The Klussendorf Association and the McKown/Klussendorf Fund announce the recipients of seven $1500 scholarships to be presented at the Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet during World Dairy Expo.
Award winners are in their first, second or third year of study at a two or four-year college or university in the U.S. or Canada, majoring in a field that will lead them to a career in the dairy industry. These exemplary students demonstrate the highest level of leadership, participation in extracurricular activities and a special interest in showing dairy cattle in their true-to-breed form.
Klussendorf Scholarship
The Klussendorf Scholarship was made possible through a gift from the late Chris Kampf, along with other members of the Klussendorf Association. This award is representative of the late, legendary showman and dairy cattle fitter Arthur B. Klussendorf. The association honors those who most nearly exemplify his character and ethics. Three students each receive a $1500 award.
Awna Hirsch from Eaton, Colorado is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota. Hirsch played an active role in many aspects of her family’s dairy farm, from raising, training and showing dairy cattle, to assisting with vet checks and calves. Her most recent leadership experience includes serving as the National Brown Swiss Association Alternate Youth Ambassador.
Kylie Konyn of Escondido, California is another Klussendorf Scholarship winner. A freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Konyn has personally financed her own 150-cow herd of registered Holsteins and Jerseys. Among other accomplishments, she has served as the National Jersey Queen and received recognition as a Young Distinguished Junior Member.
The final Klussendorf Scholarship winner is Haley Beukema of New Richmond, Wisconsin. Beukema is a Freshman at the University of Minnesota whose work with dairy cattle began at nine years old. Her fitting expertise has taken her to several different farms for classification, district and state shows, and World Dairy Expo. Through the Guernsey Association Beukema has served as both an advocate for the industry and a leader for other youth.
McKown Scholarship
Friends and family of the late Robert “Whitey” McKown established the McKown scholarship to honor the 1992 Honorary Klussendorf recipient and long-time Holstein enthusiast. Four students will receive $1,500 scholarships.
One 2022 recipient is Kylie Nickels of Watertown, Wisconsin. As a Junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Nickels manages a heifer boarding business, Dreamfix Boarding, along with her brother. Throughout her dairy career, she has worked with Crescentmead Holsteins, Mattreana Dairy, Great Northern Land and Cattle Company and Budjon Farms. Nickels has also been actively involved in 4-H, FFA, Junior Holsteins and several collegiate organizations.
Another winner is Jack Hammock of Chatham, Virginia. Hammock grew up on his family’s large Holstein dairy operation and plans to return to the farm upon graduation from Virginia Tech University. Between judging with the Virginia Tech Dairy Cattle Judging Team and exhibiting in state and district Holstein shows, he has taken advantage of several opportunities to learn all he can about the dairy industry.
Laurel Gray of Stony Point, North Carolina will also receive a McKown Scholarship. Gray is a sophomore at North Carolina State University who grew up on her family’s dairy farm. She has competed with notable results at several dairy cattle judging contests and has been exhibiting dairy cattle at the local, state and regional level since the age of five. Gray’s family takes pride in environmental sustainability and excellent animal comfort practices on their farm.
The final recipient is Rosalee Zehr of Pontiac, Illinois. Currently a sophomore at Kaskaskia College, Zehr hopes to return to her family’s farm. She’d like to play a role in keeping the ever-changing milking and feeding technologies sustainable for farms like her family’s fourth generation dairy. She has earned numerous honors in dairy cattle judging and served in leadership roles for Kaskaskia College Ag Club, FFA and her local township.
For more information about the students being recognized by National Dairy Shrine, or to obtain tickets for the Awards Banquet on Monday, October 3rd in Madison, WI, contact the NDS office at [email protected]. Additional information on National Dairy Shrine membership and its many activities is available here. Dairy enthusiasts are encouraged to become part of this respected dairy organization whose mission since 1949 has been to inspire future dairy leaders, honor current and past dairy leaders, and preserve the history of the dairy industry.