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For Immediate Release
May 13, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio (OFBF) - Three programs associated with the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation have collectively selected ten $1000 scholarship recipients for the upcoming 2008-09 academic year.

Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Scholar award
Building upon the interests of its donors, the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Board of Directors has established the new Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Scholar (OFBFS) award. The OFBFS award recognizes students for academic effort, community service and career interests that use agriculture to enhance the partnership between producers and consumers in rural, suburban and/or urban settings.

Inaugural OFBFS award recipients include Heather Bradford of St. Mary’s and Josh Zucker of Marion.

Bradford is a graduating senior at Memorial High School. She plans to combine her interests in math, science and the beef industry to pursue a career in quantitative genetics.

Zucker is a 2007 graduate of River Valley High School. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business and pre law at Tiffin University.

Darwin Bryan Scholarship Program
The Darwin Bryan Scholarship Program (DBS) was established in 1985 in honor of Darwin R. Bryan whose enthusiastic leadership during his 37 years of service to the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation has been an inspiration to rural youth throughout Ohio. The scholarship fund assists students who have been active in the Farm Bureau youth program and/or whose parents are Farm Bureau members.

DBS program recipients for this year include Christina Egner of Shelby. A 2006 graduate Shelby Senior High School, Egner is pursuing a degree in animal sciences and pharmacology at Ohio State University. This is Egner’s second year as a DBS scholarship winner.

Benjamin Colston of Uniontown is a graduating senior from North Canton Hoover High School. Colston plans to use his passion for working with others, coupled with his experience in Farm Bureau Youth activities to pursue an education degree.

Josh Hamric of Coshocton is pursuing a degree in genetics at the Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster. A 2007 graduate of River View High School in Warsaw, Hamric is active in college and community activities at home. This marks Hamric’s second year as a DBS award recipient.

Christa Lierer of Okeana will be graduating from Ross High School in Hamilton. Active in school, community and Farm Bureau Youth State Committee activities, she is enrolled at the Agriculture Technical Institute in Wooster. Lierer plans to pursue a degree in Ag Business and Farm Management.

Melody Maxwell of Lexington is pursuing a degree in chemistry at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware. A 2006 graduate of Lexington High School, Maxwell has been involved in a variety of service clubs and organizations promoting animal husbandry and health. She plans to continue school, leading ultimately to a career in veterinary medicine.

Women’s Leadership in Agriculture Scholarship Program
The Foundation’s Women’s Leadership in Agriculture Scholarship Program (WLASP) was established in 2005 with a grant from the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund (Fund), Fifth Third Bank, Trustee. The Fund supports academic institutions, social service and charitable organizations providing opportunities “to ennoble, to uplift and to strengthen the lives of young women.” The scholarship fund assists students with rural, suburban or urban backgrounds who pursue science, business or service careers where agriculture plays an important role.

WLASP recipients for this year include Laura Bruner of Wauseon. A 2005 graduate of Pettisville High School, Bruner is combining her interest in international studies and plant cellular and molecular biology to pursue a degree in horticulture and crop sciences. She is enrolled at Ohio State University and is involved in undergraduate research at the Plant Biotechnology Center.

Rose Dudgeon of Frazeysburg has interest in education, outreach and community service. The 2004 graduate of East Knox High School in Howard is majoring in Agricultural Education, with a minor in Production Agriculture at Ohio State University. Dudgeon has gained valuable experience through her activities with Farm Bureau, the Ohio FFA Association and the Ohio Pork Producers Council.

Courtney Lively of Gallipolis is a graduating senior from the Gallia Academy. Lively is interested in local government and community service as it relates to rural neighborhoods. She plans on pursing a degree in education at the University of Rio Grande. She has already started her degree, taking several college level courses at the university during her senior year in high school.

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 public, charitable organization, supporting programs in agricultural education, environmental research and community development. The Foundation is a supporting organization of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. Along with its scholarship programs, the Foundation offers Agriculture Action and Awareness Grants to small, community-based service groups throughout Ohio.

The Foundation has been involved in several major development projects, helping provide resources for the new Nationwide-Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, and the Ohio Agricultural Income Enhancement Center, both at Ohio State University.

Families and individuals wishing to establish their own life gifts to enhance scholarships and service programs have the opportunity to become involved in the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Bequest Society. More information on these and other programs can be found at www.ofbfoundation.org.

CONTACT: Dale Arnold
PHONE: (614) 246-8264
E-MAIL: darnold@ofbf.org