Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation recently awarded nearly $60,000 in scholarships to students across the state.
According to Jenny Cox, Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation board president, the foundation has put intentional focus on its purpose and its work, and scholarship awards directly impact that purpose: to inspire and educate the next generation of agriculture.
“One in eight jobs in Ohio are related to food and agriculture. As the demands for employees to fill these roles increase, we want to do our part to cultivate the next generation of workers to grow their careers in agriculture. The opportunity to work with and get to know some of these young people and learn about all of their accomplishments and activities through reviewing scholarship applications is incredibly rewarding. The stories and successes of these young people confirm to me that the future of agriculture is bright.”
Annually, the foundation recognizes Ohio students for their academic effort, community engagement and career interests that link agriculture to community service, education or scientific research.
Bill and Helen Swank Scholarship
Recipients of this scholarship are Haven Hileman of Scioto County and Sarah Hoak of Richland County. Over the course of his 40-year career with Farm Bureau, Dr. C. William (Bill) Swank enriched countless lives in the farm and food community. This fund honors the legacies of Bill and his wife, Helen, with a scholarship for the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Cindy Hollingshead Scholarship
Recipients of this scholarship are Dalton Mullins of Fayette County; Halle Miller of Wayne County; Haven Hileman of Scioto County; Lauren Mellott of Richland County; and Ryanna Tietje of Wood County. This fund honors Cynthia Anne (Cindy) Hollingshead for her 39 years of service as Ohio Farm Bureau’s executive secretary, as well as a lifetime of volunteer commitment to local government and community service activities. Financial assistance goes to students who are pursuing careers focused on agriculture, community service and association leadership.
Darwin Bryan Scholarship
Recipients of this scholarship are Amber Zimpfer of Shelby County; Haven Hileman of Scioto County; and Ryanna Tietje of Wood County. This fund was established in 1985 in honor of Darwin R. Bryan whose enthusiastic leadership during his 37 years of service to Ohio Farm Bureau has been an inspiration to rural youth throughout Ohio. The fund assists students who have been active in Farm Bureau’s youth program and/or whose parents are Farm Bureau members.
Dr. David A. Benfield Scholarship
The recipient of this scholarship is Emma Leggett of Tuscarawas County. The Dr. David A. Benfield Scholarship fund was established in 2019 by colleagues and friends of Dr. Benfield to honor his 17-year career as associate director of OARDC and associate vice president and director of the Wooster Campus in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and his passion for agricultural education and research. The scholarship is specifically for students in livestock and crop sciences at ATI.
Jack Fisher Scholarship
Recipients of this scholarship are Adeline Kendle of Tuscarawas County; Anya Demshar of Lake County; Brady Jacobs Bell of Muskingum County; Dalton Mullins of Fayette County; Haven Hileman of Scioto County; Kiley Holbrook of Fairfield County; Luke Jennings of Clermont County; Raegan Feldner of Noble County; Ryanna Tietje of Wood County; and Sarah Hoak of Richland County. This fund is named after John C. “Jack” Fisher, who served as Ohio Farm Bureau’s executive vice president for 20 years. His vision for this scholarship is to enable people to acquire the necessary tools for a more fulfilling life.
Joseph Kelly Memorial Scholarship
Recipients of this scholarship are Isaiah Allen of Lorain County; Joel Polen of Lorain County; and Molly Cordonnier of Ashland County. This scholarship was established in 2018 to honor the life of Joseph Kelly and to continue his legacy of generosity and service. The Joseph Kelly Memorial Scholarship is an annual, merit-based competition that focuses on rewarding students pursuing degrees related to agriculture.
Source: ofbf.org
Photo Credit: Ohio Farm Bureau
Categories: Ohio, Education, General