Scholarship

The Garden Club of Oak Park and River Forest scholarship program promotes study in environmentally related fields such as conservation, agronomy, agriculture, botany, environmental studies, forestry, horticulture, and landscape design/architecture. The applications and awards are conducted through the Scholarship Foundation at the Oak Park and River Forest High School.

The club is able to provide this scholarship assistance because of the money raised from the Garden Walk. So please buy your Garden Walk tickets and encourage your friends to support the Walk and our scholarship program.

We awarded two $3,000 college scholarships in 2022. Our 2022 scholarship recipients are both very actively involved with environmental issues.

2022
Jelena Collins has worked with Seven Generations Ahead and attended the United Nations Climate Conference. She will be attending McGill University in Montreal, Quebec Canada.

2022
Luke Gilfillan served on the River Forest sustainability commission as a student commissioner and then became president of the Environmental Club at Oak Park River Forest High School. He will be attending Catholic University of America in Washington DC.

Previous Winners
2020
I decided to commit to The University of California of Santa Cruz and plan to major in environmental studies and sustainability. I am very excited to learn more about how to conserve our beautiful world and more ways to take action.
Thank you so much for this opportunity and your generous scholarship. It pushes me
to continue what I am doing and work to make a positive change in the world. – Elise

2020
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your generosity in funding the
Garden Scholarship. I am honored to receive this scholarship and it will help me continue my
studies at Eckerd College. Eckerd College is in St. Petersburg, Florida and I will be studying marine biology and environmental science. I have had a passion for learning about the ocean and protecting it since I was very young, and I am happy to be able to go to an amazing school to continue my education.
This award is not only financially meaningful, but emotional too. It has helped strengthen my belief in myself and my abilities. Thank you again for your generous support to help an OPRF student like me achieve their dreams. – Geneva

Scholarship Chairman, Cherie Fedota
updated 5/10/22