The Scholarships Honor Students Who Are Advancing Their Education in Dairy-Related Fields
Paige Peiffer of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania and Brenna Murry of Mosinee, Wisconsin were recently awarded scholarships through the Dairy Excellence Foundation’s Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow Program. The students were recognized with the scholarships after completing and passing at least one of the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow certification exams and associated coursework. Both Peiffer and Murry received a $3,000 scholarship to support their academic studies in dairy-related fields.
Paige Peiffer is a freshman studying animal science at The Pennsylvania State University. After growing up on her family’s dairy farm in Lebanon County, Paige gained experience with animal care and a deep passion for the industry. She also developed leadership skills by serving as the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess and secretary and vice president of her high school’s FFA team. Through the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow courses, she was exposed to all aspects of herd health and discovered her interest in dairy health and management. Her goal is to become a mixed animal veterinarian and help farmers make decisions on herd health, management, and conservation.
“This scholarship means the world to me because the work ethic that was instilled in me from the dairy industry has helped me cultivate success for myself,” Paige said. “Monetarily, this scholarship allows me to put forth the resources to continue my education to return to the dairy industry, and it has also given me inspiration to keep pushing through these difficult times.”
Brenna Murry is a freshman studying agricultural education at the University of Wisconsin. Brenna grew up on her family’s sixth-generation dairy farm in Mosinee, WI and began showing dairy heifers when she was two years old. She was a member of her high school’s FFA Dairy Evaluation Team, where she helped coach members who did not have a dairy background. Throughout the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow Program, Brenna was exposed to new and efficient dairy management practices and worked alongside her agriculture teacher to implement the DLT content into lessons. Her goal is to become an agriculture teacher and help students gain an understanding of where their food comes from.
“Being awarded the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship is a huge honor. The dairy industry has been the foundation of who I am and generations in my family before me,” said Brenna. “To be recognized as one of the top dairy leaders for the future means a lot to me and motivates me to work even harder to be a teacher and share my knowledge with the next generation of dairy leaders.
The Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow program is managed by the Dairy Excellence Foundation and impacts more than 23,000 high school students each school year. The goal of the program is to prepare high school students to work in the dairy industry through classroom instruction, independent studies and virtual learning, on-farm experiences, and scholarship opportunities.
“This year, more than ever, we really wanted to recognize students who have excelled in the classroom during these uncertain times,” said Brittany Snyder, Dairy Education Program Manager at the Dairy Excellence Foundation. “This year’s recipients have taken the dairy knowledge they gained through the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow courses and applied them to their career goals. They display true leadership and passion for the future of dairy.”
To qualify for the scholarship, students must be enrolled in a college or university beginning in the fall following their graduation from high school. This year’s recipients were selected based on their academic performance, evidence of leadership, character and integrity, and their commitment to pursuing a future career in dairy.
To learn more about the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship program, visit dairyleadersoftomorrow.com or contact Brittany Snyder at bsnyder@centerfordairyexcellence.org or 717-346-0849. The 2021 scholarship application will be available March 1, 2021.