2018 Iowa Farm Bureau scholarship winners

With one in five jobs in Iowa being tied to agriculture, there are “fields of opportunities” in the state tied to this industry. To help students pursue these careers, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), Iowa’s century-old, largest general farm organization, has awarded $180,000 in tuition scholarships to current or future students who will study agriculture in post-secondary school. The 180 selected students will each receive $1,000 to further their education.
“Since 1997, we’ve awarded 1,080 of these scholarships to help students pursue their dreams in the ag field,” said IFBF Community Resources Director Barb Lykins. “We’re honored to help these young leaders get a start in their academic pursuits and help put them on a path to achieving their career goals.”
Bridget Saxton, Lake Mills, was one of 54 first-time Farm Bureau scholarship recipients. Her parents, Linda and Marty Saxton, are Farm Bureau members. Students are eligible to renew the scholarships for up to four years by maintaining a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and by being a student in good standing.
First-time applicants were asked to write an essay indicating the contributions they expect to make to agriculture and the rural community. They also were selected based on their academic achievement, financial need, community and extracurricular involvement and letters of recommendation.