Farm Bureau Foundation awards scholarships to students from this region

These scholarships include the Hall County Farm Bureau Scholarship, scholarships for students enrolled in the agricultural education curriculum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the Nebraska Rural Radio Scholarship in honor of Max and Erica Brown, intended for individuals over the age of 25 who wish to live in rural Nebraska and serve their communities.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation awarded a scholarship to the Hall County Farm Bureau Cooper Ewoldt from Grand Island.

Ewoldt graduated from Northwest High School and plans to study agriculture during college.

“I want to continue my education in agriculture so I can be more involved with our farm and all aspects of agriculture,” Ewoldt said. “Thank you to the Hall County Farm Bureau for awarding me this scholarship!”

The Hall County Farm Bureau Scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding Hall County student who is pursuing an education and career in agriculture in Nebraska.

“Hall County Farm Bureau is proud to support the next generation of farmers and ranchers through this scholarship. We wish Cooper all the best and look forward to seeing his impact on Nebraska agriculture in the future,” said Adam Rathman, president of Hall County Farm Bureau.

“These scholarships are an important investment in the future success of Nebraska agriculture. Many thanks to the Hall County Farm Bureau for establishing this scholarship at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

The Foundation awarded 10 scholarships to students enrolled in the agriculture program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“FFA classrooms and chapters will benefit from the passion reflected in this year’s applications,” Schafer said. “It is an honor to support these future teachers who will develop strong leaders to ensure a bright future for Nebraska agriculture.”

Central Nebraska recipients include: Connor Scholz, Hall County; Vickie Ference, Valley County; Kate Holcomb, Custer County; Rylie Krause, York County; and Taryn Miller, Buffalo County.

Each scholarship recipient will receive a stipend of $1,500 for one semester of internship at the university.

“With 218 schools offering high school agricultural education programs and FFA chapters, the need for teachers has never been greater,” said Matt Kreifels, assistant professor of agricultural education practice at UNL. “These teachers play a critical role in agriculture by introducing and recruiting talented students to the industry. We thank the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for supporting these future teachers, through this scholarship program and through Farm Bureau’s help to promote the agricultural education profession.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation awarded nine individuals the Nebraska Rural Radio Scholarship in honor of Max and Eric Brown.

The scholarship is for individuals 25 years of age or older who wish to live in rural Nebraska and serve their community.

Heather Topil from Polk County is among the beneficiaries.

Scholarship recipients may use the funds for any form of continuing education: two-year program, four-year program, trade, emergency medical services, post-graduate studies, etc. The goal of the scholarship is to ensure that rural Nebraska thrives for generations to come.

From teachers and health care workers to community activists, scholarship recipients are committed to promoting a successful future for rural Nebraska.

Max Brown was a founder of the Nebraska Rural Radio Association, formed in the early 1950s with KRVN-AM in Lexington as its main station. His son, Eric, took over in 1979 and served until his retirement in 2012.

The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote understanding of the critical importance of agriculture to the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit www.nefbfoundation.org.