Cooper Rathbun Awarded 2025 Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship

Cooper Rathbun’s earliest memories involve riding in the combine. Like many farm kids, he graduated from the buddy seat to driving the grain cart and eventually helping with equipment maintenance to make sure everything ran smoothly during one of the most critical times of the year. Now, as a high school senior, he plans to put that experience to work as he studies for a future career in agricultural engineering. His passion for farming, paired with his interests in technology and innovation, made him the ideal candidate for the 2025 Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship, administered by the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers.

“Growing up on my family’s farm, I have spent countless hours working alongside my family during wheat harvest – riding in the combine, running grain carts and learning the importance of efficiency and sustainability in farming,” Rathbun wrote in his application. “These experiences have instilled in me a strong work ethic and an appreciation for innovation in agriculture.”

In addition to working on the family farm, Rathbun has been actively involved in leadership roles in school and his community, including as team captain of the basketball team. He has also secured a summer internship with Wilson & Company, which will provide him with hands-on engineering experience. 

Rathbun will graduate in May from Lincoln Junior-Senior High School and plans to attend Fort Hays State University to complete his pre-engineering classes before transferring to Kansas State University. Ultimately, he plans to pursue a career in agricultural engineering, focusing on developing technologies that improve efficiency, sustainability and productivity in farming.

“My goal is to develop practical, research-backed solutions that enhance wheat production while keeping costs manageable for farmers – just as Herb Clutter envisioned through his leadership in variety development and industrial uses of wheat,” he wrote. “The Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship represents more than just financial assistance – it honors a legacy of leadership, innovation and commitment to Kansas wheat growers. I am eager to carry on that legacy by applying my education and experiences to the advancement of the wheat industry.”

Herbert W. Clutter was a farmer from Holcomb and the first president of the National Association of Wheat Growers, which was established in 1948. Clutter encouraged Kansas wheat farmers to organize as a strong, unified voice, which led to the formation of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers in 1952. He encouraged research in education and industrial uses of wheat, improved variety development and methods to produce the best product at the lowest cost. Clutter’s efforts led to the formation of the Kansas Wheat Commission by the Kansas legislature in 1957.

The Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship was established in 2009 to honor Herb Clutter’s influential role in organizing leadership groups on behalf of Kansas wheat producers and is supported by the generosity of the Herb Clutter family. Farm kids with a self-starter attitude and a curious mind like Rathbun are the perfect fit to honor Clutter’s legacy. 

“Wheat harvest taught me more than just the mechanics of farming; it instilled in me a strong work ethic, patience and the ability to adapt under pressure,” he wrote. “Long hours in the field, unpredictable weather and the teamwork required to make everything come together showed me the dedication that farming demands.”

Learn more about the Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship at https://kswheat.com/clutter.