Twenty-five college and university students returned to school this fall with $39,000 in scholarships to help support their interest in pork industry careers. The scholarships were provided by the Iowa Pork Foundation; the family of the late Jim Ledger, a Washington County pig farmer; the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA); and the Iowa Purebred Swine Council (IPSC).
Iowa Pork Foundation scholarships
The foundation awarded scholarships to 10 incoming first-year students and eight returning students this year. It also managed other scholarships, including the Jim Ledger Memorial Scholarship for students planning to return to production agriculture; and the Nelda Christian Graduate Fellowships, presented to one student in the Iowa State University (ISU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and to one ISU College of Veterinary Medicine student.
Incoming and returning undergraduate scholarship recipients must be Iowa residents who maintain a 2.5 grade point average and major in an agriculture-related field with an emphasis on swine production.
All recipients are listed by their hometowns.
First-year students each received $1,000:
- Atlantic — Paige Jensen, Northwest Missouri State University
- Creston — Halle Evans, Iowa State University
- Danville — Britnie Helmick, Southeastern Community College
- Goldfield — Emily Christensen, Ellsworth Community College
- Keota — Drew Sieren, Kirkwood Community College
- Le Mars — Grant Schroeder, Iowa State University
- Marathon — Clayton Ehlers, Dordt University
- Oskaloosa — Trent Van Gilst, Dordt University
- Pierson — Elle Ploeger, South Dakota State University
- Villisca — Allie Sandin, Iowa State University
Returning students were awarded $2,000 each:
- Audubon — Grace Christensen, Iowa State University
- Dubuque — Hannah Schiesl, Iowa State University
- Klemme — Brielle Smeby, Iowa State University
- Rock Rapids — Adam Knoblock, Iowa State University
- Salem — Jacob Stukerjurgen, Iowa State University
- Sanborn — Paige Dagel, Briar Cliff University
- Walker — Isaac Wiley, Iowa State University
- Washington — Gracie Greiner, Iowa State University
The Jim Ledger Memorial Scholarship is $2,000:
- Crawfordsville — Jacob Eichelberger, Kirkwood Community College
Graduate fellowships are worth $3,000 each:
- Wesley — Jamie Studer, Iowa State University
- Arcadia, Ohio — Katyann Graham, Iowa State University
Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement (IFAA) scholarships
IFAA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing scholarships, financial awards, and incentives for college-bound Iowa youth seeking a post-secondary education in the area of agriculture.
IPPA and IPSC provided $5,000 in scholarship support through IFAA. These recipients, also listed below by their hometowns, have a strong background in swine projects and activities.
Recipients of $1,000 IPPA scholarships were:
- Reinbeck — Emma Fleshner, North Iowa Area Community College
- Rock Rapids — Adam Knoblock, Iowa State University
Recipients of $1,500 IPSC scholarships were:
- Columbus Junction — Tate Boysen, Iowa State University
- Ogden — Ty Heeren, Des Moines Area Community College