The National Dairy Shrine announces the winners of its scholarships for 2011. The scholarships will be presented at the Awards Banquet at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, on Oct. 6. National Dairy Shrine will provide more than $40,000 of scholarship awards to students at that event.

NDS Student Recognition Awards
The NDS student recognition program recognizes graduating seniors planning a career related to the dairy industry who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, academic ability, and a sincere interest in dairy cattle. Each university is allowed to nominate up to two candidates for this recognition in any given year. The highest winner receives a $2,000 award, the second a $1,500 award and the other winners receive $1,000 awards.

The top awarded is Brandon Thesing from Winona, Minnesota. He has been very active in many dairy related activities at University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and has competed at the highest levels in dairy judging. The second award goes to Brittany Thompson of Snow Camp, North Carolina. She is a dairy science major at Virginia Tech who has participated extensively in their Dairy Club in multiple leadership roles.

Next is Hannah Thompson from Walkersville, Maryland, who is an agricultural communications major at The Ohio State University. Following next is Abby Udermann from Sartell, Minnesota, where she is majoring in animal science with a dairy production emphasis at the University of Minnesota. Next is Ashley Sears from South Deerfield, Massachusetts, who is a business and dairy science major at Cornell University. Following is Kristin Hogan from Tillamook, Oregon, who is majoring in animal science with dairy option and general agriculture major with a communications minor at Oregon State University. Next is Joshua Ebert from Blairsville, Pennsylvania, who is an animal sciences major with a business management emphasis. Following next is Corey Kayhart from Vergennes, Vermont, who is an animal science major at Cornell University. Next is Cassandra Dutcher from Humboldt, Nebraska. She is an animal science production management major at Kansas State University. The final recognition awardee is Emily Lyons from Rockford, Illinois. She is an animal science major at the University of Illinois.

Kildee Scholarship Awards
Receiving the Kildee Graduate Studies Scholarships are Chelsea Holschbach of Baraboo, Wisconsin, and Hannah Thompson of Walkersville, Maryland. Holschbach is attending University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. She is an outstanding student, achieving acceptance into the Veterinary School during her undergraduate junior year. She has also won oral reasons at the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. Hannah Thompson completed her degree in agricultural communications at The Ohio State University, with minors in agribusiness and Spanish. She will continue her education at The Ohio State University in a masters program of agricultural and extension education with a concentration in agricultural communication. She aims to work in legislative affairs for a dairy-related company to help respond to issues impacting agriculture.

Lindsey Rucks of Okeechobee, Florida, has been selected as the 2011 recipient of the Kildee Undergraduate Studies Scholarship. She is currently attending the University of Florida, majoring in agriculture education and communication with an emphasis in leadership development. Her goal is to a promoter of the dairy industry and to be a breeder of purebred dairy cattle.

NDS/DMI Milk Marketing Scholarships
Laura Weisz, of Hillman, Minnesota, has been awarded the 2011 National Dairy Shrine/DMI Milk Marketing $1,500 Scholarship. Additionally, eight other undergraduate students have been awarded $1,000 scholarships and are listed alphabetically. These generous scholarships are made possible by Dairy Management Inc. and NDS to encourage students to pursue careers in dairy product marketing.

Laura Weisz is an animal science major with a dairy production emphasis along with a mass communications minor at the University of Minnesota. She also served as a county dairy princess and a finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Philip Bachman, of Ulysses, Pennsylvania, is an animal sciences major at Pennsylvania State University. Mandy Brazil from Petaluma, California, is a communications major with dairy science and agriculture business minor at Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo. Laura Elliott from Marshall, Wisconsin, is attending University of Wisconsin – Madison as a dairy science and life sciences communication major with a business certificate. Jason Kaare from Chaska, Minnesota, is pursuing an agricultural education major with a minor in animal science at the University of Minnesota. Rachel Manning from Huntingtown, Maryland, is attending West Virginia University as an agriculture and extension education major. Isaac Salfer from Dassel, Minnesota, is attending the University of Minnesota as an animal science major with an emphasis in dairy production. Theresa Twohey from Stewartville, Minnesota, is pursuing an agricultural education leadership and communications major at the University of Minnesota. Hannah Wentworth from Quarryville, Pennsylvania is attending Pennsylvania State University as an animal science major.

McCullough Scholarships
Each year, two scholarships are awarded by National Dairy Shrine in memory of Dr. Marshall E. McCullough, the well-respected nutrition researcher and educator from Georgia. Eligible students must be entering their freshmen year of college and plan to major in dairy/animal science or agricultural journalism with a dairy emphasis. National Dairy Shrine is pleased to announce the 2011 McCullough Scholarship Winners – Eileen Gress of Shreve, Ohio, and Cassandra Krull of Lake Mills, Wisconsin.

Eileen Gress will receive the $2,500 top scholarship to be used towards her continued education at The Ohio State University in an agricultural communications major.

Cassandra Krull will receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used towards her pursuit of an agribusiness degree at either Kansas State University or University of Wisconsin – Platteville.

Maurice Core Scholarship
Erin Daninger of Forest Lake, Minnesota, has won the Maurice Core Scholarship. This $1,000 award is given in honor of Maurice Core, the long-time executive secretary of the American Jersey Cattle Association, and, more recently, the executive director of the National Dairy Shrine. The funds for this award were donated by the friends of Maurice Core. The Core Scholarship is given to a freshman status student working toward a degree in dairy or animal science.

Daninger is an outstanding student, has shown very strong leadership abilities and has been involved in FFA, 4-H, and served as Washington County Dairy Princess. She is a student the University of Minnesota.

Iager Scholarship
The Iager Scholarship for $1,000 is awarded annually to a second year student in a two-year agricultural school to pursue a career in the dairy industry. It is based on academic standing, leadership ability, interest in the dairy industry and plans for the future. This scholarship was stated by a generous donation from the Charles and Judy Iager family of Fulton, Maryland.

The recipient this year is Karessa Mann of Hilmar, California. She is attending Modesto Junior College and majoring in agriculture and dairy science. She plans on to pursue an emphasis in agriculture communications and to be an advocate and spokesperson for the dairy industry.

Klussendorf/McKown Scholarship Winners
Karen Anderson of Lester Prairie, Minnesota; Jenn Krultz of Greenwood, Wisconsin; Lindsey Rucks from Okeechobee, Florida; and Rachel Manning of Huntingtown, Maryland; have been named the 2011 Klussendorf Association Scholarship Award winners. These $2,000 scholarships are awarded by the National Dairy Shrine and funded by Klussendorf member, Chris Kampf, and through gifts from fundraisers by the Klussendorf Association.

The Robert McKown Scholarship winners receive a $2,000 scholarship in honor of “Whitey” McKown, a long time supporter of the Holstein breed and National Dairy Cattle Shows. These scholarships are made possible by generous donations from the friends of Robert “Whitey” McKown. This year’s winners are Matt Henkes from Luana, Iowa, and Tyler Reynolds of Corfu, New York. PD

—From National Dairy Shrine news release