2019 FCSC Scholarship Recipient Magazine- Our Purpose Our Pride Volume 1

FARM CREDIT OF SOUTHERN COLORADO

We are excited to announce our 2019 scholarship recipients. This year, we had over 50 applicants from all over Colorado. We had five $1,500 scholarships and one $2,500 scholarship. We selected one recipient from each branch area, and named Jacob Wright from Walsh, Colorado as our Grand Scholarship Winner. Meet your 2019 scholarship recipients!

FARM CREDIT IS AN EQUAL HOUSING, EQUAL CREDIT LENDER. NMLS#873346

BRIAN GILLEN

While attending an FFA event, Brian Gillen first realized that he might enjoy a career with a seed company. Now as he finishes up his senior year at Elbert High School, that is exactly what he plans to pursue. Gillen will attend West Texas A&M University this fall and work towards a degree in Plant and Soil Sciences. “I very much enjoy farming,” said Gillen, “and with this degree I can get a job in the industry.”

Growing up on a small family farm outside of Elizabeth has helped develop Gillen’s love of agriculture. “Working on our farm has given me valuable experiences and taught me to work hard,” said Gillen. “I feel it has really set me up for my future.”

Gillen explains that he has a love of farming and everything that it involves and is looking forward to a career in the industry. After visiting a seed company, Gillen decided that a career as a sales person would be a good fit for him, “I feel I would do really well working for one and it would be a job I would enjoy.”

Gillen enjoys participating in rodeo and plans to be able to find time to continue this.

He says he enjoys the people in the rodeo community and being able to be outside and around animals. Armed with a good work ethic and good attitude, Gillen is sure to be successful. “Overall, as long as I enjoy my job and it can support me and my family, I know I will have a successful career,” states Gillen.

JACOB WRIGHT

The Salt of the Earth. This is how one teacher said he can best describe his student Jacob Wright. After getting to know the Walsh High School senior, I think you would agree. Wright’s success in all areas of his life, ranging from the classroom, to athletics, to the cattle operation that he and his brother started, demonstrate this young man’s commitment to hard work.

After graduation, Wright will attend college to purse a degree in ag business. “I hope to come home and help manage the family farm,” said Wright. “Make the operation more cost efficient, cutting out some extra costs that we don’t need and potentially growing the businesses we’ve already started, such as the cattle operation that my brother and I manage.”

Wright has a love for the rural lifestyle and the people involved in agriculture. He loves the wide open spaces and being involved in activities that let him enjoy the rural landscape and big skies. Wright has a passion for the sport of rodeo. “I enjoy rodeo because it is a family oriented sport,” said Wright. “The competition is very stiff, but people are willing to help you along the way.” Wright plans to compete on the rodeo team at college this fall.

As he works towards his future goals, Wright believes that it is necessary that we continue to advance in agriculture. “I hope that I can contribute to ag all that it’s contributed to me,” said Wright. “I hope that I can continue the tradition of agriculture.”

JOSHUA BECHAVER

The one thing that Joshua Bechaver wishes that everyone knew about agriculture is how much it involves. “You don’t just ride your tractor,” said Bechaver. “Agriculture involves a lot of science, math and critical thinking skills.”

Bechaver plans to put all of those skills to use this fall when he studies agriculture at Adams State University. The Centauri High School senior plans to pursue an agricultural business or teaching degree and may eventually transfer to study agricultural engineering. Bechaver’s upbringing helped influence his future plans. “I grew up in agriculture and I like it and want to have a career where I can keep dealing with it.”

This eighteen-year-old is well prepared for college and his future. Bechaver credits his diverse high school for helping him learn how to work with everyone. “There is so much diversity in my high school, I learned how to deal with everyone,” said Bechaver.

“I learned the importance of equality and to treat everyone the same.” A full plate of extracurricular activities, ranging from football to rotary club, have helped Bechaver learn responsibility and how to manage his time while still excelling academically and helping on his family’s farm and ranch.

“I love the way of life and how we all work together,” said Bechaver. “I love how you can see what you accomplish.” Working with his dad and uncle on their farm and ranch is Bechaver’s favorite way to spend his time; along with the occasional hunting or fishing trip. “This is my life and I wouldn’t trade it.”

RILEY MARANVILLE

When she is not at school, you can often find Riley Maranville in a barn. The eighteen-year-old Simla High School senior is passionate about cattle and the industry. From working with her own show cattle to evaluating other’s cattle, it is how she likes to spend her time. “My family farms and ranches so I have always been around agriculture,” said Maranville. “I am especially passionate about cattle and that has helped shape my career aspirations.”

Northeastern Junior College (NJC) is the first stop on Maranville’s journey to fulfilling her goal of becoming a veterinarian. From there, she plans to transfer to a four year university and then enter vet school. When asked what she hopes to be doing in ten years, Maranville indicated that she would like to be working for a company that specializes in reproduction and genetics and focusing particularly on artificial insemination and embryo transfer.

This ambitious young lady knows that dreams like this do not become reality without a lot of hard work. In fact, that is one thing that she wishes more people understood about agriculture. “It is not easy, you have to work really hard,” said Maranville. “To have successful crops and livestock, you have to be very dedicated and passionate about what you do.”

As a college freshman Maranville will continue to pursue one of her passions this fall when she is a member of the NJC Livestock Judging Team. Livestock judging has been a big part of Maranville’s high school career and equipping her with valuable life skills. “Judging has given me confidence in public speaking that I probably otherwise would not have had,” said Maranville. “I am comfortable speaking in front of large crowds of people and know how to do this, because of judging.” Hard-work, dedication and how to make sacrifices are just a few of the other skills that Maranville has honed through livestock judging.

Maranville is thankful for her rural upbringing and is excited for where her future will take her. “Not a lot of people get to be involved in agriculture,” said Maranville. “It makes me unique, and I like being unique.”

TESS HORNUNG You might say that a career in business has always been in the future for Tess Hornung.

“When I was little and my friends and I would play like we had our own little world, while they were all doctors and artists, I always pretended to be a banker,” said Hornung. Throughout her childhood the business mentality stuck. Business and accounting classes that the Kit Carson High School senior has taken throughout her high school career have helped to solidify in her mind that a career in business is in fact, for her.

With such a business minded young lady, you would expect nothing less, the 18-yearold Hornung has a very well thought out path for her college education and future career. After first obtaining her bachelors degree in business and accounting, she will work towards her masters and then finally sit to become a certified public accountant.

Hornung’s long term goals include opening her own business. “I imagine myself starting my own accounting practice in rural Colorado where I can work with local farmers and businesses on their taxes and financial records,” said Horning.

As the daughter of a farmer, Hornung has seen firsthand the day-to-day stresses that farmers experience. She realizes that while farmers are busy working the land and worrying about things like the weather, there is another side of the business, with bills to be paid and finances to be managed. This is where Hornung hopes to make a positive impact on farmers and their operations.

Growing up riding the combine with her Dad has not only given Hornung an appreciation for agriculture and the rural way of life, but also a desire to help these people succeed. “With my own accounting practice, I would take a mountain of stress off of my community’s shoulders and help local farmers and businesses flourish,” said Hornung. “Then, farmers like my father could truly focus on feeding the world.”

TRESSA REED “Agriculture will always be a big part of my life,” said Tressa Reed. “I hope to transfer my love of agriculture and work ethic to my students and future family.” Reed, a senior at Fowler High School, wants to teach elementary school in a rural community. She said that ever since she was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be a teacher. This fall, Reed will begin classes at Otero Junior College with plans to finish her education at West Texas A&M University.

Teaching in a rural community is important to Reed as she appreciates being raised in a rural community and hopes to someday give her students the same experience.

Lessons that Reed learned at school and through involvement in extra-curricular activities, particularly volleyball and basketball, have helped shape who Reed is today.

“Sports have taught me how to be tough and how to get through anything,” said Reed. “I have learned to never give up and to just keep going until you get what you want.”

Equally important to the lessons learned at school and on the hardwood, are the lessons the Reed has learned on the ranch. A strong work ethic was developed at a young age. For as long as she can remember, she has been riding horses. When she was just four years old, her dad surprised her with a horse of her own to help gather cattle. She has been helping on the ranch ever since.

One thing is for certain, Reed knows that agriculture is always going to be a part of her life. “I have many wonderful memories working on the ranch and hope to continue making more in the future,” said Reed. “Ag is always going to be a part of me and is not something I would want to let go of.”