Manitoba Crop Alliance awards six bursaries

The Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has awarded six students with MCA 2021/22 bursaries valued at $2000 each.

The MCA 2021/22 bursary recipients are George Meggison from Goodlands, Jada Ricard from Baldur, Joelle Little from McConnell, Nicole Jonk from Bruxelles, Simon Hodson from Lenore, and Taylor Mutch from Crystal City.

“Congratulations to all of the MCA 2021/22 bursary winners and thank you to everyone who submitted applications,” says Fred Greig, Chair of MCA. “Through the establishment of this bursary program, MCA hopes to encourage and support students studying work in or supporting the agriculture industry.”

The MCA 2021/22 bursary program was established this year and intends to assist with the financial needs of students who are enrolled in a post-secondary agricultural program within the Province of Manitoba. MCA received 14 applications, and six bursaries were presented today during MCA’s virtual Annual General Meeting. Bursary applicants needed to meet the following criteria:

- have completed their first or second year of post-secondary education at the college or university level (Diploma or Degree) and are enrolled, full-time for the 2021/2022 school year in an agricultural program within the Province of Manitoba;

- have achieved a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0;

- have an interest in wheat (spring or winter), corn, barley, flax or sunflower crops, or agriculture in general, as demonstrated in a brief, one-page letter;

- are from a farm that is a member in good-standing of MCA.

An independent selection committee was contracted to evaluate the applicants based on their connection to or interest in agriculture, explanation of why they decided to enroll in an agriculture-related post-secondary program, how they hope to benefit the agriculture industry once they have graduated and are in the workforce, and their academics and writing skills.

The selection committee included Patti Rothenburger, Director of the Agriculture Branch for Manitoba Agriculture, Scott Chalmers, Diversification Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture and Stephanie Cruikshanks, Labour Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.