The Sandhills Cattle Association is proud to support the future of agriculture and the beef industry! That’s why we are excited to announce the 2022 scholarship applications are now open! We have a total of $9,000 up for grabs this year!
For 31 years, the Sandhills Cattle Association has awarded scholarships to the youth of the Association members. In that time, 500 applications have been reviewed and reduced to 143 scholarship recipients, who have been awarded $120,250 just from the Sandhills Cattle Association alone. Funds for this program are raised through the annual benefit auction held at every convention. In September of 2021, we brought in nearly $8,900 just from the scholarship auction alone, thanks to many vendors’ generous donations throughout the Sandhills region!
The number and amounts of the scholarships have changed thanks to generous donations received during the program’s life. For the first four years, we offered two scholarships annually in the quantities of $500 and $1000. Then, for seven years, we awarded three $500 scholarships, and in 2003, we increased the number to 4. The next year we upped the number of scholarships presented to 5 per year, and since 2007, we had awarded five $1000 each year. In 2020, the Board of Directors felt we, again, could up the ante. We now offer two $2000, one $1500, and two $1000 scholarships. That is $7500 worth of scholarships that the Sandhills Cattle Association now provides!
We also have been very fortunate to present other scholarships on behalf of longtime members throughout the years, such as Howard Wright and Buzz Kime. A long-standing memorial scholarship has been offered since 2006 in memory of Howard Wright. Howard was a lifelong Cherry County rancher and longtime member of the Sandhills Cattle Association. This scholarship was funded by the proceeds of two registered Longhorn steers sold at the 2005 SCA Convention and have continued to be replenished thanks to the Wright family. The Howard Wright family has been generous enough to award one $500 scholarship each year since 2006, and in total, they have awarded 16 scholarships in the amount of $8,000!
This year, a new scholarship has been added in remembrance of Steve Moreland, a lifetime Sandhills rancher and longtime Sandhills Cattle Association member and supporter. Funds for the scholarship came from generous memorial donations from friends and family after he passed in September of 2021. The Moreland family is generously donating one scholarship this year in remembrance of Steve.
To eligible, the applicant must be the child or grandchild of a current member of the Sandhills Cattle Association. Applicants do not have to be studying in the agriculture field to apply for or receive the scholarship. Students must be undergraduates and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester to be eligible. Both graduating high school seniors and students currently attending or planning to attend college or vo-tech school during the next school year can apply. Applicants must apply within six years of high school graduation. Students planning to attend a junior college, community college, or vo-tech school may be given priority consideration for one of the available scholarships. If you have previously received a scholarship, you may still apply for a second.
Applications are due Feb. 28 and can be found on our website. For more information and instructions on the application process, please visit www.SandhillsCattle.com or call (402) 376-2310.