Kansas Student Earns Ag Scholarship Award

By Scout Nelson

Garrett Conley of Pleasanton, Kansas, has been selected as a 2026 Radenburg Memorial Scholarship recipient, recognizing his dedication to agriculture and clear vision for the future.

Conley, a senior at Pleasanton High School, will graduate May 9 and plans to attend Fort Scott Community College to pursue a degree in agricultural technology. He aims to build on his lifelong foundation in agriculture and return to support his local community.

Raised in a small, rural town, Conley has deep agricultural roots, with multiple generations of farming on both sides of his family. “Our farm may be on the smaller side, but it keeps us busy every day,” Conley said. He helps manage a diversified operation with about 200 acres of row crops and hay production supporting roughly 100 commercial Angus and Gelbvieh cattle.

In addition to farm work, Conley gained hands-on experience through his family business, Conley Sales LLC. During his senior year, he spent half of each school day in the shop, servicing and maintaining agricultural equipment, including Vermeer hay machinery and Bush Hog implements. He has also developed welding and fabrication skills, building panels for cattle facilities.

Supported by a John Deere dealer sponsorship, Conley will expand his skills at Fort Scott Community College, focusing on equipment systems such as electrical, hydraulics, and engines. After completing his degree, he plans to return home to Pleasanton and continue developing his family business while providing agricultural services to the surrounding area.

“I want to bring what I learn back home and use it to help our operation and others in the community,” Conley said.

The David Radenberg Memorial Scholarship awards $1,000 to Kansas students pursuing careers in agriculture, with preference for those advancing wheat. The scholarship honors David Radenberg, a Claflin, Kansas, wheat farmer and former Kansas Wheat Commission chairman, reflecting his legacy of research and global market support.

Photo Credit: kansas-state-university