

The annual award pays tribute to the late Dr. Paul Thomas, a retired University of Georgia professor, a passionate supporter of student programs and an advocate of AFE’s Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Program. Recipients embody the passion Dr. Thomas displayed for student programs and keep his spirit alive by pursuing industry opportunities. Students who have successfully completed a three-, four- or six-month Vic & Margaret Ball internship are eligible.

ALANA WOOD: 3-month internship with Pure Beauty Farms in Miami

Her time growing up on a farm in Solomon, Kansas, developed into a deep interest in horticulture for Alana. That passion led her to Miami, where she spent May through August 2025 interning for Pure Beauty Farms.

As a 2025 Vic and Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program recipient, the Kansas State University junior spent that summer immersed in the industry, focused on two main projects. Alana gained valuable experience in summer seed trials and poinsettia propagation, in addition to many lessons that strengthened her technical and soft skills. She said the internship inspired her to seek out more opportunities to support her future plans, including learning Spanish to better communicate with teammates.

“This experience has really opened my eyes to many aspects of this industry that I can be a part of,” she said. “I feel confident in my future of being a head grower and working with plants from beginning to end.”

Alana plans to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in horticulture production and work at a greenhouse as an assistant grower, working her way up to head grower.

Receiving the award is an honor, she said, noting that it was a welcome recognition.

“Throughout my whole internship, I just learned so much, and receiving this award makes me feel like I represented AFE well and my hard work throughout the summer was recognized,” she said. “I am really grateful for the opportunity and the award. These are things I will carry on for life.”

LEMUEL DILL: Honorable mention, 6-month internship with Neal Mast & Son Greenhouses in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Spending half a year in his internship afforded Lemuel the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of experiences, all dependent on the season. From graphical tracking to smaller details that matter in creating quality crops, Lemuel said he obtained valuable insights into how commercial plant producers function.

“I gained some great foundational knowledge that I will be able to take with me to future internships as well as for my future career path,” he said. “I am very grateful to NMG for having me on as a six-month intern, because without them, I wouldn’t be as knowledgeable about the commercial growing industry as I am now.”

From his hometown of Lenexa, Kansas, Lemuel is a junior at Kansas State University working toward his undergraduate degree. Reflecting on his internship from June through December 2025, he said being recognized as an honorable mention means even more to him.

“It gives extra props that it was worth the time. Six months is a long time to be away, but looking back, when I see how much I grew, knowing that others could see that growth solidifies that it was a really good experience,” he said. “I hope to take what I have learned and teach other people now that I have a broader understanding of the industry as a whole.”

PARKER CARLSON: Honorable mention, 3-month internship with PlantPeddler in Cresco, Iowa

Parker, a senior at Texas State University, traveled hundreds of miles from his school to his internship at PlantPeddler in Iowa. While there, he was exposed to greenhouse operations on a large scale, expanding his knowledge in daily tasks such as plant care, transplanting, scouting and order fulfillment. Overall, he said the internship was a balanced mix of physical work, problem-solving and plant management that helped him develop both technical and professional skills.

The experience proved eye-opening for Parker, who noted that he was able to connect classroom ideas with real-world applications.

“The internship gave me the opportunity to gain a fleshed-out view of professional horticulture and the roles that make it possible,” he said. “I honed practical skills taught in the classroom, confirmed my love for horticulture and research, and strengthened my conviction toward combining high output production with sustainability.”

Parker is honored to travel to Cultivate this year, an experience he said he would not have had otherwise without AFE and his advisor, Dr. Cade. He said he is grateful for moments that pushed him out of his comfort zone and prepared him to take full advantage of the opportunities at the event in Ohio.

“I am hoping to meet very interesting people there and have the chance to tell more people about the opportunities that are available through AFE,” he said. “This is a chance to feel even more a part of the industry, and being in the industry, rather than just hearing about it, helps you feel less like an imposter. I was always raised that you will never regret anything you did as long as you gave it your all. I followed that in Iowa, I will at Cultivate, and I will continue to follow that throughout my career.”

Across all AFE programs, there is a focus on empowering and uplifting young professionals. Investing in the industry’s next generation ensures a strong, vibrant workforce in the coming years that will continue to make strides toward advancement and progress. The Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship (production) and the Mosmiller Intern Scholarship (retail or wholesale) offer young professionals the opportunity to contribute meaningfully beyond the classroom. AFE says it is proud to support these individuals and all its interns and scholarship recipients to help facilitate a stronger future for floriculture.