Young Dairy Professionals Scholarship

Are you a student or young dairy professional who’s passionate about the dairy industry and looking to expand your network? Whether you work on a dairy farm or are enrolled in an agricultural degree program at a college or trade school, consider applying for the Young Dairy Professionals Scholarship! You must be between the ages of 18 and 30. Thanks to a partnership between the Center for Dairy Excellence, Dairy Excellence Foundation and Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, these scholarships allow you to attend the 2025 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit (happening on Feb. 5-6 in State College) for a discounted rate of $50.

Click here to apply by January 16, 2025

Through the scholarship, young dairy professionals will receive:
  • Access to the full Pennsylvania Dairy Summit (Feb. 5-6 in State College) for a discounted rate of $50.
  • A complimentary hotel room stay with additional same-sex scholarship recipients.
  • An opportunity to talk one-on-one with industry professionals within their chosen areas of interest prior to the Young Professional Reception on Tuesday evening.
  • Access to a special “Young Dairy Professionals” Reception and Panel Discussion to kick off the Summit on Tuesday evening.
  • Access to an in-depth “Young Dairy Professionals Career Development Workshop” with Jill Smith during their time at the PA Dairy Summit. 
Email Michelle Shearer at mshearer@centerfordairyexcellence.org with questions.

“I found it beneficial to hear from people in a similar situation as I'm in, graduating from college and making a return to the dairy. Transition from generation to generation is difficult, and there is no correct way to go about it that will work for everyone. Regardless of the position you're in, the Dairy Summit and Young Dairy Professionals Scholarship is invested in your learning and understanding of the dairy industry. I strongly encourage anyone to attend.” –Roy Hissong, Mercer-Vu Farms

“I decided to apply for the Young Dairy Professionals Scholarship to expand my knowledge in dairy and create connections in the industry. The breakout sessions at Summit gave me practical education I can take back to the classroom and eventually to a career. The Young Dairy Professionals dinner allowed me to practice networking, while making connections with dairy professionals I might work with in the future. It's a great experience for young students hoping to get involved within the dairy industry.” –Hannah Hoover, Delaware Valley University
Scholarship Requirements:
  • Be between the ages of 18 and 30 as of February 1, 2025 OR an adult who serves as an advisor or professor of agriculture at a high school, college, or university.
     
  • Operate or work on a dairy farm or enrolled in an agricultural degree program at college or trade school OR be enrolled in an agriculture program at a high school OR teach agriculture at a high school, college, or university.
     
  • Be a resident of Pennsylvania OR enrolled in an agricultural program at a Pennsylvania college or university.
     
  • Agree to pay $50 registration fee. Checks should be made payable to "Pennsylvania Dairy Summit".
Scholarship recipients will also participate in an exciting Career Development Workshop on Wednesday afternoon (February 5) led by Jill Smith of Cornerstone HR & Management Consulting. This session is built into the Dairy Summit program and will provide individuals with tools to better understand emotional intelligence and conflict resolution. During the workshop, young professionals will: 
  • Complete a self-assessment on personal emotional intelligence.
  • Discuss how to understand and manage their emotions as well as empathize and communicate with others effectively.
  • Learn how emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in leadership.
  • Participate in group discussions on emotionally intelligent leaders.
  • Practice conflict resolution conversation tools.
  • Complete role-playing exercises on conflict resolution.
Jill Smith of Cornerstone HR & Management Consulting will lead the workshop for young dairy professionals along with Dairy Excellence Foundation staff members. Jill and her team have been serving small and medium sized organizations since 2007, including several in the agriculture industry. They have experience with developing, managing and hiring for internship programs, and they have coached interns for over 10 years on the job search process. 

Contact

Have questions? Email info@padairysummit.org for more information about the event.

Phone
814-355-2467

Our Office Location
Dairy Summit Business Office
174 Crestview Drive
Bellefonte, PA 16823

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