Agriculture scholarship helps build young careers
January 7, 2014
Co-ops not only help you produce your crops, they can help students grow a career through the Excellence in Ag Program.
The program includes a scholarship up to $20,000, summer internships and opportunity for future employment to four students in Western Canada pursuing a post-secondary education in agriculture or business.
“For these students, the financial benefit is a $20,000 scholarship,” said Ron Healey, FCL Associate Vice-President, Ag and Home. “But equally important is the opportunity to secure meaningful, relevant summer internships where they can apply their classroom knowledge to an everyday working environment.”
Rachael Verwey is a first-year agriculture student at the University of Manitoba. She was one of four students selected in 2013, the first year of the program.
“I would like to say thanks to the Co-op because this is a huge deal,” she said when accepting her award. “I have my career set up for me now; I don’t have anything to worry about.”
Verwey, from Portage la Prairie, MB, said she had been unsure what she wanted to do after completing her post-secondary education, whether to return to the farm or do something else. The program has provided some clarity and direction for what was an uncertain future. She was one of four recipients of the award in 2013, a group which also included Dana Riley (Rosetown, SK), Rebecca Joseph (Chipman, AB) and Tylene Rafa (Seven Persons, AB).
Students must be entering or already enrolled in a diploma or degree program at an accredited post-secondary institution. Please see the Excellence in Ag Program brochure to review all eligibility and application requirements.
The application deadline is January 31, 2014.
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| As part of the Excellence in Ag Program, FCL Associate Vice-President Ron Healey (centre) presented the first installments of the scholarships to (from left) Dana Riley, Rachael Verwey, Rebecca Joseph and Tylene Rafa in August 2013. |