Kansas Wheat Offers Two Scholarships Honoring Industry Leaders
High school seniors and current Kansas college students have until March 17, 2023, to apply for one of two $1,000 scholarships from Kansas Wheat honoring industry leaders Herb Clutter and David Radenberg. The scholarships — each worth $1,000 — continue a proud tradition of supporting the future of the Kansas wheat industry.
“It is our honor to offer these scholarships to students who are passionate about agriculture and excel in the classroom and their communities and extracurricular activities,” said Justin Gilpin, Kansas Wheat CEO. “This remembrance of two Kansas wheat farmers helps continue their legacies of encouraging the next generation of young women and men to pursue careers in agriculture.”
David Radenberg Memorial Scholarship
This year is the first offering of the David Radenberg Memorial Scholarship. The fund will award one $1,000 scholarship to a current undergraduate or graduate student from Kansas who is pursuing a career in the field of agriculture, with preference given to students pursuing a career related to the improvement of wheat. This includes, but is not limited to, wheat genetics, wheat agronomics, wheat breeding, plant pathology, Extension and bioinformatics. Incoming freshmen or transfers are not eligible. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student at any two- or four-year college or university in Kansas.
David Radenberg was a lifelong wheat farmer in Claflin, Kansas, where his family has farmed for more than 100 years. He represented central Kansas on the Kansas Wheat Commission from April 2011 to March 2020, including serving as chairman from August 2018 to May 2019. Radenberg was also a founding board member of the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation.
During his tenure as a commissioner, he supported wheat research and international marketing efforts, including attending the 31st annual Latin American Millers Conference in Lima, Peru, in 2013. At the time, he expressed how he enjoyed sharing with millers, bakers and merchandisers about the research investments Kansas farmers are making to provide a better-quality product.
In 2013, Radenberg also visited multiple Pacific Rim countries to promote U.S. wheat. The contrast between third-world poverty he saw in thriving modern cities left an impression on him and reinforced his support of wheat research to help feed a hungry world.
“David was passionate about continuous innovations for Kansas wheat farmers through work at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center,” Gilpin said. “This scholarship continues a legacy of his dedication to our mission.”
Apply for the David Radenberg Memorial Scholarship by completing the scholarship application at kswheat.com/radenberg. The application includes a 400-500 word essay discussing why they have chosen to pursue a career in agriculture. The selection committee will use this essay, along with the student’s application and a statement of financial need, in determining the scholarship winner.
Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship
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.
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.
Administered by the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers (KAWG), the scholarship fund will award one $1,000 scholarship per year to a college or university-bound incoming freshman from Kansas pursuing a career in the field of agriculture. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must plan to be a full-time student at any two or four-year Kansas college or university. Recipients will be selected based on academic achievement, leadership qualities and career objectives focused around the field of agriculture. The scholarship will be toward tuition for the student’s college or university education. The scholarship is non-renewable.
Apply for the Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship by completing the scholarship application at kswheat.com/clutter. The application includes a 400-500 word essay discussing why they have chosen to pursue a career in agriculture. The selection committee will use this essay, along with the student’s application, in determining the scholarship winner.
“Herb Clutter’s leadership in the wheat industry and passion for his community continues to serve as an excellent example for young men and women in agriculture,” Gilpin said. “With the continued support of his family, this scholarship helps identify and support future leaders of the wheat industry.”
For both scholarships, the application and associated documents must be submitted to Kansas Wheat at 1990 Kimball Ave, Manhattan, KS 66502, by Friday, March 17, 2023. Learn more or download the scholarship applications at https://kswheat.com/growers/outreach/. More information is also available by contacting 785-539-0255 or kawg@kswheat.com.
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Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat