LINCOLN, NEB.– The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation awarded the Ron Hanson Collegiate Leader Scholarship to two members of Collegiate Farm Bureau at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln who are pursuing degrees from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR).
Emily Reitz and Tanner Nun, both sophomores at CASNR, received $1,500 scholarships.
“Dr. Ron Hanson, professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, established the scholarship to reward students who prioritize leadership building activities while on campus,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. “A longtime Farm Bureau member, Dr. Hanson recognizes the power of grassroot volunteers, and he wants to encourage the next generation of leaders to step up, make their voices heard, and serve their communities. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is honored to steward this important award.”
This year’s recipients rose to the top of a strong candidate pool. Applicants were judged based on their involvement with Collegiate Farm Bureau, volunteer and leadership activities, and their goals for the future.
Reitz is pursuing a degree in Agricultural Education with a minor in Animal Science. She is involved in many volunteer organizations including Collegiate Farm Bureau, Nebraska FFA Foundation, and the Nebraska Human Resources Institute (NHRI). Reitz serves as a leadership mentor through NHRI for a seventh-grade student at a Lincoln middle school. Reitz also serves as the 2019-2020 UNL FFA Alumni Club secretary, where she works closely with fellow officers and members to help promote and advocate for Nebraska FFA and agricultural education. Upon graduation, Reitz aims to work in an agricultural education position that allows her to reach consumers of all ages to bridge the gap between consumers and agricultural producers.
Nun is pursuing a degree in Agricultural Education with plans to be an agricultural educator at a Nebraska high school. Nun volunteers as the treasurer for the UNL Collegiate Farm Bureau and is active in the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, where he serves as an Executive Officer and Philanthropy Chair. Nun is a member of the of the Nebraska Corn and Soy Ambassador program where he works alongside the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, and other prestigious agricultural groups. His goal and purpose are to give the next generation of students opportunities to be successful in the Nebraska agricultural industry. He wants to help aid in creating a generation of passionate and driven agriculturalists to boost Nebraska agriculture, as well as the Nebraska economy as a whole.
The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit www.nefbfoundation.org.
