Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship for Graduate Students

The Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship is a collaborative initiative between the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) and The Garden Club of America, established to promote the conservation of rare and endangered flora in the United States. Named in honor of Catherine H. Beattie, a former director and board member of the GCA and its president from 1981 to 1983, this fellowship has been offered since 1983 through the support of the Fullerton Foundation. The fellowship is targeted at graduate students engaged in biological sciences, horticulture, botany, ecology, or closely related disciplines, particularly those with projects focused on rare plant species native to the U.S., with preference given to the flora of the Carolinas and the southeastern region. The fellowship provides one annual research grant of up to $4,500. This amount is intended as compensation for a student’s conservation-related work at a botanical garden, effectively aligning their academic research goals with the conservation mission of CPC. Recipients are expected to conduct field or laboratory research that contributes to the understanding and protection of rare or endangered plants. Examples of recent projects include studies on cryopreservation impacts, population genetics of the endangered ghost orchid, drought influence on seed germination, and the silica deposition capacity in the Florida Torreya tree. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in a graduate program at a U.S.-based institution. The application process requires submission of a single PDF document containing a cover letter (~400 words), a project narrative (two pages max, not including citations), a one-page budget and timeline, a curriculum vitae, and a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s primary academic advisor or equivalent. Applications must be submitted via email to [email protected] with the subject line "2026 Beattie Fellowship Application" by January 31, 2026. The selection process is overseen by a committee designated by CPC and approved by the GCA Scholarship Committee. Applicants are notified of decisions by mid-March 2026. The program is awarded on an annual basis, making it a recurring opportunity for graduate students committed to plant conservation. Its consistent cadence helps foster a pipeline of young professionals contributing directly to the preservation of botanical biodiversity, particularly in ecologically vulnerable areas of the United States.

Prioritize rare plant species in the Carolinas and southeastern U.S. for strongest consideration