The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) recognized exceptional university students dedicated to advancing careers in the U.S. pork industry and shaping its future at the National Pork Industry Forum.
“These scholarship recipients embody the future of our industry,” Lori Stevermer, outgoing NPPC president, said in a release. “During my years of service with NPPC, I’ve witnessed the difference we can make by speaking up and championing the pork industry. These young leaders share that same passion and determination, inspiring confidence in their ability to meet challenges and embrace opportunities. NPPC is proud to invest in these talented individuals who will shape a stronger, more resilient future for us all.”
The Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship program, sponsored by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation, is awarded to undergraduates in a two-year swine program or a four-year college of agriculture program. The scholarship program was introduced in 1990 and renamed in 2006 in honor of Lois Britt, a former NPPC board director. A lifetime supporter of agriculture, Britt spent 34 years with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and finished her career after 15 years with Murphy-Brown LLC (now Smithfield) in public and government relations. She was inducted into the NPPC Pork Industry Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Pork Council Hall of Fame and was awarded the North Carolina 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other achievements.
The 2025 winners of a $2,500 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship are:
James DeRouchey — Kansas State University
Graca Goettsch — Iowa State University
Georgia Horosky — Wilmington College
Victorria Meylor — University of Wisconsin – Platteville
Riki Nardiello — Texas A&M University
Harper Parson — Texas A&M University
Elizabeth Staggs — Purdue University
Jackson Sterle — Iowa State University
Olivia Stodghill — Iowa State University
Elizabeth Thome — University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
The Neil Dierks Scholarship, founded in 2021 and sponsored by the National Pork Industry Foundation, is awarded to current or applied-for-acceptance graduate students in a swine program. Dierks served as NPPC’s CEO for 20 years. Retiring in December 2021 after 31 years with NPPC, Dierks made countless lasting contributions to the U.S. pork industry and established NPPC as a top-tier advocacy organization and the global voice of the U.S. pork industry. He was inducted into the NPPC Pork Industry Hall of Fame in 2022.
The 2025 winners of a $5,000 Neil Dierks Scholarship are:
Gabrielle Doughan — Iowa State University
Katlyn McClellan — South Dakota State University
“We are very pleased with our long-standing partnership with NPPC to support hard-working students through scholarships,” John Ricci, managing director and global head of agricultural products at CME Group, said in a release. “This year’s recipients are the future leaders of the U.S. food system, and we congratulate them on their achievements and look forward to following their success.”
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