The Center for Dairy Excellence offers the Student Leader Scholarship Program to provide recognition, encouragement and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry. In 2011, the center had 23 applicants. Seven individuals were selected by the center's Board of Directors to receive $1,000 scholarships.

Philip Bachman is the son of Mark and Melanie Bachman, Ulysses, Pennsylvania, and is a senior enrolled in animal science at the Pennsylvania State University Main Campus. In 2008, Philip’s family broke ground for a farmstead cheese operation, God’s Country Creamery. Philip was involved in the creamery since its inception and plans to be a major contribution upon his graduation. At Penn State, he currently serves as the president of the Dairy Science Club.

Sara Bechtel is the daughter of Gary and Claudia Bechtel, Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, and is junior studying animal science at Penn State Main Campus. She works on her family’s dairy, Cove-View Farm, where they milk 175 cows and farm 240 acres. She milks twice a day and manages the calf care program. In college, she is active in the Dairy Science Club and served on the dairy judging team. She has also been active in FFA and the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Club.

Maggie Harding is the daughter of Jeff and Cindy Harding, State College, Pennsylvania, and is a sophomore majoring in food science at the Pennsylvania State University. Maggie is the seventh generation to grow up on the family’s small-scale Angus cow/calf farm in Centre County and is a participant on the Penn State Women’s Volleyball Team. She currently has a 4.0 grade point average and was a peer mentor and Little Lion Ambassador in high school.

Destinee Horning is the daughter of Nevin and Denise Horning, Lititz, Pennsylvania, and is a sophomore majoring in dairy science at Delaware Valley College. She works at the Delaware Valley College dairy farm, and has shadowed a large animal veterinarian for two summers. She is the vice president of the Collegiate FFA, plays on the College Women’s Volleyball Team and is a small prayer group coordinator for the Christian Fellowship Group on campus.

Chad Horst is the son of Kirby and Sheryl Horst, Newmanstown, Pennsylvania, and is a freshman enrolled in animal science at the Pennsylvania State University Main Campus. He has been active in FFA, 4-H and the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Club and traveled to Costa Rica this summer to volunteer with his church youth group. He also serves as the herdsman on his parents’ dairy farm.

Heidi Musshafen is the daughter of Nick and Margie Musshafen, Millerton, Pennsylvania, and is an agriculture systems and environmental resources management major at the Pennsylvania State University. She grew up on a 100-cow dairy in Tioga County and is active in both the Dairy Science Club and Collegiate Farm Bureau at Penn State. She has interned with the Penn State Ag and Environment Center and with Dairy Marketing Services.

Hannah Wentworth is the daughter of Rob and Bonnie Wentworth, Quarryville, Pennsylvania, as is a junior in dairy and animal science at the Pennsylvania State University. She grew up on a dairy farm, served as the Pennsylvania FFA State Vice President Eastern Region and is active in the Collegiate FFA and Farm Bureau Clubs. She received the 2010 Muller Award for Outstanding First Member with the Dairy Science Club at Penn State. PD

—From CDE website