New scholarship will benefit students seeking nursery industry careers
The Johnson family visits the tree called "Chason's gift" at the JC Raulston Arboretum. The tree, planted by Raulston, is from the family's nursery. From left are Chason, Marian, David, Annie and Jill Johnson.
Photo by Daniel Kim
David R. Johnson, owner of Johnson Nursery in Willard, was raised in Chapel Hill and educated at Duke University, but once he took nursery management classes from the late J.C. Raulston at N.C. State University, his future career was set. His association with Raulston, horticultural scientist and namesake of N.C. State's nationally renowned arboretum, helped him realize his vision to found his own nursery - which he did, on farmland once owned by his grandfather.
Now Johnson and his family are giving back to N.C. State and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' horticulture programs that inspired his successful 25-year-old business.
The Johnson Nursery Scholarship Endowment has been established by Johnson Nursery Corp., Mrs. Marian Ritchie Johnson and the late Dr. George Johnson Jr. in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc. The scholarship is intended to assist and encourage students toward a career in the nursery industry.
David Johnson; his wife, Jill; children, Chason and Annie; and mother, Marian, gathered June 6 with representatives of the College to create the new scholarship. His father, Dr. George Johnson Jr., a leading cardiovascular surgeon at UNC-Chapel Hill who had also planned to sign the agreement, died May 15.
Dr. Johnny Wynne, dean of the College, hosted the signing ceremony at the Brickhaven Building on the N.C. State campus. Joining him were Terry Wood, NCSU vice chancellor for University Advancement; Dr. Ken Esbenshade, CALS associate dean and director of Academic Programs; and Dr. Bryce Lane, Horticultural Science professor and director of undergraduate programs.
"Thank you for what you are doing for the College and the students of the future," Wynne told the Johnsons. He offered condolences for the passing of George Johnson Jr. and noted the memorial gifts Marian Johnson and others have made to the fund in addition to the initial donations.
David Johnson said, "The scholarship was decided before dad died, and he was really excited about it." Added Marian Johnson, a psychologist, student counselor and founder of "A Woman's Place" in Chapel Hill, "Our heart is in this. He is here with us."
Wood replied, "Generations of students will benefit from the scholarship. The story of your family's generosity will continue in perpetuity."
Lane added, "Our horticulture students are getting better every year, and it becomes more of a challenge each year to choose scholarship recipients. So we're grateful for more endowments and more scholarships to give. This is a huge encouragement for students that you are providing - and in addition the valuable opportunity for those students to come to Johnson Nursery for an internship. We thank you for the vision that you had for both the scholarship and the internship."
Lane was referring to Johnson's offer for scholarship recipients and other interested horticulture students to work with Johnson Nursery as interns during summers between semesters at N.C. State.
David Johnson and Wynne both noted how huge the nursery industry had become, with Wynne mentioning the recent announcement by the state Agriculture and Consumer Services Department that the green industry contributes $8.6 billion to the state's economy.
"The industry needs wonderful minds to take us into this century," Johnson said. "It's an opportunity for a great career."
The ceremonies were followed by a tour of the nearby JC Raulston Arboretum, where the Johnson family viewed a special conifer tree called "Chason's gift," which was planted there years ago by Raulston.
The Cunninghamia lanceolata, a type of Chinese fir, came to the arb after Raulston saw and admired the unique plant during a visit to Johnson's Nursery. This particular plant had come from a cutting David propagated from a plant in his mother, Marian's, Chapel Hill garden. The original of that plant had been a gift to Marian from her mother, Margaret Chason Ritchie. Since the Johnson Nursery plant was a new cultivar, Raulston encouraged the Johnsons to name it, so it became known as "Chason's gift" and now flourishes at the arb.
Likewise, the horticultural education and careers of future N.C. State students will have the opportunity to grow because of the Johnson Nursery Scholarship.
- Terri Leith
Now Johnson and his family are giving back to N.C. State and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' horticulture programs that inspired his successful 25-year-old business.
The Johnson Nursery Scholarship Endowment has been established by Johnson Nursery Corp., Mrs. Marian Ritchie Johnson and the late Dr. George Johnson Jr. in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc. The scholarship is intended to assist and encourage students toward a career in the nursery industry.
David Johnson; his wife, Jill; children, Chason and Annie; and mother, Marian, gathered June 6 with representatives of the College to create the new scholarship. His father, Dr. George Johnson Jr., a leading cardiovascular surgeon at UNC-Chapel Hill who had also planned to sign the agreement, died May 15.
Dr. Johnny Wynne, dean of the College, hosted the signing ceremony at the Brickhaven Building on the N.C. State campus. Joining him were Terry Wood, NCSU vice chancellor for University Advancement; Dr. Ken Esbenshade, CALS associate dean and director of Academic Programs; and Dr. Bryce Lane, Horticultural Science professor and director of undergraduate programs.
"Thank you for what you are doing for the College and the students of the future," Wynne told the Johnsons. He offered condolences for the passing of George Johnson Jr. and noted the memorial gifts Marian Johnson and others have made to the fund in addition to the initial donations.
David Johnson said, "The scholarship was decided before dad died, and he was really excited about it." Added Marian Johnson, a psychologist, student counselor and founder of "A Woman's Place" in Chapel Hill, "Our heart is in this. He is here with us."
Wood replied, "Generations of students will benefit from the scholarship. The story of your family's generosity will continue in perpetuity."
Lane added, "Our horticulture students are getting better every year, and it becomes more of a challenge each year to choose scholarship recipients. So we're grateful for more endowments and more scholarships to give. This is a huge encouragement for students that you are providing - and in addition the valuable opportunity for those students to come to Johnson Nursery for an internship. We thank you for the vision that you had for both the scholarship and the internship."
Lane was referring to Johnson's offer for scholarship recipients and other interested horticulture students to work with Johnson Nursery as interns during summers between semesters at N.C. State.
David Johnson and Wynne both noted how huge the nursery industry had become, with Wynne mentioning the recent announcement by the state Agriculture and Consumer Services Department that the green industry contributes $8.6 billion to the state's economy.
"The industry needs wonderful minds to take us into this century," Johnson said. "It's an opportunity for a great career."
The ceremonies were followed by a tour of the nearby JC Raulston Arboretum, where the Johnson family viewed a special conifer tree called "Chason's gift," which was planted there years ago by Raulston.
The Cunninghamia lanceolata, a type of Chinese fir, came to the arb after Raulston saw and admired the unique plant during a visit to Johnson's Nursery. This particular plant had come from a cutting David propagated from a plant in his mother, Marian's, Chapel Hill garden. The original of that plant had been a gift to Marian from her mother, Margaret Chason Ritchie. Since the Johnson Nursery plant was a new cultivar, Raulston encouraged the Johnsons to name it, so it became known as "Chason's gift" and now flourishes at the arb.
Likewise, the horticultural education and careers of future N.C. State students will have the opportunity to grow because of the Johnson Nursery Scholarship.
- Terri Leith