Each year, the Illinois Pork Producers Association offers scholarships to students pursuing a higher education degree, at a two or four-year institution, who have an interest in the pork industry. This year, recipients were selected based on activity involvement, GPA, and an essay outlining the ways Foreign Animal Disease would impact the pork industry if it infiltrated our borders.
“Once again, we had a record number of applications for our IPPA scholarship,” says Cheryl Walsh, IPPA President. “As always, the applicants are outstanding. There is little doubt that the future of the pork industry is in great hands.”
IPPA is proud to offer nine awards for the 2024-2025 school year, totaling $13,500. There are three levels of award dollars: gold, silver, and bronze. Funding for these scholarships is made possible through the Wilbert & Carol Keppy Foundation.
“These recipients excel in advocating for the pork industry,” says Lana Shovlin, Director of Communications for IPPA. “They are a great representation of our association and have bright futures ahead of them.”
Gold Recipients:
Alex Gifford, Roscoe, Ill.
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Lily Melscheimer, Carmi, Ill.
University of Southern Indiana
Nursing
Jhia Walker, Morrisonville, Ill.
Illinois College
Agri-Business Management
Silver Recipients:
Abigail Cook, Pecatonica, Ill.
Illinois State University
Nursing
Drew Mickey, Taylorville, Ill.
Kansas State University
Animal Science
Olivia Shike, Sadorus, Ill.
Black Hawk College - East Campus
Agri-Business and Policy
Bronze Recipients:
Hayden Brint, Good Hope, Ill.
Iowa State University
Animal Science/Swine
Kaden Davison, Geneseo, Ill.
Iowa University
Agricultural Engineering
Ellie Drach, Pontiac, Ill.
Oklahoma State University
Animal Science
