When the N.C. Pork Council’s scholarship committee reviewed applications this year for two $1,000 scholarship opportunities, they didn’t make a tough choice. They found a way to give scholarships to five deserving applicants.
“This is the first time in my experience that we’ve had to decide between so many great candidates,” said Jan Archer, NCPC scholarship committee chairman. “And it just goes to show the caliber of the people serving on our committee that they were willing to find the funding, and in some cases, reach into their own pockets to provide funding for these students.”
The scholarship winners are:
 |
Joshua Wright Clement of Clinton is a rising freshman at N.C. State University where he plans to pursue a degree in agriculture business management. For the past three years, he has worked on the family pig farm, Triple J Farm, which was started by his grandfather and currently run by his father and uncle. He is an honor roll student at Midway High School in Sampson County and active in FFA, Beta Club and an active member of his church’s youth group, among other accomplishments. |
| Kaitlyn “Katie” Ann Kelly of Sanford is a rising freshman in the agribusiness program at the University of Mount Olive. At Lee County High School, Katie is an honor roll student, athlete and FFA president. She also works on her family’s farm. After graduation, she would like to continue working in an agribusiness field as well as own her own farm. |  |
 |
Manley “Trey” Palmer of Hurdle Mills is a freshman at N.C. State University pursing an agriculture education degree with a concentration in animal science. He has been working on a pig farm and is active on the show pig circuit, raising his own pigs. He is currently serving as the state FFA vice president, and is active in the NCSU Young Farmers and Ranchers and National Jr. Swine Association, among other organizations. He wants to own and operate a pig farm when he graduates and work with youth. |
| Daniel Radford of Pikeville is an upcoming senior at N.C. State University, double majoring in agricultural science and animal science with a minor in agriculture business management. At N.C. State, he is a Warren Leadership and Public Policy Fellow, a member of the agriculture honor society and the NCSU chapter of N.C. Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers, among other groups and accomplishments. After graduating, he would like to work in animal agriculture and possibly pursue an advanced degree. |  |
 |
Jaiden Turner of Beulaville is a rising junior at N.C. State University where she is pursuing dual degrees in agricultural science and psychology as part of the Thomas Jefferson Scholars Program. She interned with a pork producer last summer and has been working on a pig farm this year. When Jaiden graduates, she would like to continue working in the pork industry and possibly pursue an advanced degree in a related field. She is an honors student and heavily involved in volunteer work, both off campus and on, including two mission trips to Jamaica. |
About the N.C. Pork Council
The N.C. Pork Council supports and promotes the state’s pork industry. North Carolina is the nation’s second leading pork producer, with more than 2,100 permitted hog farms that raise 8.8 million hogs annually. Pork is one of the North Carolina’s largest and most important agricultural industries, contributing $11 billion a year to the state’s economy. Learn more at www.ncpork.org.
# # #