The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) is proud to announce the first recipients of the MCGA Young Adult Scholarship. Brooke Hoffbeck and Emilia Melson both received $5,000 scholarships to help in their journey to become a future agricultural leader.
Both Hoffbeck and Melson demonstrated their passion for agriculture by submitting essays that identified why each are pursuing a career in ag and the issues they see as most important for our state’s ag community.
Hoffbeck hails from Morgan and currently attends South Dakota State University. Having grown up on a farm, Hoffbeck has always had a passion for ag. She continues to be involved in her family’s farm operation and also an active member of FFA. She is currently pursuing a degree in agronomy.
“I think the best part of being involved in agriculture is that we all have one thing in common; we are working together to feed the world! I am excited to take my passion for agriculture to the next level and make it my full-time career,” Hoffbeck wrote in her application.
Melson grew up in Trimont and currently attends the University of Minnesota where she is pursuing a degree in agricultural communications and marketing. In addition to helping on her family’s farm, Melson grew up showing pigs through her local 4-H chapter. Her time interacting with the general public as an advocate of the pork industry influenced her choice to have a career in ag communications.
“I want to be an advocate for not only the pork industry and corn growers but agriculture as a whole. I have a passion for agriculture that I want others to have as well. I believe the best way for me to contribute to the industry will be through communicating with consumers, farmers and organizations,” Melson wrote in her application.
Announced in February, MCGA offered a $5,000 scholarship to two students pursuing a career in ag enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program during the fall 2019 semester. MCGA scholarship applicants were required to be a Young Adult member of MCGA.
The Young Adult membership, available to ages 16-24, was launched for future agricultural leaders who would like to participate in grassroots advocacy today. Along with reduced member dues, Young Adult Members stay up to date on the latest in Minnesota’s corn sector, as well as have access to great networking and leadership opportunities. Click here to join one of the largest grassroots agricultural organizations in the state.
For more info on scholarships from national, state, and county corn organizations visit mncorn.org/scholarships.