GFB News Magazine
GFA awards scholarships to help students pursue ag careers
by Lily Baucom
GFA Executive Director
Posted on May 26, 2024 8:07 AM
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) is excited to name the 24 students it has selected to receive a total of $65,000 in scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year. GFA scholarships are awarded to students who intend to pursue or are pursuing degrees in agriculture, forestry or family and consumer sciences at a school that is part of The University System of Georgia, Berry College, Emmanuel University or any accredited college/university in Georgia with an ag program or a Georgia accredited technical college.
“The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture is proud to recognize another crop of students who have shown they are passionate about agriculture through their extracurricular activities and chosen majors,” said GFA Board Chairman and GFB President Tom McCall. “Georgia Farm Bureau is pleased to support the foundation’s efforts. We look forward to seeing what these students will accomplish as future leaders in Georgia agriculture.”
The scholarships are for graduating high school seniors headed to college or a technical college next fall, rising college juniors and seniors, and students enrolled in the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine who plan to care for farm animals.
Recipients are listed below.
College Freshman Scholarship for Agriculture
Ten students planning to enter college this fall at Fort Valley State University (FVSU), Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), Berry College, and the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) were awarded scholarships of $3,000 each: Andrew Carnley, Houston County; Amelia Housley, Franklin County; Eva Wessels, Lee County; Carson Lynn, Decatur County; Holt Sapp, Burke County; Katie Moncrief, Crawford County; London Osteen, Coffee County; Macey South, Upson County; Kyle Kitchens-Hayes, Bryan County; and Stephen Peterson, Lowndes County. The top two candidates – Carnley and Osteen – each received an additional $1,500.
These 10 students plan to pursue degrees in animal science, agribusiness, regenerative bioscience, environmental resources science, veterinary technology and applied biotechnology.
Technical College Scholarship for Ag
Addie Pierce, Barrow County; Colton Bartmas, Stephens County; Eben Banks, Tattnall County; and Jessi Humphries, Franklin County were each selected to receive a $1,500 scholarship to attend North Georgia Technical College, Athens Technical College, Ogeechee Technical College and Gwinnett Technical College. These students plan to pursue agribusiness, environmental technology, and veterinary technology degrees.
Rising College JR/SR Scholarships for Ag
The foundation awarded eight $2,000 scholarships to these rising college juniors and seniors: Anna Clifton, Bulloch County; Bethany Champion, Gordon County; Carrie Keown, Miller County; Daniel Peterson, Lowndes County; Hannah Williams, Telfair County; Jarrett Hancock, Irwin County; Nate McKinney, Jackson County; and Reagan Baldree, Ware County.
The students plan to attend UGA CAES and ABAC in the fall and are studying ag communication, ag education, agribusiness, agricultural economics, agriscience, environmental systems and avian biology.
UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Scholarship
Matt Holton, Dawson County and Logan Rutchi, Walton County will each receive scholarships of $5,000 as they study to become food animal veterinarians at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine.
Lily Baucom is executive director of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. Visit www.gafoundationag.org to learn more about the foundation or to make a tax-deductible donation. Instructions for applying for the 2024-25 scholarships will be posted on the GFA website this fall.