Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation Awards Eleven Scholarships

Jun 02, 2022


[LINCOLN, NE June 2, 2022] – The Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation (NCCEF) has awarded 11 scholarships totaling $31,000 for the 2022/23 academic year to students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) at Curtis, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK).

The NCCEF scholarship program was initiated for the 1993/94 academic year with funding from voluntary contributions from the agricultural cooperatives which are members of the Nebraska Cooperative Council. Since the program’s inception, 231 scholarships totaling $313,600 have been awarded.

To be eligible for the scholarships, students must be majoring in agribusiness or agricultural economics at UNL, agribusiness or ag production systems at NCTA, or agribusiness at UNK. Eligibility is restricted to  sons/daughters of a parent/legal guardian who has been an active member, director, or employee for at least the prior three years of a cooperative which has been a member in good standing of the Council for at least five years. The NCCEF 2022/23AY recipients are:

Recipient of a $3,000 NCCEF Scholarship in Honor of Robert C. Andersen
  • Madison Adam, daughter of Alex & Natalie Adam of Alliance, will be a junior at UNL majoring in agricultural economics. The Adam’s are members of WESTCO headquartered in  Alliance, Farmers Co-op Elevator Company headquartered in Hemingford, and a customer of  Farm Credit Services of America headquartered in Omaha.
Recipients of a $3,000 NCCEF Scholarship in Honor of Michael S. Turner
  • Blake Frink, son of Jason & Shannon Frink of Hastings, will be a sophomore at UNL majoring in agricultural economics. The Frink’s are members of CPI headquartered in Hastings and the Aurora Co-op Elevator Company headquartered in Aurora.
  • Cade Payne, son of Josh & Ann Payne of Hemingford, will be a senior at UNL majoring in agribusiness. The Payne’s are members of WESTCO headquartered in Alliance, Farmers Co-op Elevator Company headquartered in Hemingford, and Panhandle Rural Electric Membership Assn headquartered in Alliance.
  • Valerie Bohuslavsky, daughter of Jeffrey & Dawn Bohuslavsky of David City, will be a junior at UNL majoring in agribusiness. The Bohuslavsky’s are members of Frontier Co-op headquartered in Lincoln, the Aurora Co-op Elevator Company headquartered in Aurora, and CVA headquartered in York.
  • Skylar Shanahan, daughter of Tim & Missy Shanahan of Cedar Bluffs, will be a sophomore at UNL majoring in agribusiness. The Shanahan’s are members of Frontier Co-op headquartered in Lincoln.
  • Hannah Williams, daughter of Bruce & Amy Williams of Morse Bluff, will be a sophomore at UNL majoring in agribusiness. The Williams’ are members of Frontier Co-op headquartered in Lincoln.
  • Sam Wilkins, son of Brad & Wendy Wilkins of Ainsworth, will be a junior at UNL majoring in agricultural economics. The Wilkins’ are members of CVA headquartered in York.
  • Grant Taylor, son of Kent Taylor of Ainsworth and Clisty Taylor of Arapahoe, will be a freshman at UNL majoring in agribusiness. The Taylor’s are members of CVA headquartered in York.
  • Cooper Schutz, son of Joel & Jennifer Schutz of Arapahoe, will be a junior at UNK majoring in agribusiness. The Schutz’s are members of Ag Valley Co-op headquartered in Edison.
Recipients of a $2,000 NCCEF Scholarship in Honor of Michael S. Turner
  • Konnor Thompson, son of Kent & Sara Thompson of Lawrence, will be a 2nd year student at NCTA majoring in ag production systems. The Thompson’s are members of Fairfield N/S Co-op Fertilizer headquartered in Fairfield.
  • Allison Wilkens, daughter of Mike & Kim Wilkens of Gibbon, will be a 3rd year student at NCTA majoring in agribusiness and ag production systems. The Wilkens’ are members of Aurora Co-op Elevator Company headquartered in Aurora and CHS headquartered in Holdrege.
“The Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation is honored to provide students with financial support, allowing them to be able to study agricultural business/economics. Education is one of the fundamental cooperative principles, and this program continues to be an important part of our efforts to help youth understand the cooperative way of doing business and interest them in pursuing careers in the agricultural industry here in Nebraska,” according to Gerald Schmidt, Foundation Board Chairman.

The purposes of the Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation are to promote and encourage high school graduates to pursue higher education in the agricultural and agribusiness fields through scholarships and the implementation of school-to-work programs with participating Nebraska cooperatives; to encourage high school graduates to remain in Nebraska in agricultural pursuits all of which will result in community betterment; and the preservation of agriculture as a way of life.

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