Westchester Foundation
Ag Scholarship Applications Due February 1^st

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (January 4, 2009)—Students looking for help funding college expenses need to apply for a Westchester Foundation scholarship by February 1, 2010. Scholarships are awarded to high school seniors accepted for enrollment or students already enrolled in a course of study related to agriculture or agribusiness at any accredited college, university or community college.

The Westchester Foundation was established by Murray Wise, Founder and CEO of the Westchester Group, Inc., with a mission to enhance the future of American agriculture by helping to ensure a steady supply of bright, dedicated, well-educated leaders. Students are selected by the Foundation’s Board of Directors based on academic qualifications, community and school involvement, leadership potential and financial need.

“Every year, we are impressed by the many qualified applications we receive,” said Wise. “Last year’s pool of candidates included promising students from 23 states. The Foundation is pleased to help these students reach their goal of earning agricultural degrees by easing the financial burden associated with rising higher education costs.”

The scholarship can be renewed annually for up to four years, provided the students maintain acceptable grade point averages. While the amount awarded for each scholarship varies by individual and economic need, successful applicants may anticipate a minimum of $1,000 per year to fund any expenses related to attendance at the college of their choice.

“My scholarship is helping cover tuition expenses,” says Rachel Brooks, animal science freshman at Texas A&M University. “With this scholarship, I am able to go out of state to the college that’s right for me and not worry about the extra costs. Instead, I can focus on earning good grades for vet school.”

Supporting future agricultural leaders is one of the reasons the scholarship program is so important to Westchester. “Being able to provide these scholarships annually to help develop the future of our industry means a lot to Westchester Group,” says Randall Pope, President of Westchester Group, Inc. “We try to connect with each recipient and follow their achievements as they become leaders, like Rachel as she fulfills her childhood dream to become a large animal veterinarian.”  

Applications can be downloaded at http://www.westchester-group.com and must be received no later than February 1, 2010, in order to be considered for scholarship funds for the fall semester of the 2010 – 2011 school year.

About the Westchester Foundation
The Westchester Foundation was established in 1997 solely to provide financial resources toward a college education for students with the talent and drive to continue the extraordinary success of the nation’s agribusinesses.

About Westchester Group, Inc.
Westchester Group, Inc. is a leading agricultural asset management firm, providing a complete range of agricultural real estate and management services as well as auction services. The company specializes in portfolio management and acquisition of farmland for institutional and corporate clients and individual farmers, as well as individual investors. Westchester manages a diverse range of crops for their clients, including corn, soybeans, almonds, wine grapes, apples and citrus. For more information on Westchester Group, Inc. visit www.westchester-group.com and www.westchester-auctions.com.

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