Scholarships available for students pursuing careers in dairy

The PA Dairymen’s Association and Dairy Excellence Foundation Offer $3,000 Scholarships

High school students who are pursuing an education in a dairy-related field are encouraged to apply for one of ten $3,000 scholarships made available through the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association and Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania for the 2020-21 academic year. The scholarships opened for applications on March 1 and are due to the Dairy Excellence Foundation office by June 1.

“As we work to build a vibrant Pennsylvania dairy industry, it has never been more important to invest in the education of tomorrow’s dairy leaders. They are the future of this industry,” said Brittany Snyder, dairy education program manager at the Dairy Excellence Foundation. “Our partnership with the PA Dairymen’s Association allows us to empower students who are committed to dairy and support their educational endeavors.”

The scholarships are offered annually to recognize outstanding students in dairy. Undergraduate students and high school seniors entering college in the fall are eligible for the scholarships.

To qualify, students must demonstrate a commitment to working in the dairy industry. Recipients are selected based on academic performance, interest in a dairy-related career, evidence of leadership, character and integrity, and application compliance.

“The impact of the Student Leader Scholarship goes beyond simply making college more affordable. It has also made me a better agriscience educator,” said Nicole Guise, a 2019 scholarship recipient and agriculture and extension education student at the Pennsylvania State University. “I am more aware of educational resources and opportunities made available by the Dairy Excellence Foundation and the dairy industry.”

Pennsylvania residents who are fulltime undergraduate students currently enrolled in a qualifying field of study or high school seniors who are planning to enroll in a qualifying field of study are given consideration for this scholarship. Qualifying fields of study include dairy and animal science, agricultural marketing and business, nutrition, food science, agriculture and extension education, agricultural communications, agricultural engineering, or related fields.

Students can receive the $3,000 scholarship twice during their undergraduate academic career. Students employed by the Center for Dairy Excellence as an intern or in another capacity are not eligible to apply during the period in which they are working for the Center. To learn more, visit centerfordairyexcellence.org/scholarships or contact Brittany Snyder at 717-346-0849 or by email at bsnyder@centerfordairyexcellence.org.