Certified Angus Beef awards $100K to future agriculture leaders

The Colvin Scholarship Fund, dedicated to fostering the next generation of leaders in agriculture, achieved a milestone in 2024 by awarding a record-breaking $100,000 in scholarships to 26 students. With increased scholarships presented, more students than ever are being empowered to pursue careers that advance the beef industry.

Scholarship recipients are each actively pursuing a career in production agriculture, industry research or other agricultural endeavors. With their aspirations for success in the beef business, they are continuing the legacy of Certified Angus Beef’s co-founder and long-time executive director, Louis “Mick” Colvin.

Since its inception 25 years ago, the Colvin Scholarship Fund has provided 176 scholarships totaling $633,500 to deserving students. These future leaders exemplify a strong commitment and passion for the beef industry, making them worthy ambassadors of the brand.

“It’s inspiring to see students who truly embody what the Colvin Scholarship Fund stands for,” said Danielle Matter, CAB director of brand experience and education. “They’re passionate, articulate and hardworking. We’re humbled to support them and can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make.”

The top recipients in each category were awarded $7,500 with additional scholarships recognizing educational merit and community involvement for production agriculture, undergraduate and graduate students.

The 2024 recipients include:

• $7,500:  Carsten Loseke, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• $6,000: Alan George, West Texas A&M University
• $5,000: Tucker Huseman, West Texas A&M University
• $4,000: Tegan Macy, University of Idaho
• $3,000: Karlee Sailer, Dickinson State University
• $2,500: Caroline Gleghorn, Texas A&M University

Loseke shared how his early experiences shaped his career path.

“During my senior year of high school, we were sent home because of COVID-19,” he said. “I planted most of our corn and soybeans between online calculus lectures.”

Now, as he looks forward to taking on a leadership role in his family’s feedyard, Carsten emphasized the importance of hands-on involvement in production agriculture.

“I believe that a broad and diverse cattle industry can generate more opportunities for small business and growth in rural communities. We still need people performing the daily tasks of production,” he said. “As I take on a career in the feedyard sector of the beef industry, I hope to encourage young people to be actively involved in production agriculture.”

• $7,500: Lauren Lee, Texas A&M University
• $6,000: Megan Eckhardt, West Texas A&M University
• $5,000: Becca Grimes Francis, South Dakota State University
• $4,000: Colten Dornbach, Texas Tech University
• $3,000: Taylor McAtee, Kansas State University
• $2,500: Sydni Borders, South Dakota State University
• $2,000: Clint Lee, University of Georgia
• $2,000: Kasi Schneid, West Texas A&M University

Lauren Lee is pursuing a Ph.D. in animal science, with a focus on the role of beef in human health. Her goal is to work with academia, government agencies and each sector of the beef industry to produce the safest, most nutritious beef all while communicating its importance in the diet to consumers.

Lee’s research is centered on improving meat consumption to support cognitive development and combat age-related muscle loss in the elderly. Her passion for bridging the gap between research and consumer education underscores the vital role of beef in a balanced diet.

• $7,500: Ryan Heitschmidt, West Texas A&M University
• $6,000: Blake Robbins, Oklahoma State University
• $5,000: Brittley Bowers, Texas A&M University
• $4,000: Katelyn Engel, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• $3,000: Hannah Dozier, University of Arkansas
• $2,500: Clay Pelton, Kansas State University
• $2,000: Jordan Oliver, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• $2,000: Aaron Lane, Texas A&M University
• $2,000: Sheridan Wilson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• $2,000: Amelia Miller, Texas A&M University
• $2,000: Helene Keiser, West Texas A&M University
• $2,000: Wade Sanders, Texas Tech University

Heitschmidt noted his commitment to the intersection of nutrition and beef production.

“Beef is an excellent protein source, rich in essential nutrients that can be incorporated as part of a healthy diet,” Heitschmidt wrote. He aspires to lead research that will further highlight beef’s role in human nutrition and ensure consumers are informed about its benefit.