Dairy Center awards seven scholarships to young dairy leaders

Dairy graduation Harrisburg – The Center for Dairy Excellence Board of Directors has selected seven individuals to receive $1,000 Student Leader Scholarships.

The scholarships provide recognition, encouragement and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry.

“We received outstanding applications for this year’s scholarship award,” said John Frey, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence. “The seven recipients we chose reflect the bright future youth offer for Pennsylvania’s dairy industry.”

The recipients of the scholarship include:

Philip Bachman is the son of Mark and Melanie Bachman, Ulysses, Potter County, and is a senior enrolled in animal science at Penn State. In 2008, Bachman’s family broke ground for a farmstead cheese operation, God’s Country Creamery. He has been involved with the creamery since its inception and plans to be a major contributor upon his graduation. He is the 2011 president of the Penn State Dairy Science Club.

Sara Bechtel is the daughter of Gary and Claudia Bechtel, Martinsburg, Blair County, and a junior studying animal science at Penn State. She works on her family’s dairy, Cove-View Farm, where the Bechtels milk 175 cows and farm 240 acres. She milks twice a day and manages the calf care program. In college, she is active in the Dairy Science Club and served on the dairy judging team. She has also been active in FFA and the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Club.

Maggie Harding is the daughter of Jeff and Cindy Harding, State College, Centre County, and is a sophomore majoring in food science at Penn State. Maggie is the seventh generation to grow up on the family’s small-scale Angus cow/calf farm. She is a participant on the Penn State Women’s Volleyball Team and currently holds a 4.0 grade point average. She was a peer mentor and Little Lion Ambassador in high school.

Destinee Horning is the daughter of Nevin and Denise Horning, Lititz, Lancaster County, and is a sophomore majoring in dairy science at Delaware Valley College. She works at the college’s dairy farm and has shadowed a large animal veterinarian for two summers. She is the vice president of the Collegiate FFA, plays on the college Women’s Volleyball Team and is a small prayer group coordinator for a Christian fellowship group on campus.

Chad Horst is the son of Kirby and Sheryl Horst, Newmanstown, Lebanon County, and is a freshman studying animal science at Penn State. He has been active in FFA, 4-H and the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Club and traveled to Costa Rica this summer to volunteer with his church youth group. He also serves as the herdsman on his parents’ dairy farm.

Heidi Musshafen is the daughter of Nick and Margie Musshafen, Millerton, Tioga County, and is an agriculture systems and environmental resources management major at Penn State. She grew up on the family’s 100-cow dairy and is active in the Dairy Science Club and Collegiate Farm Bureau. She has interned with the Penn State Ag and Environment Center and with Dairy Marketing Services.

Hannah Wentworth is the daughter of Rob and Bonnie Wentworth, Quarryville, Lancaster County, and is a junior studying animal science at Penn State. She grew up on a dairy farm, served as the Pennsylvania FFA State Eastern Region Vice President and is active in the Collegiate FFA and Farm Bureau clubs. She received the 2010 Muller Award for Outstanding First-Year Member with the Dairy Science Club at Penn State.

Consideration for this scholarship was given to Pennsylvania residents who are full-time undergraduate students planning to enroll or are currently enrolled in a qualifying field of study such as animal science, agriculture marketing and business, nutrition, food science, agricultural and extension education, agri-business management, agricultural engineering or related fields.

Selection of the scholarship winners was based on the completed application within the following criteria: academic performance; apparent commitment to a career related to the dairy industry; evidence of leadership, character and integrity; and application compliance.

To learn more about the Student Leader Scholarships, visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org and click on “See Scholarship Opportunities” under the “Educator” tab.

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