The Pork Checkoff, Pioneer Hi-Bred and PIC are awarding 19 scholarships to college students across the country as part of their strategy to foster human capital for the future.
“The development of human capital is one of the issues the Pork Checkoff identified as critical for the industry to address,” explains Steve Weaver, National Pork Board president. “Our service to producers includes ensuring there is a sustainable source of capable people ready to take on the industry’s charge of producing a safe, wholesome food product in a socially responsible way,” adds the California pork producer.
The 19 recipients come from 14 different colleges and seven different fields of study. The 2008 Pork Industry Scholarship winners include:
| Recipient | College or University | Area of Study |
| Hyatt Frobose | Kansas State University | Nutrition/Behavior |
| Carrie Highfill | Oklahoma State University | Meat Science |
| Douglas Albright | Kansas State University | Nutrition |
| Emily Arkfeld | University of Nebraska | Meat Science |
| Kyle Baade | South Dakota State | Veterinary Medicine |
| Scott Baker | University of Illinois | Nutrition |
| Angela Black | Ohio State University | Ag Economics |
| Jonathon Ertl | University of Minnesota | Veterinary Medicine |
| Ashley Hop | Redlands Community College (OK) | Nutrition |
| Arthur Leal | University of Arkansas | Nutrition |
| Elizabeth Legan | Purdue University | Ag Economics |
| Neal Martin | University of Missouri | Veterinary Medicine |
| Jeremiah Nemechek | North Carolina State University | Nutrition |
| Stephanie Raney | University of Missouri | Behavior |
| Kate Richter | South Dakota State | Nutrition |
| Hannah Rothe | University of Illinois | Nutrition/Environment |
| Mitchell Schaefer | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | Nutrition |
| Trever Shipley | Iowa State University | Breeding/Genetics |
| Grant Tomsche | University of Minnesota | Veterinary Medicine |
The top candidate, Hyatt Frobose, will receive a $10,000 stipend and the second candidate, Carrie Highfill, will receive $5,000 in a scholarship sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred. The remaining 17 students selected will receive $2,500 each.
“A skilled workforce is essential for the competitiveness of this industry,” Weaver says. “We need young leaders to look at pork not just as a food choice, but as a career. This is a chance for the industry to court these young people into a workforce that can offer many diverse opportunities. We have needs in production management, veterinary medicine, environmental management, food safety, genetic improvement and much more.”