ASC business students receive National Western Stock Show Scholarships (10-04-07)
Matthew Martinez, Ashley Palmer, Alonzo Lobato, and Johanna Steffens
Adams State College Business students, Alonzo Lobato '10, Matthew Martinez '08, Ashley Palmer '10, and Johanna Steffens '09 received National Western Scholarships to help defray their educational costs.
According to Morgan Ramsey Daniel, scholarship coordinator, this is the first year National Western has awarded scholarships to Adams State students.
"With the advent of the agribusiness emphasis our students in that program were eligible for the scholarships," Ramsey Daniel said.
The students receive $2,500 every academic year as long as they maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Lobato is from San Luis. He said he was raised on a ranch.
"I have come to learn the importance of agriculture in today's society," Lobato said. "With the scholarship I have received, I will be able to fulfill my biggest goal at the moment which is to graduate college and start a career."
Martinez works year round on his family farm and ranch operation, attends Adams State College, and works for the U.S. Forest Service during the summers. He was the first Future Farmer of America member in his family earning both his State and American FFA degrees and competing in Louisville Kentucky at the National FFA Convention
Martinez' family has farmed and ranched in the San Luis Valley and northern New Mexico since the mid 1800's.
"I plan to keep the tradition alive by some day returning to production agriculture," Martinez said.
Palmer said for generations her family has been in the agricultural business. She was involved in 4-H since the age of ten-years-old, and was an FFA member.
"My husband and I have seven horses and a starter herd of twenty meat goats," Palmer said. "My biggest hope is to stay involved in agriculture."
Steffens grew up on a ranch in Monte Vista, where her family grew a hay crop and we raised cattle. She has worked in various agricultural companies including the Agro Engineering Company and a potato warehouse.
"I currently work at a bank where I hope to gain knowledge in financing, so when I graduate with my Ag degree I will be able to help Agricultural Businesses requesting financial assistance," Steffens said.
According to the National Western website, The National Western Scholarship Trust awards scholarships to students who study agriculture and practice medicine in rural areas at colleges and universities in Colorado and Wyoming. The mission is to preserve the western lifestyle by providing a showcase for the agricultural industry through its emphasis on education, genetic development, innovative technology and offering the world's largest agricultural marketing opportunities.
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By Linda Relyea
