Agricultural students win Farm Bureau scholarships

» June 13, 2005 «

Academic achievement, leadership skills and a commitment to study agriculture typify the 38 California students chosen to receive college scholarships from the California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation. The scholarships, totaling nearly $78,000, will benefit students in the 2005-06 academic year.

Each of the students plans a career in agriculture, in occupations ranging from running a farm to working in education, marketing, engineering or other related fields.

After interviewing the applicants, the foundation awarded special honors to four students:

• Kristopher Welker of Fresno earned the Howard P. Wackman II Perpetual Memorial Award, a scholarship of $2,750. An incoming freshman at California State University, Fresno, Welker will major in horticulture and plans a career in wholesale nursery management. The award is presented in memory of a former California Farm Bureau vice president.
• Sarah Warda of Delhi earned the $2,500 Frederick J. Heringer Honorary Award to continue her studies at the University of California, Davis. She plans a career in agricultural business after she completes her degree in agricultural and managerial economics. The Heringer award is named for the late CFBF president.
• Bethany Filter of Live Oak received the $2,250 Carolyn Richardson Memorial Award, given in memory of the late CFBF environmental advocate. Filter plans a career as an agricultural attorney. She will be a freshman at Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo, majoring in agricultural business.
• Colleen Bartlett of Galt earned the John H. Wiechman Memorial Award, named for the late CFBF Leadership Development manager. Bartlett will use the $2,250 scholarship at CSU Chico. She will be a freshman studying animal science, with plans for a career in veterinary medicine.

Thirty-four students earned foundation scholarships of $2,000 each. They are: Mark Aguiar, Tulare; Karin Aschwanden, Galt; Kelly Bishop, El Centro; Tyler Blagg; Grass Valley; Nicole Borges, Stockton; Courtney Borrelli, Gustine; Megan Brownell, Santa Maria; Heather Clement, Paso Robles; Ashley Cockrell, Cedarville; Audrey Denney, Bradley; Mark Diener, Five Points; Bryan Dodson, Chico; Sara Eidman, Grass Valley; Meggie Fagundes, Atwater; Bryanna Fissori, Orland; Erica Flores, Santa Ynez; Aileen Garcia, Arbuckle; Heidi Glaab, Placerville; Melissa Green, Arbuckle; Timothy Hammerich, Fulton; Nicki Humphrey, Flournoy; Megan Jacobsen, Fresno; Candace Kimmelshue, Durham; Kyle McCullough, Arbuckle; Nicolina Prestininzi, Fallbrook; Kathleen Reid, Quincy; James Rietkerk, Corcoran; Colette Rose, Santa Maria; Beth Sequeira, Hanford; Brandon Souza, Hanford; Chad Souza, Hanford; Michael Tobias, Hollister; Amy Valente, Lodi; and Rebecca Weidmann, Cazadero.

The California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation surpassed the $1 million mark this year, in scholarships awarded since its inception in 1955.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms on behalf of its nearly 87,000 members.

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

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.