Please join us in congratulating our 2021/2022 IPSA Scholarship recipients! The following students will receive their awards during our 33rd Annual Meeting. We would like to extend special thank you to all who applied, members who spread the word about the scholarship opportunity, and to the education committee for their time and dedication to ensuring the future of the industry through this exceptional scholarship program.
Karson Kimpling | Tom Burrus Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Karson Kimpling is a returning IPSA scholar and the 2021/2022 recipient of the Tom Burrus Memorial Scholarship.
Karson Kimpling, is the son of Kyle and Lynn Kimpling of Flanagan, Illinois. Karson will be a senior at the University of Illinois, majoring in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. Karson is a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Chapter, Fraternity, a member of the College of ACES Student Advancement Committee, College of ACES Representative for Collegiate Farm Bureau, and the Committee Chairman for the University of Illinois Homecoming Parade. While attending the U of I, Karson works at the ACES Library as the Library, Information, and Alumni Center Intern. He will continue to improve upon his management and communication skills. Currently, Karson is an Agrigold Seed Sales Intern in Northwest Illinois. Karson’s experiences this summer include: seed returns, managing orders, and forging relationships with current and potential customers. Karson would also like to thank the Independent Professional Seed Association for his scholarship as well as the opportunity to attend the IPSA Conference in January.
Nathan Behrends
Nathan Behrends is a junior in Agricultural Studies at Iowa State University. He grew up on a row crop farming operation in southwest Iowa, where he became passionate about agriculture. His background in agriculture has motivated him to extend his agricultural experiences within the industry at Iowa State University. Some of his prominent leadership positions include serving as the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Student Council President, a CALS Ambassador, an executive officer in the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, and other leadership positions in various other student organizations. After graduation, he plan to pursue a career that utilizes his love and passion for agriculture.
Cole Eden
Cole Eden is a senior at Iowa State University, majoring in Agricultural Business with minors in Agronomy and Political Science. His passion for agriculture started as he grew up on his family farm in Titonka, IA. While at ISU, Cole has held various leadership positions including Noble Ruler of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity – Eta Chapter, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Student Council President, Alpha Zeta Honor Society Treasurer, a member of Senior Class Council, and VNR of Recruitment for Alpha Gamma Rho. After graduation, Cole hopes to find a career in the agriculture industry where he can influence future agricultural advancements.
Lauren Gatz
Lauren Gatz from Fairview, Kansas will be a freshman this fall at Kansas State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and a double major in Agricultural Business and Management. Throughout high school Lauren was active in FFA, National Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Kansas Association for Youth, Yearbook, Tennis, and Cheerleading. She held leadership roles such as Sabetha FFA Chapter President, Northeast District Treasurer, and SADD Communications Director. She served in the community as a United 4 Youth Student Leadership Council Representative, a Kansas Distinguished Young Women Participant, and an active volunteer. She’s also active in 4-H and the National Junior Hereford Association where she serves as the Kansas Hereford Queen and as a Kansas Junior Hereford Board Director.
Addi Goodman
Addi Goodman is a 2021 graduate from Corning High School in Corning, Arkansas. She was the Salutatorian of her graduating class which earned her the Governor’s Scholar Award. Addi was very active in many school activities which included golf, basketball, softball, track, FFA, FFA Livestock Show Team, National Honor Society, SkillsUSA, Student Council, Class Vice President, Yearbook Staff, Bobcat Ambassador, Homecoming Court, Science Club, Spanish Club, Art Club, FCCLA, FBLA, National Junior Honor Society, and Quiz Bowl. She has been a member of the Clay County Junior Fair Board for several years and is continuing her role on the board which she volunteers many hours in numerous fundraisers for the benefit of the county fair.
During high school, she earned enough concurrent credit hours to enter college as a sophomore. She will be attending Black River Technical College in the fall to obtain her Associate of Science in Agriculture. In the fall of 2022, Addi will begin pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business through Southern Arkansas University Magnolia. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, she plans to continue her education and obtain a Master of Science in Agriculture.
Upon completing her education, Addi plans to pursue a career in the seed industry. Her desire is to promote and educate others of the impact that agriculture plays in the world and everyday life. She wants to be an active agricultural leader to assist and inspire others’ awareness of agriculture and agriculture careers, especially for women.
Addi is very grateful for the opportunity that the Independent Professional Seed Association has given her. She is very appreciative of being selected for the scholarship and excited about attending the IPSA Annual Conference. She is looking forward to learning more about the industry and connecting with others in the seed industry.
Taylor Hartke
Taylor Hartke is from Teutopolis, Illinois where she grew up on her families’ diversified grain and livestock operation. Her involvement in production agriculture as well as through agricultural organizations is what allowed her to develop a passion for the industry. She is a senior attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale majoring in Agricultural Communications and minoring in Agribusiness Economics. At school, she is highly involved across campus in organizations like Saluki Ambassadors, Agbassadors, Sigma Alpha, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Collegiate FFA, and Agricultural Student Council. Over the past two summers, she has interned with Illinois Farm Bureau working in their Center for Agricultural Engagement where she gained experience creating resources that targeted various consumer audiences. Taylor plans to advance the agriculture industry by finding a role where she can serve the farm, the farmer, and the consumer. She hopes to utilize her knowledge from her agriculture background, leadership roles, and various work experiences to establish a career strengthening the producer-to-consumer relationship. Taylor looks forward to wholeheartedly and authentically serving the agriculture industry and her community for years to come. Taylor is grateful for the investment IPSA has made in her educational goals and she looks forward to the opportunity to attend the IPSA Conference.
Amelia Hayden
Amelia Hayden is from Sharon, WI, and attended Big Foot Union High School. She was very active in both 4-H and FFA throughout her school years and after graduating high school served as a Wisconsin FFA State Officer for two years. She is now majoring in agricultural education at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, with a career goal of teaching high school agriculture. Hayden has also been an intern with the learning solutions company Vivayic, Inc. since April 2019.
William Hurd
William Hurd is entering his senior year at Morningside University in Sioux City, IA. He is double majoring in Agricultural Business and Agronomy and also plays basketball for the Mustangs. His hometown is Nemaha, IA, where he grew up on a family farm operation. His parents are Andy and Lisa Hurd and he has two younger siblings, Chase and Sydney. Collectively their farm partnership raises cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans, sweetcorn and pumpkins. William loves every aspect of farming from working with the land and cattle to the community atmosphere with other farmers. Ultimately he hopes to find his fit within the family farm operation someday when the opportunity arises. He spent this past summer interning with a coop and enjoyed learning more about the agronomy side of the agricultural industry. When it comes to the overall future of agriculture, William believes the sky’s the limit. He feels truly blessed to have been raised with these roots and values. He is grateful to IPSA for the opportunity for this scholarship so he can further his education in agriculture.
Johnna Jorgensen
Johnna Jorgensen is originally from a family farm near Mt. Vernon, South Dakota raising corn, wheat, soybeans, and Angus cattle. In May of 2020, she graduated from South Dakota State with majors in Agronomy and Precision Agriculture and started the master’s program in Plant Science the following fall under the supervision of Dr. Brent Turnipseed. Throughout her college career, Johnna has been involved in the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science and in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at South Dakota State, including serving as an officer in the Agronomy and Conservation Club, Crops Judging, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Little International, and Sigma Alpha Agricultural Sorority. Johnna has continued to stay involved on campus by assisting with the Crops Judging team and being a member of Gamma Sigma Delta Agricultural Honor Society. Johnna is currently working towards finishing her Master’s Degree in Plant Science at South Dakota State University in May of 2022. Johnna’s research is focused on seed technology, using high-pressure liquid chromatography to extract and analyze the proteins found in the seeds and using the unique pattern to identify seed varieties, particularly in rice. Following graduation, Johnna is looking forward to working closely with producers in the seed industry.
Alex Scovill
Alex Scovill is currently a sophomore at Kansas State University, studying Ag Education.He grew up in central Michigan on his family’s sheep farm. From a young age, he was involved in showing livestock across the country. In high school, he was active in Varsity Golf, Student Government, his church, 4-H, and FFA, serving as the 2020-2021 Michigan FFA State President. In the future, he hopes to work in the Ag industry either as a teacher or in marketing/sales. He also plans to continue to raise club lambs.