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Normal -- 1st Farm Credit Services has announced it again will
offer its "At the heart of a growing America" agricultural
scholarship program in 2004, according to Wayne Gustafson,
president and CEO of the farmer-owned financial services
cooperative.
Up to 23 individual
$750 scholarships will be awarded in 1st Farm Credit Services’
42-county service area to graduating high school seniors who
have been accepted into an agriculture or agriculture-related
curriculum at a university, college or community college. The
program is open to 1st FCS client and non-client families. The
applicants must reside in, or attend school in, 1st FCS’
service area. Children and grandchildren of 1st FCS employees
or current directors are not eligible for the scholarships.
Selection for the
scholarships will be based on a combination of academic
achievement, community and agricultural youth organization
involvement, and a brief essay. An independent panel of
agribusiness, education, youth and farm organization leaders
will judge the scholarship applications.
Students
interested in applying should obtain a scholarship application
from their high school guidance counselor, Future Farmers of
America (FFA) chapter advisor, county 4-H office,
or by
contacting their local 1st Farm Credit Services office. 1st FCS office locations, as well as scholarship guidelines and
downloadable applications, are available at the organization’s
Internet site:
www.usfarmcredit.com.
Scholarship
applications must be returned to a local 1st Farm Credit
Services office no later than April 2, 2004.
Applications also can be mailed directly
to: Suzi Murray, 1st Farm Credit Services Scholarship Program,
2000 Jacobssen Drive, Normal, IL 61661. The scholarships
will be presented during the FCS organization’s
local client appreciation functions held throughout the
summer.
In addition, 1st Farm
Credit Services also is continuing its scholarship program to
community colleges with an agricultural curriculum. In 2004, a
total of $500 in scholarship funding will be available at each
of the following nine community colleges: Blackhawk College –
East Campus, Kewanee; Carl Sandburg College, Galesburg;
Highland Community College, Freeport; Illinois Central
College, East Peoria; Illinois Valley Community College,
Oglesby; John Wood Community College, Quincy; Joliet Junior
College, Joliet; Kishwaukee College, Malta; and Spoon River
College, Canton.
For applications and
selection details about the 1st FCS agricultural scholarship –
and other available scholarships at these community colleges
-- students should contact the college’s financial aid office
or agriculture department directly.
"We are pleased to be
offering these scholarship programs, not only because they
will assist deserving students to further their education in
an agriculture-related field, but also because they will help
promote agriculture as a vital and growing career
opportunity," Gustafson states.
1st Farm Credit
Services is Illinois’ largest agricultural financial services
business with more than $1.7 billion
in assets. It serves nearly 9,500 agricultural producers and
other agribusinesses in 42 counties in northern, central and
western Illinois through 23 offices. 1st FCS offices can be
reached at 1-800-444-FARM or through its Internet site at
www.usfarmcredit.com.
1st Farm Credit
Services is the leading provider of farm real estate
financing; operating loans with
enhanced cash management options; equipment and building
leasing and loans; farm appraisals; and Revenue Assurance
(RA), multi-peril, crop hail and credit life insurances.
Farm Credit Services,
rural America’s client-owned partner for more than 85 years,
helps maintain and improve the quality of life in rural
America and on the farm through its
constant commitment to competitive lending, expert financial
services and advice, and a feeling of partnership with its
clients. |
