Louisiana Student Wins Cotton Scholarship

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – AMVAC®, an American Vanguard Company, is excited to announce the winners of the first annual 2019 Cotton Industry Advancement Scholarship. A total of seven students were selected from 26 qualified applicants. Each scholarship recipient was awarded $2,000.  

“Maintaining a pipeline of quality individuals to work in the industry is vital to the future of agriculture,” said Paul Vaculin, cotton marketing manager at AMVAC. “We’re excited to help support these students as they pursue a career in agriculture and the cotton industry.”  

The 2019 Cotton Industry Advancement Scholarship Winners include:  

·        Hunter Lipsey – from Monterey, La. Entering freshmen attending Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss. Majoring in agronomy and integrated crop management. Nominated by Richard Griffing.

·        Jonathan Ryan Crowl – from Morse, Texas. Sophomore attending Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. Majoring in agricultural business with a minor in crop science. Nominated by Ryan Livingston.

·        Jerik Blayne Reed – from Kress, Texas. Entering freshman attending Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Majoring in agricultural services and development. Nominated by Blayne Reed.

·        Ethan Thompson – from Kenly, N.C. Sophomore attending North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. Majoring in agricultural-based biochemistry. Nominated by Brandon Cole.

·        John Dalton Beasley – from Screven, Ga. Entering freshman attending University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. Majoring in applied biotechnology. Nominated by John Beasley.

·        Stephen LaMastus Jr. – from Cleveland, Miss. Entering freshmen attending Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorehead, Ga. Majoring in agriculture. Nominated by Trent LaMastus, Ed Whatley, Pete Baughman, Billy Bryant and Tucker Miller.

·        Devon Austin – from Caraway, Ark. Graduate attending Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark. Obtaining a Master of Science degree in agriculture with emphasis in plant and soil science. Nominated by Greg Smith. 

Winners were selected by a panel of judges and awarded based on the merits of their application. All applicants were nominated by a practicing cotton consultant and worked for a cotton consultant between 2017 and 2019. It was also required that applicants be a senior in high school or currently enrolled full-time in an undergrad or graduate-level agricultural program at an accredited college or university.  

Applications for the next Cotton Industry Advancement Scholarship will open in January 2020.