National Dairy Shrine will present 39 scholarships totaling $44,500 to students at this year’s NDS Awards Banquet on Sept. 30 in Madison, Wis.

Kildee Scholarship

Receiving the $3,000 H.H. Kildee Scholarship for graduate school studies in a dairy related field is Sarah Thomas of Pittsboro, N.C. Thomas was a dairy science major at Virginia Tech. This fall, she will be pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural communications from Ohio State University. The Kildee Scholarship is named in honor of H.H. Kildee, dean emeritus at Iowa State University.

Senior student scholarships

The NDS Senior Student Recognition Scholarship rewards graduating four-year university or 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 $2,000 scholarship; the second, $1,500; and the others, $1,000.

Receiving this year’s top scholarship of $2,000 is Cynthia Hamlett from Aurora, Iowa, who majored in both agriculture and society and dairy science at Iowa State University. The second award of $1,500 goes to Sydney Jewell of Spencer, N.Y., who majored in animal science at Penn State University.

Six students will be presented with a $1,000 award: Cady McGehee of Elkhart Lake, Wis., a dairy science major at Virginia Tech; Katherine Gathje of Richmond, Minn., an agricultural communication and marketing major at the University of Minnesota; Eva Doornink of Baldwin, Wis., a University of Minnesota student who majored in agricultural communication and marketing; Brock Irwin of Belvidere, Ill., who majored in dairy science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls; and Kathryn Bosley from Malone, N.Y., who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science at the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill.

Junior merit scholarships

The Merton Sowerby scholarships are awarded to junior-level undergraduate students at a four-year college or university who are planning a career in the dairy industry. These scholarships are given in honor of Merton Sowerby, a National Dairy Shrine pioneer and former Klussendorf winner from Michigan.

Nicholas Seitzer of St. Peter, Minn., has won this year’s top Sowerby scholarship of $,1500. Seitzer is majoring in both animal science and agricultural food and business management at the University of Minnesota.

Six other students have been awarded $1,000 Sowerby scholarships: Matthias Annexstad of St. Peter, Minn., an animal science major at the University of Minnesota; Hayley Fernandes from Tulare, Calif., a dairy science major at California Polytechnic State University; Gaelan Combs of Verona, Wis., a UW-Madison student majoring in dairy science; Leif Annexstad from St. Peter, Minn., an animal science and agricultural and food business management double-major at the University of Minnesota; Donald Opp of Eighty Four, Pa., an animal science major at Penn State University; and Sarah Lehner of Delaware, Ohio, who is double-majoring in animal sciences and agribusiness and applied economics at Ohio State University.

Sophomore merit scholarships

The Mike Lancaster scholarships are given to undergraduate sophomore students at a four-year college or 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 $1,500 is being awarded to Mikara Anderson from Three Springs, Pa., an animal science major at Penn State University.

Five $1,000 Lancaster scholarships are being presented this year to: Kendra Waldenberger of Spring Grove, Minn., who is majoring in both animal science and agricultural communication and marketing at the University of Minnesota; Brenna Connelly of Byron, Minn., another animal science and agricultural communication and marketing major at the University of Minnesota; Miriam Cook from Pewamo, Mich., a Purdue University student majoring in agriculture economics; Anton Schilter of Chehalis, Wash., an animal science major at the University of Minnesota; and George Sebright of East Berlin, Pa., who is majoring in dairy science at Virginia Tech.

NDS-DMI scholarships

The education and communication scholarships, sponsored by NDS and Dairy Management Inc., were established to help sophomore and junior students in a four-year college or university pursue education or communication careers in the dairy- or food-related industries. These awards are open to students majoring in marketing, food science, human nutrition, public relations, education, social media and communications.

Ashley Hagenow of Poynette, Wis., is the top recipient of the $1,500 education and communication scholarship from NDS and DMI. Hagenow is pursuing a major in agricultural communication and marketing at the University of Minnesota.

Five more undergraduates are being rewarded with $1,000 scholarships: Jessica Schmitt of Fort Atkinson, Iowa, a dairy science, international agriculture, and agricultural communications major at Iowa State University; Amelia Hayden from Sharon, Wis., an agricultural education student at the University of Minnesota; Brianna McBride of Severance, Colo., 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, an agricultural sciences major at Oregon State University; and Mikayla Peper of Osceola, Wis., a University of Minnesota student majoring in agricultural communication and marketing.

Funded by NDS and Dairy Management Inc., the milk marketing and dairy products scholarships were created to encourage sophomore and junior students in a four-year college or university to pursue careers in the marketing of milk or dairy products, dairy product development, quality control, or nutrition or related roles in the dairy and food industries.

Bobby Marchy of Ceres, Calif., receives the top milk marketing and dairy products scholarship of $1,500. Marchy is a student at Oklahoma State University where he is majoring in agricultural communications.

Three more undergraduates are being recognized with $1,000 scholarships: Isabelle Lindahl of Lindstrom, Minn., who is majoring in both animal science and agricultural and food business management at the University of Minnesota; Christine Putman from Weyers Cave, Va., a dairy science major at Virginia Tech; and Mary Holtz of Maquoketa, Iowa, an Iowa State University student majoring in animal science.

Maurice Core Scholarship

The Maurice Core Scholarship is given to freshmen-level college or university students majoring in dairy or 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 and executive director.

Four $1,000 Core scholarships are being awarded this year: Caroline Arrowsmith of Peach Bottom, Pa., an animal science major at Penn State University; Elise Bleck from Glenbeulah, Wis., who is majoring in dairy science at UW-Madison; Awna Hirsch of Eaton, Colo., a University of Minnesota student majoring in animal science; and Benjamin Styer of Menomonie, Wis., an animal science major attending the University of Minnesota.

Communications scholarships

The Marshall McCullough Communications Scholarship is given in memory of Marshall McCullough, a respected nutrition researcher, educator and journalist from Georgia. It is awarded to a freshman student at a four-year college or university who is majoring in agricultural journalism or communications.

Two $1,000 McCullough scholarships are being awarded in 2021: Kelsey Biel of Harmony, Minn., an agricultural education and animal science major at the University of Minnesota; and Margaret Molitor of St. Cloud, Minn., who is majoring in agriculture communications and dairy production at South Dakota State University.

Iager Scholarship

The $1,000 Iager Scholarship, established from funds donated by the Charles Iager family, Fulton, Md., is given to second-year students in a two-year agricultural school majoring in dairy or 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, Ill., an animal science major at Kaskaskia College; and Gracelyn Krahn of Albany, Ore., a Linn-Benton Community College student majoring in animal sciences.

The National Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet and Reception will be held in Madison, Wis., in conjunction with World Dairy Expo on Sept. 30 at 4:30 p.m. For more information about the students being recognized by NDS, or to obtain tickets for the banquet, email the NDS office at [email protected]. Additional information on National Dairy Shrine membership and its many activities is available at 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.

Source: National Dairy Shrine, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.