June 15, 2018

Agriculture scholarships awarded to 10 Northwest students

Ten students attending Northwest Missouri State University and its School of Agricultural Sciences are the recipients of scholarships awarded by Agriculture Future of America (AFA) and its partners.

Northwest scholarship recipients are listed below with their scholarship provider in parentheses.

• Conner Bankus, a freshman agricultural business major from Milan, Missouri (Milan, Missouri)
• Allison Binder, a freshman agricultural business major from Salisbury, Missouri (Chariton County, Missouri)
• Morgan Duenke, a freshman agricultural education major from Laddonia, Missouri (LEWMAR Foundation)
• Kelsey Gillenwater, a freshman agricultural science major from St. Joseph, Missouri (St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee)
• Nicole Goellner, a freshman animal science major from Monroe City, Missouri (Monroe City, Missouri)
• Kaitlyn Grider, a sophomore agricultural education major from Helena, Missouri (St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee)
• Matthew Gruender, a freshman agronomy major from Tipton, Missouri (Tipton, Missouri)
• Rashelle Porter, a freshman agricultural business major from Monroe City, Missouri (LEWMAR Foundation)
• Joseph Pratt, a freshman agricultural business major from Shelbyville, Missouri (North Shelby, Missouri)
• Hannah Viets, a sophomore agricultural education major from Sweet Springs, Missouri (Pettis County, Missouri)

“We are excited to have 10 students in the School of Agricultural Sciences have the opportunity to participate in the leadership development offered through the AFA Leader Program,” Rod Barr, the director of Northwest’s School of Agricultural Sciences said. “The program offers students the unique opportunity to develop personal leadership skills through the interaction with top industry professional and other students throughout the country. Having 10 students in the School of Agricultural Sciences in attendance at this year’s conference is something we are proud of.”

The AFA Leader and Academic Scholarship program provides students with access to premier personal and professional development and financial assistance for their college education. Scholarships are awarded at the national and community level to students pursuing an agriculture-related four-year degree. Community scholarships are awarded with the support of volunteers who raise funds that are matched by AFA.

This year, more than 150 current college students and graduating high school seniors received scholarships, totaling more than $375,000. The recipients represent more than 50 institutions and nearly 30 states. Each recipient’s financial award also provides registration for the 2018 AFA Leaders Conference, Nov. 1-4, in Kansas City, Missouri.

AFA builds bridges for young leaders to foster engagement and innovation in food and agriculture. Its leader development programs have impacted 17,000 college leaders and young professionals from more than 200 colleges and universities throughout 43 states since its inception in 1996. The organization has awarded more than $9 million in academic and leader development scholarships. For more information about AFA, visit www.agfuture.org.

For a full list of its community and national scholars, visit www.agfuture.org/. 

About Northwest’s School of Agricultural Sciences

Northwest’s School of Agricultural Sciences is experiencing rapid growth and serves about 12 percent of the University’s undergraduate population. The School offers facilities such the 448-acre R.T. Wright Farm – which is home to beef, swine, dairy and sheep enterprises as well as row and forage crops – a horticulture complex and applied research and demonstration plots that provide students with hands-on, profession-based experience. The School, which is headquartered in the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation, also places 95 percent of its bachelor’s degree earners into employment or continued education within six months of graduation.

Additionally, Northwest and the School of Agricultural Sciences are in the planning stages and pursuing private support to help fund an $8.5 million, 29,000-square-foot Agricultural Learning Center at the Wright Farm and supplement and enhance the academic curriculum.

The School of Agricultural Sciences offers agricultural majors in agricultural business, agricultural education, agricultural science, agronomy, animal science, animal science-pre vet and horticulture in addition to minors, a two-year farm operations certificate and master’s programs in agriculture, education and economics.

For more information, contact the School of Agricultural Sciences at 660.562.1155 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/ag/.