California Ag TODAY: Ag Education Pays

More than 70 students wishing to pursue careers as farmers, ranchers or in occupations related to agriculture earned $226,200 in scholarships from the California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation has distributed more than $2 million in scholarships since its inception in 1955.

The scholarships are awarded based on students' academic achievements, leadership skills, career goals, extracurricular activities and other factors.

Following interviews with the applicants, the foundation awarded $2,500 in special scholarships to six students:

• Ryan Lundberg of Chico won the Howard P. Wackman II Perpetual Memorial Award, a scholarship named for the late California Farm Bureau Federation vice president. Lundberg will be a junior this fall at California State University, Chico, where he majors in agricultural business. He plans to become a pest control advisor and help on his family’s rice farm.

• Gavin Abraham of Livingston earned the Frederick J. Heringer Honorary Award, a scholarship named for the late CFBF president. Abraham will be a sophomore at California State University, Fresno, and after graduation hopes to return home to help run the family farm.

• Bronté Phillips of Ceres was granted the Carolyn Richardson Memorial Award. A senior at California State University, Stanislaus, Phillips plans to attend law school after graduation to pursue a career in agricultural law or lobbying. The scholarship is named for the late CFBF environmental advocate.

• Jacob Carlson of Elk Grove earned the John H. Wiechman Memorial Award, a scholarship given in memory of the late CFBF Leadership Development Manager. Carlson will be a sophomore at Fresno State, majoring in animal science, with plans to pursue a career as a large-animal veterinarian.

• Bethany Couchman of Modesto and Joshua Donnelly of Sacramento were awarded scholarships sponsored by the Agricultural Lenders Society of California. Couchman is a sophomore at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, studying agribusiness. She plans to pursue a career as a production manager and eventually earn a master’s in business administration. Donnelly will be a junior at the University of California, Davis, and majors in managerial economics. He plans to become a beef cattle producer and commodity market analyst.

A sixth special scholarship category, the Rustici Livestock and Rangeland Scholarship Award, benefits rangeland-management students who plan careers in beef or sheep ranching or in range management. Thirty-six students earned Rustici scholarships for $2,500 or $5,000: Lindsey Affonso, Palo Cedro; Frank Arburua III, Stockton; Jessica Arndt, Inverness; Erica Bianchi, Gilroy; Bailey Bidwell, Hat Creek; Kendra Brennan, Sonora; Clayton Brown, San Luis Obispo; Emily Cehrs, Sanger; Hope Connolly, Tracy; Brandon Denier, Galt; Jaxon Fitzgerald, Palo Cedro; Sydney Fultz, Modesto; Kathleen Furtado, Bakersfield; Kristine Gomez, Philomath, Ore.; Bailey Hagata, Susanville; Tom Hardesty, Elk Grove; Jackie Hardesty, Elk Grove; Justine Henderson, Cottonwood; Natalie Holmberg-Douglas, Penn Valley; Alison King, Atwater; Leland McDonald, Galt; Cody McDougald, Friant; Stephen Miller, Tracy; Katie Olagaray, Lodi; Joshua Polich, Visalia; Weston Roberti, Loyalton; Jacob Rogers, Glennville; Jordan Sparrowk, Clements; Katie Stroud, Adin; Kaitlin Swickard, Susanville; John Thompson, Hollister; Grace Tobias, Tres Pinos; Kiah Twisselman, Santa Margarita; Dustin Wallis, Arcata; Austin Whittle, Susanville; and Lee Yantis, Bakersfield.

California Farm Bureau Scholarship awards of $1,000 to college seniors and $1,250 to enrolled college students were granted to 36 students: Collin Abraham, Livingston; Kristin Alamo, Modesto; Suzanne Amaral, Sonoma; Kerilyn Ambrosini, Ferndale; Hannah Beeler, Escalon; Adrienne Bradley, Grass Valley; Jana Colombini, Linden; Jason Colombini, Linden; Joshua Dowell, Coarsegold; Maddie Dunlap, Maxwell; Adelaide Dyer, Alpine; Maddison Easley, Nevada City; Brandon Emery, Winters; Casey Erickson, Porterville; Katerina Flores, Marina; Hannah Fortin, Janesville; Francesca Gambonini, Petaluma; Mackenzie Gomes, Willows; Ben Granholm, Grass Valley; Brea Haller, Imperial; Kimberly Macintosh, Sutter Creek; Corinne Madison, Acampo; Kellie Mancino, Hollister; Alex Marsh, Arbuckle; Natalie Massa, Willows; Amy McBirney, Morgan Hill; Jake Odello, Carmel; Taylor Pires, Los Banos; Katherine Roberti, Loyalton; Courtney Taylor, Yuba City; Gianna Toso, Hornitos; RaeAnne vanTol, Ramona; Jessica Vazquez, Cottonwood; Samantha Viano, Martinez; Danielle Wood, Susanville; and Taylor Zumstein, Fallbrook.