Nine scholarships will be awarded through the Illinois Pork Producers Association scholarship program for the 2015-16 school year: three gold scholarships for $2,000 each; three silver for $1,500 each; and three bronze scholarships for $1,000 each; with funding for the scholarships made possible through the Keppy Foundation. 

"IPPA supports these scholarships because we want to assist those young people who will be advocates for the pork industry in the future," says Mike Borgic, IPPA director of membership and outreach.  "The program helps develop and grow Illinois pork leaders."

April 1 is deadline to apply for Illinois Pork Producers Association scholarship program

Applicants must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or be enrolling to begin in the fall of 2015 to be eligible. IPPA scholarships are open to students pursuing any undergraduate degree at any two-year or four-year college.  Previous winners may also apply for any scholarship level.

Applicants must submit a completed application form, transcripts, list of activities and a typed essay identifying how they plan to contribute to the pork industry. 

In addition, the Illinois Purebred Swine Council is sponsoring the Ryan & Friends Scholarship. The council will award four, $500 scholarships. Applicants must be attending a university, college or community college for the 2015 fall semester and have been a 4-H or FFA member.

The Mid-Illinois Pork Producers Association is sponsoring the Adam Fesser Scholarship worth $1,000.  Applicants must be attending a university, college, or community college for the 2015 fall semester and also have been a 4-H or FFA member and an Illinois resident.

The application deadline for all is April 1, 2015.  Visit www.ilpork.com for more information about the scholarships and to download the applications.

IPPA represents more than 2,000 pork producers throughout Illinois and the Illinois pork industry, which contributes more than $1.8 billion and more than 10,500 jobs to the state's economy. IPPA is comprised of county pork producer groups in approximately 20 counties throughout Illinois. IPPA is an affiliate of the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board.

Source: Illinois Pork Producers Association