Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded 122 scholarships to graduating high school students across Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Each high school student received a $1,500 education scholarship. This is the seventh year the Fund for Rural America has presented the scholarship program, which has now awarded 837 scholarships totaling more than $1.2 million.
“Our scholarship program is clear proof that the future of agriculture and rural America is bright and promising,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial. “There’s nothing more exciting than helping high school seniors continue their education and contribute to their community. These students are well-rounded, intelligent and proven leaders in their own unique ways.”
Committees of team members from across the organization reviewed and scored the nearly 400 applications received. Top-scoring applicants in the areas of academic achievement, essay writing and involvement in agriculture and community organizations were awarded the scholarships.
Among this year’s recipients, 80 students are pursuing an agriculture major, with agriculture and animal science being the most popular majors. Recipients also include 15 students pursuing medical professions and nine future teachers. Fourteen percent will be attending a community college or technical school, and the average GPA of the students was an impressive 3.89 on a 4-point scale.
Of the 122 high school scholarship recipients, 41 are from Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Scholarship Recipients
- Anika Baerwolf, Columbus
- Brian Styer, Menomonie
- Brianna Buechner, Hancock
- Calan Meylor, Mineral Point
- Caleb Tracy, Blue River
- Callista Vande Berg, Eldorado
- Cassidy Finke, Reedsburg
- Charlotte Tompkins, Rio
- Chloe Breunig, Sheboygan Falls
- Chloe Dummer, Elk Mound
- Cora Kohlman, Sheboygan Falls
- Dani Graff, Markesan
- Elisabeth Norman, Hartford
- Erica Meylor, Mineral Point
- Hannah Oleson, Arkdale
- Haylie Habeck, Cascade
- Ian Spoke, Waterloo
- Isabelle Kolek, Menomonie
- Jackson VanNatta, Lancaster
- John Karls, Waunakee
- Josie Bailey, Tomah
- Karlie Senn, Milton
- Katelyn Scannell, Allenton
- Katie Brooks, Juda
- Kaitilin Flood, Oconomowoc
- Kyle Degner, Wonewoc
- Kylie Powell, Norwalk
- Landon Rehberg, Elkhorn
- Lidia Bakeberg, Melrose
- Logan Brand, Ellsworth
- Madison Kwak, Ridgeland
- Maggie Horsfall, Fennimore
- Makaya McCarthy Livingston
- Morgan Firlus, Wonewoc
- Nicholas Needham, Fennimore
- Olivia Killian, Blair
- Paisley Lindner, Wisconsin Dells
- Samantha Berg, Arcadia
- Skye Dickson, Browntown
- Summer Hammann, Barron
- Teige W. Perkins, Richland Center
