Posted March 11, 2014

The National Pork Producers Council has awarded scholarships to two Iowa college students who intend to pursue careers in the pork industry.

Matt Kerns of Clearfield and Drew Mogler of Alvord both received $2,500 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarships, which are named for the late NPPC vice president from Mt. Olive, N.C. Kerns and Mogler are both sophomores at Iowa State University.

Scholarships also were awarded to two Purdue University students.

NPPC administers the scholarship selection process and the CME Group sponsors the scholarships on an annual basis.

“With forward-thinking minds, these exceptional college students embody the future of the U.S. pork industry,” said outgoing NPPC President Randy Spronk, a pork producer from Edgerton, Minn. “They are the next generation of leaders, and NPPC and the CME Group are thrilled to recognize their allegiance to the pork industry with these scholarships.”

This is the 24th year of the scholarship program, which recognizes outstanding youth in the pork community. To be eligible, students must be undergraduates in a two-year swine program or a four-year college of agriculture, provide a brief letter describing their expected role in the pork industry, write an essay on an issue affecting the pork industry, and submit two letters of reference from professors or industry professionals.

NPPC announced the scholarship recipients at its annual business meeting – the National Pork Industry Forum – last week in Kansas City.