Farm Bureau awards college scholarships to 38 students

» May 17, 2006 «

Students who plan careers as family farmers, ranchers, agricultural advocates, teachers and other farm-related professions have earned college scholarships from the California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation. The foundation awarded 38 scholarships, totaling nearly $76,000, to benefit students in the 2006-07 academic year.

Students submitted applications describing their academic achievement, leadership skills and commitment to study agriculture. Following interviews with the applicants, the foundation selected four students for special honors:

• Mario Bandoni of Merced earned the Howard P. Wackman II Perpetual Memorial Award, a scholarship of $2,750. An incoming freshman at Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo, Bandoni will major in crop science and plans to grow almonds on his family's farm. The award is presented in memory of a late California Farm Bureau vice president.
• Ryan Pehle of Etna received the Frederick J. Heringer Honorary Award, a scholarship of $2,500. Pehle will enter Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, this fall as a major in agricultural business and plans a career as an agricultural teacher. The Heringer award is named for the late CFBF president.
• Rachel Imbach of Canby won the $2,250 Carolyn Richardson Memorial Award, given in memory of the late CFBF environmental advocate. Imbach will continue her college education at the University of California, Davis, this fall. She aspires to work as an agricultural advocate after majoring in agricultural communications.
• Grace Berryhill of Tulare earned the John H. Wiechman Memorial Award, a $2,250 scholarship named for the late CFBF Leadership Development manager. Berryhill will return to California State University, Chico, this fall. She is studying agricultural science and plans a career as an agricultural teacher.

Two-dozen students earned California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation awards of $2,000 each. They are: Karin Aschwanden, Galt; Colleen Bartlett, Elk Grove; Kelly Bishop, El Centro; Nicole Borges, Stockton; Thomas Bottoms, Escalon; Megan Brownell, Santa Maria; Mark Diener, Five Points; Sara Eidman, Grass Valley; Aileen Garcia, Arbuckle; Melissa Green, Arbuckle; Megan Jacobsen, Fresno; Kirk Kimmelshue, Durham; Kristin Kleiber, Merced; Jennifer Konschak, Turlock; Kyle McCullough, Arbuckle; Christina Menezes, Atwater; James Rietkerk, Corcoran; Spencer Rietkerk, Corcoran; Katherine Robertson, Galt; Michael Tobias, Hollister; Michelle Van Ryn, Manteca; Lindsay Walsh, Bakersfield; Kristopher Welker, Fresno; and Allison Zike, Porterville.

Another 10 students won scholarships totaling $1,800 each. They are: Tyler Blagg, Grass Valley; Heather Clement, Paso Robles; Audrey Denney, Bradley; Bryanna Fissori, Orland; Erica Flores, Santa Ynez; Nicki Humphrey, Flournoy; Candace Kimmelshue, Durham; Nicolina Prestininzi, Fallbrook; Brandon Souza, Hanford; and Chad Souza, Hanford.

The California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships since its inception in 1955.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 88,000 members.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

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