The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has named the recipients of its 2023 scholarship awards. The scholarships are offered each year to students pursuing a higher education degree at a two or four-year institution and who have an interest in the pork industry. The scholarship recipients are selected based on their activities, IPPA involvement, and an essay outlining ways to recruit new hires to the pork industry, focusing on high school students, college students, or people already in the workforce.
For the 2023-2024 school year, IPPA is awarding nine scholarships, totaling $13,500. The scholarships are divided into three levels: gold, silver, and bronze. The scholarships are made possible through funding from the Wilbert and Carol Keppy Foundation.
The gold level recipients, who will receive a $2,000 award each, are Haley Bode of Waterloo, Carter Daniel Hoge of Macomb, and Jared Dawkins of Beach Park. The silver level recipients, who will receive a $1,500 award each, are Madisen Winter of Kewanee, Halie Kohl of Herscher, and Gage Miller of Cambridge. The bronze level recipients, who will receive a $1,000 award each, are Hailey VanOpdorp of Geneseo, Emma Frank of Atkinson, and Carlie Mettler of Highland.
According to Chad Leman, IPPA president, the association received a record number of scholarship applications this year and was impressed with the ambition and effort demonstrated by the applicants. The IPPA believes that it is vital to continue to reach out and recruit the best and brightest people to get involved in pork production. Lana Shovlin, the director of communications for IPPA, added that the scholarship recipients are excellent advocates for agriculture, especially the pork industry, and that the association looks forward to supporting their education and involvement in the organization.
Photo Credit: Illinois Pork Producers
Categories: Illinois, Livestock, Hogs