Pi Alpha Xi is well-known for its co-sponsorship with the American Floral Endowment, of the Annual National Intercollegiate Floral Crop Quality Evaluation and Design Competition. The contest location is rotated among different four-year institutions within the United States. Approximately 11 schools bring teams to the competition annually. As discussed in the HortScience article "Flower Judging to Develop Professionalism among Floriculture Students" [24(6), p897-898] by Dr. Dennis Wolnick, the activity develops a sense of responsibility within the students for high quality plant material and trains them to identify quality characteristics. In keeping with the goals of Pi Alpha Xi, fellowship and scholarship are shared by students, educators, and professionals.
The success of the National Intercollegiate Floral Crop Quality Evaluation and Design Competition is greatly influenced by the financial and in-kind support of its many sponsors.