The National Dairy Shrine is again looking for applications for its annual scholarship program. Applications will be accepted through April 15. Official scholarship application award forms are available on the NDS website, dairyshrine.org, under "scholarships."

• The National Dairy Shrine Student Recognition Program recognizes and rewards graduating seniors planning a career in the dairy industry. A $2,000 cash award is given to the winner, $1,500 to second place, and from three to seven $1,000 cash awards, depending on the number and quality of applicants.

• The National Dairy Shrine/Dairy Management Inc. Milk Marketing-Dairy Products Scholarships are available to encourage students to pursue careers in the marketing or development of dairy products. The top winner receives a $1,500 scholarship, while the other winners receive $1,000 scholarships. Up to five winners are recognized annually. 

• The National Dairy Shrine/Dairy Management Inc. Education and Communication Scholarships are available to encourage students to pursue careers in the education or communication of the value of dairy products and the dairy industry. The top winner receives a $1,500 scholarship, while the other winners receive $1,000 scholarships. Up to five winners are recognized annually. 

• The Kildee Scholarships are offered in two categories. Graduate study applicants may include the top 25 All-American contestants in one of the past three National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Contests, plus the first- and second-place teams in the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge National Contests. These students are eligible to apply for two $3,000 graduate school scholarships. Undergraduate students may apply in their junior or senior year of college for one $1,000 Kildee Undergraduate Scholarship.  Applicants for this scholarship must have been one of the top 25 contestants at the National 4-H or FFA Dairy Judging Contests.

• The National Dairy Shrine Junior Merit Scholarship recognizes and rewards current college juniors planning a career in the dairy industry. A $1,500 cash award is given to the winner, and from two to five more $1,000 cash awards are presented, depending on the number and quality of applicants.

• The National Dairy Shrine Sophomore Merit Scholarship recognizes and rewards current college sophomores planning a career in the dairy industry. A $1,500 cash award is given to the winner, and from two to five more $1,000 cash awards are presented, depending on the number and quality of applicants.

• Two National Dairy Shrine/McCullough Scholarships of $2,000 and $1,500 are awarded annually to high school seniors intending to enter a four-year college or university and major in dairy/animal science with a communications emphasis or agriculture journalism with a dairy/animal science emphasis.

• Up to two National Dairy Shrine/Iager Dairy Scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $1,000 to second-year college students enrolled in a two-year agricultural college. This scholarship is sponsored by a fund created by the Charles Iager family of Fulton, Md.

• Two National Dairy Shrine/Maurice Core Dairy Scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $1,000 to a freshman college student in a four-year agricultural college. This scholarship is sponsored from a fund created in honor of Maurice E. Core, longtime industry leader and past executive director of National Dairy Shrine.

• Three National Dairy Shrine/Klussendorf Scholarships will be given in the amount of $1,500 to students in their first, second or third year at a two- or four-year college or university. Applicants must major in dairy or animal science, with intentions to enter the dairy cattle industry.

• Four National Dairy Shrine/McKown Scholarships will be given in the amount of $1,500 to students in their first, second or third year at a two- or four-year college or university. Applicants must major in dairy science or animal science, with intentions to enter the dairy cattle industry.

If you would like to apply for any of these scholarships, please visit dairyshrine.org to download the applications.  If you have questions, please contact the NDS office at [email protected]. Winners of these awards will be announced this summer, and they will be presented at the annual NDS awards banquet in Madison on Oct. 5.

Source: NDS