The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased to announce the awardees for the 2024 NCGA Scholarship Programs. Eleven outstanding students were selected by a committee of grower leaders to receive scholarships for this fall semester. NCGA is proud to continue supporting these vital programs in partnership with BASF Corporation.
"At NCGA, we are committed to securing a strong future for corn farmers through every initiative. These scholarships represent a key investment in cultivating the next generation of ag industry leaders and problem-solvers," said Dan Nerud, Nebraska grower and chair of the NCGA Member & Consumer Engagement Action Team. "The caliber of this year's applicants and the diversity of their skills is truly impressive. I'm eager to see how these students will contribute to shaping the industry and driving innovation that will sustain farms for generations to come."
Congratulations to this exceptional group of students, and our sincere thank you to all who applied and to BASF for their continued support of the NCGA Scholarship Programs.
Discover more about each recipient by exploring their full bios below.
Technical School Scholarship Winners
Josh Gnade is the son of Joel and Theresa Gnade. He has two older sisters named Sarah Gnade and Diana Penning. He was involved in football, track, band, and FFA. He has lettered in football, track, and band, and has received academic honors. He has also been on the high honor roll. In his free time, he likes being outdoors, hanging out with friends, and spending time with family. His favorite memory was his senior football game against HMS. He has been working as a welder at JTV Manufacturing for the last year and plans on going to NCC for their two-year production welding program and then to Missouri Welding Institute for their pipeline welding and fitting course. Biography PDF
Learn MoreNorth Dakota State College of Science
I have grown up on my family's farm and have been very involved from a young age. Through helping on the farm and participating in FFA, I have developed a great passion for the agriculture industry. If I am not working on the farm, I enjoy spending time volunteering and helping out in my community. I am excited to be attending North Dakota State College of Science for Precision Agronomy and Animal Science. After graduating college, I plan to return to the family farm with the intent to take it over one day. Biography PDF
Learn MoreSt. Paul High School
My name is Sam Wells, and I am a sixth-generation corn grower in Central Nebraska. I will graduate from St. Paul High School in May with salutatorian honors. I served as President of the FFA, National Honor Society, Student Council, and the Class of 2024. I work hard on our family farm to learn and advance our family farm into a new era of age of agriculture. I plan to play golf and major in ag education at Iowa Western Community Co. I plan to transfer to a 4-year university after my time at Iowa Western to finish my collegiate golf career and ag education degree. I want to inspire and educate the next generation of agriculturalists when I am an ag teacher. Biography PDF
Learn MoreThe Ohio State University
I am a 4th Generation Dairy Farmer from Columbiana County, Ohio where we raise polled Jersey cows and have a row crop operation. The farm produces corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa crops to be able to sustain our dairy operation. I am currently a 3rd year Agricultural Systems Management major at The Ohio State University. I am heavily involved with multiple clubs on campus as I currently serve as President for the Agricultural Systems Management Club and am a member of Crops and Soils, Buckeye Dairy Club, and ASABE clubs. I also plan to attend SASES, NACTA, and the Weed Science contest in the next year with my clubs. After finishing my degree, I plan to return to the family dairy farm to manage the crops and machinery side of the business. Biography PDF
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