Student Spotlight: Hunter Hall

Nursery & Landscape Notes is introducing you to the next generation of green industry professionals with this new section featuring college students with plans to pursue careers in the field.

Hunter at the Perennial Plant Association's National Symposium in 2019.

Hunter Hall is a native of Hillsborough, N.C., enrolled at the University of Mount Olive as an Agriculture Production Systems major with plans to graduate in December 2020. She has gained industry experience by interning at Hoffman Nursery and working for South Wind Produce, both in Rougemont, N.C. She is the recipient of the 2018 NCNLA Larry D. Edwards Memorial Scholarship and the 2019 Perennial Plant Association Scholarship. She is also a 2019 National FFA American Degree Recipient and 2020 AmericanHort Scholar.

How did you discover horticulture?

I discovered horticulture my freshman year of college in an Introduction to horticulture course. Prior to this class, I had never thought about taking a horticulture class, but it was required for my major. To my surprise, I absolutely loved it! My instructor encouraged me to apply to the internship program at Hoffman Nursery and I spent an incredible summer learning all about ornamental grasses, perennials, the nursery industry and horticulture as a whole. While these experiences are what led me to discover horticulture, I enjoy discovering new aspects of the industry and learning new things every day.

What were your most valuable experiences, either in school or from other exposure to the industry?

As a visual learner, some of my most valuable experiences have been teaching moments where I learned a “why?” and was then given the opportunity to learn the “how?” with guidance from my teachers, supervisors or peers. In school, this has been as simple as learning how to pinch back flowers in the greenhouse, or as hard as identifying hollies around campus for the first time with my notes in hand. During the summers, these experiences have ranged from collecting and cleaning Carex seeds at Hoffman, to knocking on watermelons to see if they were ready to be harvested at South Wind, to a thousand things in between. These experiences have taught me skills that you cannot learn sitting in a classroom, for which I am very thankful.

What were your favorite college classes?

My favorite college class by far was my plant identification course. When I attended my first industry event a couple years ago, I admired the fact that everyone spoke of plants by their scientific name, and everyone knew so many! I wanted to have that knowledge, too, and this class gave me an opportunity to learn it. This class was structured around the NCNLA Certified Plant Professional Exam, so in addition to learning nearly 300 plants, I was also able to become a Certified Plant Professional. Plant ID has now become a favorite subject of mine, and I love teaching my friends and family while taking every opportunity to learn more.

What are your plans after graduation?

I am not sure yet what the future may hold! While I plan to work, I am still trying to find my niche in the industry. When I figure that out, pursuing a master’s degree may become an option.

What advice would you give to a student interested in the field?

Make connections and network within the industry every chance that you get! You will meet incredible people who will introduce you to more incredible people. There is so much opportunity within this industry, and the people you meet will support you and help in any way they can.

What is your favorite plant?

While there are a few that I could choose from, I think my favorite plant of all is Cornus florida. When I was born, my granny planted a flowering dogwood for me in her backyard. Growing up it was always “Hunter’s tree,” and it has remained my favorite ever since. As a plus, it is the state flower (or bract, I should say), and its blooms confirm that spring has arrived, which is my favorite time of year.

When I was born, my granny planted a flowering dogwood for me in her backyard. Growing up it was always “Hunter’s tree,” and it has remained my favorite ever since.