Longwood Fellows Program

The Fellows Program is a unique leadership accelerator focused on advancing the skills and knowledge of public garden professionals.

Fellows live and learn together through a combination of coursework and practical experiences. They study with experts in hot topics such as nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, master site planning, board relations and governance, nonprofit finance, and more—all tailored to the needs of public garden professionals. They apply their knowledge through a departmental immersion in one of Longwood’s core areas, a two-month externship at a partner garden, and a cohort project that is typically presented at the American Public Gardens Association annual conference.

Fellows Program: History and Legacy

Our founder, Pierre S. du Pont, was a visionary business leader and had a desire to establish a school where students would receive education in the art of horticulture.

We have provided outstanding educational programs since 1957 when we began offering summer internships for college and university students, a program that continues today and has impacted more than 1,500 students from over 80 institutions.

In 1967, we partnered with the University of Delaware to create the Longwood Graduate Program, awarding graduates an M.S. in Ornamental Horticulture. The program has evolved twice in its history—in 1988, the degree changed to an M.S. in Public Horticulture Administration; and in 1998, the degree changed to an M.S. in Public Horticulture.

In 2017, the program underwent a complete transformation, altering its focus exclusively to building leadership capacity for public gardens, replacing the former graduate program. Each year, the application period opens in late spring for the cohort that starts the following summer.

The Fellows Program develops professionals from diverse backgrounds to be leaders in public gardens. After completing the program, Fellows apply their newly refined leadership skills to advance organizations around the world. Fellows are resourceful, creative, and experts in their fields, and these characteristics translate well into a variety of garden types and sizes.

The Fellows Career Path

Two people in a plant nursery looking at a potted plant. — The Fellows Program develops professionals from diverse backgrounds to be leaders in public gardens.

Three students in a topiary garden playing a game with colorful stones. — After completing the program, Fellows apply their newly refined leadership skills to advance organizations around the world. Fellows are resourceful, creative, and experts in their fields, and these characteristics translate well into a variety of garden types and sizes.

Closeup of three people sitting at a table in a conference room, two listening while one speaks. — Our graduates have gone on to become **Executive Directors** and CEOs at Bellevue Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, Filoli, Norfolk Botanical Garden, Leach Botanical Garden, The Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, Temple University Ambler Arboretum, St. Andrews Botanic Garden, Tenafly Nature Center, and Woodlands Garden.

**Directors of Conservation, Horticulture, Education, Public Programs**, and more at The Arboretum at Penn State, Assiniboine Park Conservancy, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Dunn Gardens, Gibraltar Botanic Garden, The Garden Conservancy, Hillwood Estate Museum & Garden, Holden Forest and Gardens, Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens, Ladew Topiary Gardens, Morris Arboretum, Myriad Gardens Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Powell Gardens, Smithsonian Institute, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Tyler Arboretum, UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, and more.

Two people standing on either side of a small tree talking. — **Horticulturists and Gardeners** at Delaware Greenways, Denver Botanic Gardens, Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens, Edmonds Community College, Matthai Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum, Royal Botanical Gardens, Saltmarshe Hall, Virginia Tech/Virginia State University, West Tisbury Public Library, Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy, and more.

Three people in suits, inside a plant conservatory, looking at a large palm leaf. — Other recent titles have included: **Collections Manager, Communications Manager, Curator, Living Collections Manager, Professor, Research Coordinator,** and more.

Since 1967, thousands of students from all over the world have participated in our education programs and have gone on to leadership roles in many of the world’s top horticultural institutions. The Fellows Program carries with it the legacy of its beginnings, with a consciousness of the fast-growing demands on leaders in our industry.

—Paul B. Redman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Longwood Gardens

A selfie of 5 adults with a classroom in the background.

Inside Look: The Fellows Program

By Laurel Dunning, Vânia Pereira, Anastasia Sallen, Clare Shearman, and E. Yvette Weaver, on January 8, 2025

Five people standing shoulder to shoulder in front of a brick building, posing for the camera.

Our Fellows Go to Washington

By Katie Mobley, on October 23, 2024

A group of 5 people, some sitting, some standing, in a garden setting.

A Captivating Cohort: Meet Our 2024–25 Fellows

By Katie Mobley, on August 28, 2024

A desert garden featuring aloe, cactus, and a pond in the background.

Learning—and Leading—Around the World

By Nathan Anderson, Edem Kojo Doe, Muluken Nega Kebede, Abby Lorenz, and Colin Skelly, on May 22, 2024

A group of five people posed in front of a green wall smiling at the camera.

A Part of Something Bigger: Meet Our 2023-24 Fellows

By Katie Testa, on October 11, 2023

Longwood Fellows Program

Explore the Fellows Program

Applications for the 2026–2027 cohort open June 1, 2025.