By Jera Pipkin

Students already helping lead the beef community could win a share of $33,500 by applying online for the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand’s Colvin Scholarship. The Fund has awarded more than $250,000 to 76 college juniors, seniors and graduate students since 1999.

The program honors Louis M. “Mick” Colvin, CAB co-founder and executive director for its first 22 years, for his vision and tireless efforts in support of the brand becoming a reality. After his retirement, the fund was established to carry on his legacy of achieving dreams and inspiring others.

 Five juniors or seniors already making a positive impact will be awarded $7,500, $6,500, $5,000, $4,000 or $3,000 next spring. Applications, due by Jan. 18, 2019, include two letters of recommendation and two essays, with up to 500 words on career path choices and up to 1,000 words on how CAB could best differentiate itself from nearly 150 other Angus brands or programs.

To apply, visit the brand’s “Careers” webpage at www.certifiedangusbeef.com/recruiting/ and click on the link in the “Scholarship and Seminar Opportunities” section.

“The Scholarship is such a blessing,” said Elisabeth Forker, last year’s first-place undergraduate winner at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “The ag community and the beef industry in particular are so good at ensuring that young people have the opportunity to continue their education.”

A graduate-level scholarship for $7,500 is available to those pursuing applied or basic research and a degree related to high-quality beef production. To apply, graduates should submit a report outlining details of their research.

“I don't know if I would have decided to stick around for more education without it,” said Michael Cropp, the top 2018 graduate winner. “I was able to get out of undergrad with minimal debt, but it definitely helped kind of cover some bases and continue on [at Iowa State University].”

Winning the scholarship conveyed a confidence-boosting message: “I can do this. Might as well.”

First-place undergraduate and graduate winners also receive an all-expense-paid trip to the 2019 CAB Annual Conference in Asheville, N.C., where they can connect with industry leaders in production, packing, retail and foodservice. A golf tournament and auction at the event provide funding for the scholarships, with totals regularly setting new records.

Highlights this year, besides raising more than $15,000 at the Colvin Golf Classic, included a hand-crafted meat cleaver purchased at auction for $25,000 by Japan-based S Foods. Another international distributor, Triple J Five Star of Guam, bought an Angus cowhide rug with the CAB logo stitched on for $7,500.

Winning bids for three items by CAB barn painter Troy Freeman included $16,000 for a future office painting party by Chicago-based partner Amigos Foods, which also bought Freeman framed art for $10,000. Another partner donated a baseball signed by legendary pitcher and guest speaker Jim Abbott to raise $3,000 more for the cause. Sysco Corporation again won the bidding for the right to name next year’s Golf Classic.

“It was incredible,” said Lindsey Hoover, CAB Education and Events Planner. “Just about everything that came up sold higher than usual, whether that was because of our 40^th Anniversary or being in Hawaii, I don’t know.”

The Colvin legacy is secure, she said, not only with the brand he cofounded but in the growing scholarship program and most significantly, those 76 students already assisted in the past 19 years.

Selected by the Colvin Scholarship Fund Committee, applicants are judged on their activities, scholastic achievement, communication skills and reference letters. Winners will be notified in March.

Celebrating its 40^th anniversary in 2018, the CAB brand remains dedicated to adding value to Angus cattle by providing consumers a consistent and high-quality eating experience. The brand based in Wooster, Ohio, annually sells more than a billion pounds of the best beef worldwide through a network of 19,000 licensed partners. To learn more visit https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/press/colvin/.

Source: Certified Angus Beef