Six aspiring agriculture students can win $33,500 through the Colvin Scholarship Fund, developed in 1999 to honor the co-founder of the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. As Louis M. “Mick” Colvin retired after 21 years as executive director, these annual scholarships began as a way to carry on his legacy of making dreams a reality and inspiring others to be their best.
They recognize tomorrow’s beef community leaders who are involved and committed to continued success and progress. A $7,500 award goes to the top graduate student, along with five undergraduate scholarships totaling $26,000—the top award there also at $7,500. Undergraduates ranking second through fifth will receive scholarships of $6,500, $5,000, $4,000 and $3,000, respectively.
Applications are due by Jan. 17, 2020, and can be submitted at CertifiedAngusBeef.com. Requirements include two letters of recommendation and two essays. The first essay is up to 500 words on career path choices while a second, up to 1,000 words, will explore how the brand can best differentiate itself from 90 other Angus brands. Applicants must also demonstrate commitment to the beef community through coursework relating to the industry, activities, involvement, scholastic achievement, communication skills and references.
The brand began its graduate student awards in 2012, opening doors to anyone in a recognized, full-time masters or doctorate program related to high-quality beef production. The 2019 graduate scholarship recipient was Chandler Steele, a meat science master’s student at Texas A&M University, and Kylie Phillips, an animal science student at the University of Florida, earned the top undergraduate award.
The Colvin Golf Classic and auction held during the brand’s annual conference funds the program. This year, partners helped raise more than $91,000—the top-selling item was title sponsorship, by Sysco Corp., for the 2020 golf classic. That continued support speaks volumes on the confidence they have in the future of agriculture and students pursuing lifelong careers within it.
Winners will be chosen by March 2020. Top graduate and undergraduate awardees receive all-expense-paid trips to the 2020 Annual Conference set for Sept. 22-24, 2020, at the Red Rock Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. There, they will have the opportunity to interact with leaders in beef production, packaging, retail and foodservice.
Launched in 1978 and owned by 25,000 American Angus Association® members, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand is the largest brand of fresh beef in the world. Working with nearly 20,000 licensed partners in 50 countries, it markets more than 1.25 billion pounds annually. Learn more about the brand at CertifiedAngusBeef.com, or access producer resources at CABCattle.com.
