The Middle Tennessee Nursery Association recently awarded the Hiram B. Stubblefield Scholarship to Martin Grissom and the Middle Tennessee Nursery Association Nursery Scholarship to Samuel Vandagriff. 

Middle Tennessee Nurserymen’s Association was founded in 1961 and later changed its name to Middle Tennessee Nursery Association in 1991. A scholarship fund was started in 1988 for students from the Middle Tennessee area to enroll in and major in any recognized horticulture program at any college or university of the student’s choice.

Grissom is a fourth-generation agriculturist from Rock Island. He will graduate from the University of Tennessee of Martin in December of 2019 with a degree in agriculture business. Grissom operates a farm where he is a grower of premium hay, corn, wheat, soybeans, and nursery stock. 

While in school, Grissom has worked for a row crop operation in North West Tennessee where he got a feel for farming on a large scale. He also has been very active in Collegiate Farm activities where he has traveled the country learning to be a voice for agriculture. Upon graduation, Grissom will return home to the farm where he will be an advocate for the agriculture and nursery industry. 

Vandagriff was born and raised on a farm in the Dibrell community. He is the son of Barry and Shannon Vandagriff and he has a younger brother, Matthew. 

Samuel has worked at several nurseries and is a student at Tennessee Tech. He is the president of the Tennessee Tech University Fishing Club. Samuel is a sophomore pursuing a degree in agriculture business management. His future plans are to have a farm and nursery of his own.