Farm Credit Illinois recently awarded a total of $60,000 in scholarships to high school seniors throughout central and southern Illinois to pursue agriculture-related majors and careers. Each of the 30 high school seniors received a $2,000 agriculture scholarship; two of the recipients were designated as Urban Agriculture Scholars.

This is the 15th year of the Farm Credit agriculture scholarship program which has awarded a total of $400,000 to 329 students since 2004. Scholarship selections are based on a combination of academic achievement, participation and leadership in school and community organizations, and the applicant’s commitment to an agricultural career.

“Farm Credit Illinois is proud to provide positive opportunities and lend support to young people with a passion for agriculture,” says Rod Stoll, vice president of marketplace engagement for FCI. “These scholars will assume careers that shape the future of agriculture and Rural America, in turn Helping Farm Families Succeed.”

The following students were selected to receive a 2018 Farm Credit agriculture scholarship: 

• Jebediah Baumgart of Norris City (White County) will graduate from Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School and attend Rend Lake College to study agricultural business and agricultural production and management. His mother is Cindy Baumgart.
• Noah Benedict of Dewey (Champaign County) will graduate from Mahomet-Seymour High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agribusiness markets and management. His parents are Chad and Becky Benedict.
• Cierra Crowell of Lincoln (Logan County) will graduate from Lincoln Community High School and attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale to study equine science. Her parents are Jerry and Lotis Crowell.
• Nicholas DeVries of New Douglas (Montgomery County) will graduate from Mount Olive High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agribusiness markets and management. His parents are Kevin and Sondra DeVries.
• Megan Finfrock of Clinton (DeWitt County) will graduate from Clinton Community High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study crop sciences, concentrating in crop agribusiness. Her parents are Marvin and Shelley Finfrock.
• Ryder Flener of Elizabethtown (Hardin County) will graduate from Hardin County High School and attend Oklahoma State University to study animal science. His parents are Janetta Flener and the late Randy Flener.
• Julissa Garcia of Gilman (Iroquois County) will graduate from Iroquois West High School and enroll in the Parkland Pathways program to study animals sciences. Her parents are Hilario and Domitila Garcia.
• Leah Hall of Carbondale (Jackson County) will graduate from Carbondale Community High School and attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale to study animal science. Her mother is Me-Chelle Hall.
• Remington Henson of Wayne City (Wayne County) will graduate from Wayne City High School and attend Rend Lake College to study agricultural business and agricultural production and management. His parents are Shannon and Nicole Henson.
• Cole Herrmann of Hoyleton (Washington County) will graduate from Nashville Community High School and attend Kaskaskia College to study pre-agricultural engineering. His parents are Carl and Charlene Herrmann.
• Tyler Hollis of Columbia (St. Clair County) will graduate from Columbia High School and attend Missouri University of Science and Technology to study mechanical engineering. His parents are Rich and Gail Hollis.
• Sophia Hortin of Fisher (Champaign County) will graduate from Fisher High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural leadership and science education. Her parents are Mark and Shanna Hortin.
• Reed Jostes of Maroa (Macon County) will graduate from Maroa-Forsyth High School and attend Southern Illinois University-Carbondale to study agricultural education. His parents are Josh and Heidi Jostes.
• Travis Kaeb of Buckley (Iroquois County) will graduate from Cissna Park High School and attend Parkland College to study agricultural business, concentrating in precision agriculture. His parents are Warren and Jill Kaeb.
• Parker Karrick of Patoka (Marion County) will graduate from Patoka Community High School and attend Kaskaskia College to study agriculture business. Her parents are Leslie and Angela Britt.
• Tucker Marrs of Paris (Edgar County) will graduate from Paris High School and attend Lake Land College as an agriculture production transfer student. His parents are Wayne and Nancy Marrs.
• Callie McClay of Oakdale (Washington County) will graduate from Nashville Community High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural communications. Her parents are Steve and Denise McClay.
• Seth Mitchell of Olney (Richland County) will graduate from Richland County High School and attend Lake Land College in agriculture. His parents are Aaron and Deborah Mitchell.
• Bridget Payne of Harrisburg (Saline County) will graduate from Harrisburg High School and attend Southeastern Illinois College to study agriculture education. Her parents are Eric and Cheree Witges.
• Benjamin Polo of Carlinville (Macoupin County) will graduate from Gillespie High School and attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale to study pre-veterinary medicine and science. His parents are Kevin and Therese Polo.
• Sarah Richey of Medora (Jersey County) will graduate from Southwestern High School and attend Illinois Central College in the agriculture transfer program. Her parents are Joseph and Lynn Richey.
• Calyssa Richie of New Berlin (Sangamon County) will graduate from New Berlin High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural communications. Her parents are Bill and Ann Richie.
• Becca Royer of Oakland (Coles County) will graduate from Oakland High School and attend Lake Land College in the agriculture transfer program. Her parents are Leann and Ruben Royer.
• Alexis Ruemker of Columbia (Monroe County) will graduate from Waterloo High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural leadership and science education. Her parents are Clem Ruemker and Cindy Rehmer-Ruemker.
• Clayton Smith of Sumner (Lawrence County) will graduate from Oblong High School and attend Lincoln Trail College to study process technology and welding. His parents are Randy and Janette Smith.
• Peyton Tester of Witt (Montgomery County) will graduate from Hillsboro High School and attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study farm management. His parents are Dan and Ann Tester.
• Abigail Wagner of Milford (Iroquois County) will graduate from Milford High and attend Joliet Junior College in the agriculture transfer program. Her parents are Luke and Shelly Wagner.
• Jake Wente of Sigel (Cumberland County) will graduate from Teutopolis High School and attend Lake Land College to study ag business. His parents are Tim and Betty Wente.
• Jenna Wheeler of Jacksonville (Morgan County) will graduate from Jacksonville High School and attend Lake Land College in the agriculture transfer program. Her parents are Dennis and Joy Wheeler.
• Dillon White of Jacksonville (Morgan County) will graduate from Jacksonville High School High School and attend John Wood Community College to study animal science. His parents are Zachary and Tammy White.