KFB's big bucks boost for ag scholars

By Scout Nelson

The Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Foundation for Agriculture continues its commitment to fostering the future of agriculture and supporting rural Kansas by awarding $26,500 in scholarships for the 2024-25 academic year.

Forty-five students studying fields beneficial to agriculture received scholarships, underscoring KFB's role in cultivating tomorrow's leaders in the sector.

Joe Newland, KFB President and Foundation Chair, expressed the organization's vision, stating, “We’re investing in students today to ensure they become tomorrow’s leaders.” This sentiment captures the foundation's decade-long effort, which has contributed over $250,000 in scholarships to date.

Among the noteworthy recipients this year is Karlie Albright from Jackson County, who was awarded $1,000 for the Frank and Helen Bernasek Memorial Scholarship. Similarly, Madeline Drake from Pratt County received $1,000 to support her studies in Agricultural Communications and Journalism at K-State.

Other recipients include Carissa Dalquest from Morris County, who earned the $500 Godfrey and Emma Bahr-Miller Memorial Scholarship, and Jonathan Temaat from Logan County, who was also awarded a $500 scholarship from the DeWitt Ahlerich Memorial fund.

Thaddeus Donley and Hannah Tomes, both securing $500 from the Lester Crandall Memorial Scholarship, reflect the broad geographic and disciplinary diversity of this year's scholarship cohort.

Technical education also received a boost, with eight students from various counties each receiving $500 scholarships to attend Kansas technical colleges, enhancing their skills in practical and applied aspects of agriculture.

Emphasizing the foundation’s support for advanced agricultural education, four juniors and seniors at Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture were each awarded $1,000 scholarships. Fort Hays State University juniors and seniors, Desiree Littlechild and Ethan McPherson, each received $1,000 to aid their studies.

In addition to these specific awards, twenty-four $500 scholarships were distributed to students who are members of a Kansas Farm Bureau Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter, ensuring a wide-reaching impact across the state.

These scholarships represent the Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture's ongoing commitment to supporting education in agricultural fields, thereby ensuring the growth and sustainability of rural communities and the agricultural sector at large.

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