Agricultural students benefit from Farm Bureau scholarships

» September 30, 2009 «

Sixty students who plan careers in farming, ranching, veterinary medicine, teaching and other agricultural careers have been awarded scholarships granted by the California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation. The foundation distributed a total of $158,750 in scholarship money for the 2009-10 academic year.

To earn the scholarships, students submitted information about their academic achievements, leadership skills and commitment to study agricultural topics. Following interviews with the applicants, the foundation awarded special scholarships to four students:

• Mark Tobias of Hollister earned the Howard P. Wackman II Perpetual Memorial Award, a scholarship of $2,750 named for the late CFBF vice president. Tobias is a freshman at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he majors in crop science. He plans to become a farmer upon graduation, either returning to his family's farm or starting one of his own.
• Alayna Renner of Ferndale won the $2,500 Frederick J. Heringer Honorary Award. She is a freshman at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, majoring in agricultural science. She plans to become an agricultural teacher. The Heringer award is named for the late CFBF president.
• Shelby Sisk of McArthur was granted the Carolyn Richardson Memorial Award. A freshman at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Sisk plans a career as an agricultural attorney. The $2,250 scholarship is named for the late CFBF environmental advocate.
• Heidi Goss of Rio Oso earned the John H. Wiechman Memorial Award, a $2,250 scholarship given in memory of the late CFBF Leadership Development manager. Goss is a sophomore at California State University, Chico, where she majors in animal science and plans to become a food-animal veterinarian.

A fifth special scholarship category, the Rustici Livestock and Rangeland Scholarship Award, benefits rangeland-management students who plan careers in beef or sheep ranching or in range management. Eighteen students earned Rustici scholarships totaling $5,000 each: Brett Behlen, Clovis; Matthew Bowen, Glennville; Katherine Bradley, Calpine; Wayne Cockrell, Cedarville; Garrett Daley, Oroville; Danielle Groteguth, Elk Creek; Taylor Hagata, Susanville; Charles Hamilton, Rio Vista; Bradford Hanson, Susanville; Kody Kester, Parkfield; Kacie McCarthy, Shingletown; William McDonald Jr., Galt; Matthew Miller, Tracy; Katharine Rosser, Marysville; Kirby Swickard, Susanville; Katie Tierney, Atascadero; Jasmine Westbrook, Dixon; and Trevor Wood, Susanville. Two students earned Rustici scholarships of $2,500 each: Kendra Brennan of Sonora and Clinton Tipton of Marysville.

Thirty-six students earned California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation awards of $1,500 apiece: Alina Amaral, Sonoma; Ryan Amaral, Denair; Emily Andreini, Red Bluff; Mario Bandoni, Merced; Mandy Brazil, Petaluma; Claire Brumley, Escalon; Merilynne Burt, Stonyford; Jacob Conway, Riverdale; Craig Diener, Five Points; Jason Ferreira, Tulare; Nicole Ghidinelli, Ferndale; Cristina Giacomini, Bishop; Breanne Harlan, Riverdale; Casey Howard, Buellton; Robert Jansen, Delhi; Kirk Kimmelshue, Durham; Carly Koontz, Grass Valley; Caitlin Lawrence, Modesto; Margaret Maratsos, Fallbrook; Aimee Meidinger, Lockeford; Louis Nash, Redding; Danielle Oliveira, Tulare; Diana Paasch, Grass Valley; Jennifer Ray, Atwater; Megan Reese, Clovis; Spencer Rietkerk, Corcoran; Matthew Rodgers, Bakersfield; William Rumsey, Woodland; Luke Schaner, Valley Center; Sebastian Silveira, Hanford; Lauren Stanfield, Hanford; Simmie Stayer, Palo Cedro; Brice Titus, Ferndale; Gary Valente, Lodi; Michelle Van Ryn, Manteca; and Mitchell Yerxa, Colusa.

Since its inception in 1955, the California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships.

The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of 85,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5 million Farm Bureau members.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

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