National Dairy Shrine (NDS) is excited to announce the recipients of its NDS student scholarships and recognition awards for 2021. A total of 39 scholarships totaling $44,500 will be presented to students at this year’s NDS Awards Banquet on Thursday, September 30th in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kildee Scholarship
Receiving the $3000 H.H. Kildee Scholarship for Graduate School studies in a dairy related field is Sarah Thomas of Pittsboro, North Carolina. Sarah was a Dairy Science major at Virginia Tech with three additional minors in Strategic Communications, Agricultural Economics and Animal & Poultry Science. This fall, she will be pursuing a Master’s degree in Agricultural Communications from The Ohio State University. The Kildee Scholarship is named in honor of H.H. Kildee, Dean Emeritus at Iowa State University.
Senior Student Recognition Scholarships
The NDS Senior Student Recognition Scholarship rewards graduating four-year university/college seniors planning a dairy industry or production agriculture career who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, activity participation, academic ability and a sincere interest in the dairy industry. Each university can nominate up to two students for this award annually. The highest honoree receives a $2000 scholarship, the second $1500, and other honorees receive $1000 awards.
Receiving this year’s top scholarship of $2000 is Cynthia Hamlett from Aurora, Iowa, who majored in both Agriculture & Society and Dairy Science at Iowa State University. The second award of $1500 goes to Sydney Jewell of Spencer, New York, who majored in Animal Science at The Pennsylvania State University. Six students will be presented with a $1000 award. They are: Cady McGehee of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, a Dairy Science major at Virginia Tech; Katherine Gathje of Richmond, Minnesota, an Agricultural Communication and Marketing major at the University of Minnesota; Eva Doornink of Baldwin, Wisconsin, a University of Minnesota student who majored in Agricultural Communication and Marketing; Brock Irwin of Belvidere, Illinois, who majored in Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls; and Kathryn Bosley from Malone, New York, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science at the State University of New York College of Agriculture & Technology at Cobleskill.
Merton Sowerby Junior Merit Scholarships
The Merton Sowerby Scholarships are awarded to junior level undergraduate students at a four-year college/university who are planning a career in the dairy industry. These scholarships are given in honor of Merton Sowerby, a NDS Pioneer and former Klussendorf winner from Michigan.
Nicholas Seitzer of Saint Peter, Minnesota, has won this year’s top Sowerby scholarship of $1500. Nicholas is majoring in both Animal Science and Agricultural Food and Business Management at the University of Minnesota. Six other students have been awarded $1000 Sowerby scholarships. They are: Matthias Annexstad of Saint Peter, Minnesota, an Animal Science major at the University of Minnesota; Hayley Fernandes from Tulare, California, a Dairy Science major at California Polytechnic State University; Gaelan Combs of Verona, Wisconsin, a University of Wisconsin-Madison student majoring in Dairy Science; Leif Annexstad from Saint Peter, Minnesota, an Animal Science and Agricultural and Food Business Management double-major at the University of Minnesota; Donald Opp of Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, an Animal Science major at The Pennsylvania State University; and Sarah Lehner of Delaware, Ohio, who is double majoring in Animal Sciences and Agribusiness and Applied Economics at The Ohio State University.
Mike Lancaster Sophomore Merit Scholarships
The Mike Lancaster Scholarships are given to undergraduate sophomore students at a four-year college/university to encourage and support their pursuit of a dairy industry career. This scholarship is named in honor of former NDS Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder and Klussendorf winner, Mike Lancaster of Washington.
The top Lancaster Scholarship of $1500 is being awarded to Mikara Anderson from Three Springs Pennsylvania, an Animal Science major at The Pennsylvania State University. Five $1000 Lancaster scholarships are being presented this year and these are going to:; Kendra Waldenberger of Spring Grove, Minnesota, who is majoring in both Animal Science and Agricultural Communication and Marketing at the University of Minnesota; Brenna Connelly of Byron, Minnesota, another Animal Science and Agricultural Communication and Marketing major at the University of Minnesota; Miriam Cook from Pewamo, Michigan, a Purdue University student majoring in Agriculture Economics; Anton Schilter of Chehalis, Washington, an Animal Science major at the University of Minnesota; and George Sebright of East Berlin, Pennsylvania, who is majoring in Dairy Science at Virginia Tech.
NDS / DMI Education & Communication Scholarships
The Education and Communication Scholarships, sponsored by NDS and Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), were established to help sophomore and junior level students in a four-year college/university to pursue education or communication careers in the dairy or food related industries. These awards are open to students majoring in Marketing, Food Science, Nutrition (Human), Public Relations, Education, Social Media and Communications.
Ashley Hagenow of Poynette, Wisconsin, is the top recipient of the $1500 Education and Communication Scholarship from NDS and DMI. Ashley is pursuing a major in Agricultural Communication and Marketing at the University of Minnesota. Five more undergraduates are being rewarded with $1000 scholarships. They are: Jessica Schmitt of Fort Atkinson, Iowa, a Dairy Science, International Agriculture, and Agricultural Communications major at Iowa State University; Amelia Hayden from Sharon, Wisconsin, an Agricultural Education student at the University of Minnesota; Brianna McBride of Severance, Colorado, a double major in Dairy Science and Food Science at Iowa State University with her third year spent on a student exchange at California Polytechnic State University; Bailie Shultz of Seattle, Washington, an Agricultural Sciences major at Oregon State University; and Mikayla Peper of Osceola, Wisconsin, a University of Minnesota student majoring in Agricultural Communication and Marketing.
NDS / DMI Milk Marketing & Dairy Products Scholarships
Funded by NDS and Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), the Milk Marketing and Dairy Products Scholarships were created to encourage sophomore and junior level students in a four-year college/university to pursue careers in the marketing of milk or dairy products, dairy product development, quality control, nutrition or related roles in the dairy and food industries.
Bobby Marchy of Ceres, California, receives the top Milk Marketing and Dairy Products Scholarship of $1500. Bobby is a student at Oklahoma State University where he is majoring in Agricultural Communications. Three more undergraduates are being recognized with $1000 scholarships: Isabelle Lindahl of Lindstrom, Minnesota, who is majoring in both Animal Science and Agricultural and Food Business Management at the University of Minnesota; Christine Putman from Weyers Cave, Virginia, a Dairy Science major at Virginia Tech; and Mary Holtz of Maquoketa, Iowa, an Iowa State University student majoring in Animal Science.
Maurice Core Scholarships
The Maurice Core Scholarships are given to freshmen level college/university students majoring in dairy/animal science or an industry related field. The funds for this award were donated by the friends of Maurice Core, a longtime Executive Secretary of the American Jersey Cattle Association and former NDS Secretary/Executive Director.
Four $1000 Core Scholarships are being awarded this year. Those recipients are: Caroline Arrowsmith of Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, an Animal Science major at The Pennsylvania State University; Elise Bleck from Glenbeulah, Wisconsin, who is majoring in Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Awna Hirsch of Eaton, Colorado, a University of Minnesota student majoring in Animal Science; and Benjamin Styer of Menomonie, Wisconsin, an Animal Science major attending the University of Minnesota.
Marshall McCullough Communications Scholarships
The Marshall McCullough Communications Scholarships are given in memory of Marshall McCullough, a respected nutrition researcher, educator and journalist from Georgia. They are awarded to a freshman student at a four-year college/university who is majoring in agricultural journalism or communications.
Two $1000 McCullough scholarships are being awarded in 2021. The two recipients are: Kelsey Biel of Harmony, Minnesota, an Agricultural Education and Animal Science major at the University of Minnesota; and Margaret Molitor of St. Cloud, Minnesota, who is majoring in Agriculture Communications and Dairy Production at South Dakota State University.
Iager Scholarships
The $1000 Iager Scholarships, established from funds donated by the Charles Iager Family, Fulton, Maryland, are given to second-year students in a two-year agricultural school majoring in dairy/animal science. The award is based on the recipient’s academic standing, leadership, interest in the dairy industry and future plans.
This year’s Iager Scholarship recipients are: Payton Erbsen of Lanark, Illinois, an Animal Science major at Kaskaskia College; and Gracelyn Krahn of Albany, Oregon, a Linn-Benton Community College student majoring in Animal Sciences.
The National Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet and Reception will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, in conjunction with World Dairy Expo, on Thursday, September 30th at 4:30 p.m. For more information about the students being recognized by National Dairy Shrine, or to obtain tickets for the Awards Banquet, contact the NDS office at [email protected]. Additional information on National Dairy Shrine membership and its many activities is available at www.dairyshrine.org. 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.