The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation recently announced the 13 scholarship recipients for the 2020-21 academic year.

This is the 13th year for the OSCF Scholarship Program, which was created to encourage undergraduate students to pursue degrees in one of the academic fields that support the future of the soybean industry, including agriculture, business, communication, economics, education, science and technology, as well as to support ongoing graduate-level research.

Since 2008, the OSCF scholarship program has awarded more than $390,000 in scholarship funds to students studying agriculture or related fields at Ohio colleges or universities.

“I want to congratulate our 2020-21 scholarship recipients,” says Bill Bateson, OSC board chairman, a soybean farmer from Hancock County and a scholarship selection committee member. “It seems like each year our decision is made more difficult because of the incredible talent and dedication to agriculture these students have.”

7 undergraduate scholarships

Seven $3,000 undergraduate scholarships were awarded to each of seven students:

• Kevin Fruth of Fostoria, a junior at the University of Toledo studying chemical engineering

• Chyann Kendel of Eaton, a sophomore at Wilmington College studying animal science and education

• Wyatt Kissell of Mount Vernon, a freshman at Ohio State University studying agronomy

• Alex Kutz of Valley City, a junior at OSU studying agricultural systems management

• Sarah Lehner of Delaware, a junior at OSU studying animal sciences and agribusiness and applied economics

• Holly Schmenk of Leipsic, a sophomore at OSU studying animal science and agribusiness and applied economics

• Jacob Wuebker of Versailles, a sophomore at Wright State University studying agricultural business

4 graduate scholarships

A graduate scholarship of $2,500 was awarded to each of two students:

• Asritha Nallapaneni of India, who is pursuing her doctorate in polymer engineering at the University of Akron. Her research consists of developing a multifunctional coating with polymers derived from soybean oil.

• Blaire Volbers of Cleveland Heights, who is pursuing her doctorate in chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve University. Her research consists of developing higher-value products from raw soybeans, including the oil, meal and leftover plant matter. Her research will also include creating lesson plans for high school students that demonstrate how local crops such as soybeans can be processed into other products.

A graduate scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to each of two students:

• Tu Huynh of Vietnam, who is pursuing her doctorate in horticulture and crop science at OSU. Huynh is studying the genes that control oil and protein components in soybeans to in order to breed soybeans with better composition, without sacrificing yield.

• Christian Vargas Garcia of Puerto Rico, who is pursuing his doctorate in plant breeding and genetics at OSU. His research focuses on breeding soybeans that are resistant to phytophthora root rot. His hope is to allow farmers to decrease their input costs for fungicides, while meeting consumer demand for reduced use of chemicals in farming.

Special scholarships

Joslin Scholarship. The Robinson W. Joslin Scholarship, an annual $3,000 scholarship created to honor Robinson Joslin, a longtime leader in the soybean industry both in Ohio and nationally, was awarded to Courtney Heiser of Attica, a sophomore at OSU studying agricultural communication. Joslin died in May 2016.

Vijayendran Scholarship. The Bhima Vijayendran Scholarship, an annual $5,000 scholarship, named in honor of a Battelle research scientist who has made tremendous contributions to the soybean industry, was awarded to Anna Tobler of Galloway, a junior at Ohio State University studying chemical engineering.

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