FELLOWS 2027-2028 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania at Longwood Gardens

The Longwood Fellows Program is a unique, yearlong, residential leadership accelerator designed to prepare high-potential professionals for high-impact roles at public gardens, both in the United States and abroad. Continuing Longwood Gardens’ mission of training horticulture professionals, the Fellows Program supports the future of public gardens through this investment in leadership development for the sector at large.

Fellows refine their leadership skills through a combination of coursework, project-based learning, and networking opportunities with industry professionals to learn about topics such as strategic planning, master site planning, nonprofit finance, leadership communications, conflict management, and leading effective teams. The program grafts theory with practice, offering Fellows the opportunity to conduct case-based discussions, learn from regional and global public garden leaders, and engage in practical learning through a departmental immersion at Longwood, a two-month field placement with a partner garden, and by conducting a cohort project that addresses a pressing issue facing public gardens.

The ideal applicant is a rising leader with experience working at a public garden or arboreta, either in the United States or abroad. Successful applicants demonstrate a high potential for professional growth, are endorsed by garden professionals, are proficient in both written and spoken English, and embody the following characteristics:

• 5+ years of work experience in public horticulture or closely related field. This can include a public garden or arboretum, national park, university, or similar experiences.
• Commitment to professional excellence and to personal growth.
• Leadership competencies that include intellectual curiosity, drive and motivation, adaptive interpersonal skills, fiscal responsibility, resiliency, and strong communication skills.
• Ability to advance others’ success and to collaborate well as a member of a team.
• Welcoming of diverse perspectives and backgrounds, and open to learning from cultural exchange.
• Capacity to be visionary and innovative: future thinking.
• Demonstrated commitment to public horticulture.

A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, such as a diploma in horticulture, is strongly preferred. Those individuals who meet the criteria listed and find themselves transitioning between careers are also encouraged to apply.

Benefits while enrolled in the tuition-free Fellows Program include:

• A biweekly stipend
• On-property housing
• A full Longwood benefits package including health insurance
• An annual stipend for individualized leadership development
• American Public Gardens Association annual conference registration and associated airfare, lodging, and meals
• A two-month garden placement, including airfare and lodging
• Membership in the Longwood Gardens Alumni Association

A complete application for the Longwood Fellows Program has five (5) components:

• Program application form
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Three (3) short essays of 350-500 words
• Two (2) letters of recommendation, one (1) from a direct supervisor and one (1) from a peer, such as a professional colleague, collaborator, team member, or former classmate. References may not be written by family members. These letters must be sent directly to the Longwood Fellows Program by the reference. Reference letters submitted via the applicant will not be accepted. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ask references to submit reference letters. It is also the responsibility of the applicant to make sure these letters are emailed as a .pdf attachment by references to fellowsprogram@longwoodgardens.org before 11:59pm ET on July 31, 2026. The applicant's references will get an email from Longwood acknowledging the receival of their letter. If they do not get an email with this acknowledgement, they should reach out to confirm their letter was received.

More instructions can be found throughout this application. Please be sure all components of the application are completed and submitted before 11:59pm ET, July 31, 2026. This includes two (2) letters of recommendation submitted in .pdf form by two (2) separate references (direct supervisor and peer) to fellowsprogram@longwoodgardens.org.

The initial interview process will involve a virtual screening. Finalists will be invited to in-person interviews at Longwood Gardens in November 2026, with travel costs covered by Longwood Gardens. Following the interviews, successful applicants will be required to complete a background check and drug screening before the program starts in the summer of 2027. Please submit any questions to fellowsprogram@longwoodgardens.org.