Hundreds of students, dozens of benefactors, steak, creamery ice-cream, the Penn Stater Hotel, and inspirational yet heart felt messages from both students and sponsors, the 2014 Agricultural Department Scholarship & Awards Banquet was certainly the place to be on Thursday November 16th. Not only was there the opportunity to make new friends with some of my fellow agriculture majors, I was also able to interact with some of the various scholarship sponsors, many of which have been involved in the department since they were in college themselves. These benefactors are not just Penn State graduates, but they continued their support for Penn State and its students for some, over fifty-five years. The best part of the banquet, other than the pumpkin Creamery ice-cream, was having the opportunity to thank our scholarship founders and to see just how much of an investment they make in each and every student who they have allotted a scholarship.
One of the speakers, Brent Sutton, a senior majoring in Forestry said this of a Penn State, “It is more than an education, it is an experience,” when he reflected on his time spent here at the Pennsylvania State University. This statement could not be more true. One of the reasons that the scholarship donors continue to donate their funds and energy towards Penn State college students is that they loved their experience at Penn State, and now as wealthier individuals of society, they have the honor and opportunity to give back to the newest generation of Penn Staters, especially those who are studying agriculture just like they themselves did once upon a time. Other remarks by Sutton included, “Remember why you have gotten these scholarships, what you’ve done to get here, and the opportunities that they represent,” and, “It takes a special kind of person to start a scholarship,” both of which really struck a deep chord in me. Just to think that complete strangers are giving not only their hard-earned money, but also their time and dedication to serving the students of Penn State is such an amazing thought, and to see that unfolded at the Agriculture Scholarship Banquet touched me even more. The donors believe in our generation, and not only do they believe in us, but they are actively choosing to enable us to chase down our crazy dreams, and to be the best that we possibly can be. Thank you to all the scholarship sponsors, trustees, and founders, for you make a world of a difference in the life of a college student.
3 thoughts on “Scholarship and Agriculture Go Hand In Hand”
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Scholarships are certainly one of the best things a student can receive to help them on their way to higher education. Let’s face it – the cost of higher education today is not cheap, and we all know that. However, with the help of generous benefactors like those benefiting the students of the College of Agriculture, a good education is made possible even for those who could not previously afford it. As a donor, seeing the results of your scholarship in action has to be immensely rewarding. These students are graduating precisely because you’ve donated, which has to be a great feeling. I may be a bit biased, but I think scholarships are one of the greatest things to happen to higher education.
That sounds like an amazing experience. I find connecting with people in the same major or who share the same interests as you to be so important. It’s encouraging to talk to people with the same goals and ideas and it can remind you why you’re passionate about your major in the first place. It often ends up being a rewarding experience in the sense that you can find new information and opportunities that you can take advantage of just from talking to people with similar interests. I agree with you that it’s hard to imagine a complete stranger funding your education or enrichment opportunities. I think it’s important that we don’t forget about the people who make our scholarships possible and use their contribution as even more motivation to make the most out of our time at Penn State.
It is absolutely amazing to think of the altruism involved in allocating funds towards a scholarship. For a person to be able to be charitable enough to donate to a unknown person, he or she must show a love for the field of study and the school or university it is presented to and it is clear that these alumni do so. Without the generous donations from people like them, there are many students around the United States that may have not had the opportunity they have today. Students who will some day make a difference in the world are now getting the education preparing them to make that change. I believe this helps form a chain a donors, the ones who would not have been able to get an education are now able to donate to others that may have been in their shoes so long ago. It is truly a beautiful thing and we should cherish those who make all these funds possible.