The Food Production Solutions Association (FPSA) announced it is awarding scholarships to 29 deserving students through three esteemed scholarship programs. For the 2024/2025 academic year, FPSA gave $297,000 to students pursuing higher education, clearly reflecting FPSA's unwavering commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders and advancing the industry through education and development.

FPSA Foundation Career Development Scholarship Program

The FPSA Career Development Scholarship, designed to benefit full-time employees of FPSA member companies and their immediate families, awarded $200,000 in scholarships to twenty recipients. Each student received a $10,000 scholarship to assist in advancing their academic and professional goals. This program, a cornerstone of FPSA's dedication, is a beacon of hope for the industry's future, nurturing talent within its member companies and ensuring a bright future for the industry. The students include:

• Chloe Bujold, Member Co. Intralox (Emory)    
• Jack Cole, Member Co. Quickdraft (Walsh)    
• Matthew Croke, Member Co. Cybertrol (South Dakota State)    
• Kaelyn Schreiner, Member Co. JBT (Wisconsin-Stevens Point)
• Charles Konkolics, Member Co. Whiting- Turner (North Carolina at Chapel Hill)    
• Keaton Coad, Member Co. Multivac (Kansas State)    
• Mary Woytowicz, Member Co. Dennis Group (Sacred Heart)    
• Sofia Konkolics, Member Co. Whiting- Turner (Quinnipiac)
• DeLana Vogelsmeier, Member Co. PreciPak (Missouri Valley College)    
• Kaitlin Drake, Member Co. Scan American (Missouri- Columbia)    
• Nia Maria, Member Co. Intralox (Notre Dame)    
• Tarek Abushamma, Member Co. Poly-clip (UIC)
• Louis Klemp, Member Co. Weber (Kansas)    
• Leilani Merkle, Member Co. JUMO (Embry-Riddle)    
• Nia Yost, Member Co. Provisur (Grand Valley State)    
• Taylor Muller, Member Co. Multivac (Fort Hays State)
• Heather Houck, Member Co. Grote (Cincinnati)  
• Lila Vancrum, Member Co. Marlen (Kansas)    
• Ryan Hilty, Member Co. Epstein (Marquette)    
• Elisabeth Wilson, Member Co. Urschel (Hanover College)

MISA Foundation Scholarship Program

The Meat Industry Suppliers Alliance (MISA) Foundation Scholarship Program awarded $70,000 in scholarships to seven students pursuing meat or food science degrees. Each recipient received a $10,000 scholarship. These scholarships are open to undergraduate students and graduate engineering or meat sciences candidates at North American universities.

By supporting these students, MISA continues its mission to advance the meat industry through education and innovation. The students are:

• Katherine Sierra (Auburn University)
• Tyler Kleinsasser (SDSM&T)    
• Preston Twilligear (Texas Tech)
• Grace Harris (Oklahoma State)    
• Jessica Brown (Wisconsin-Madison)
• Jacob Bagby (Texas Tech)    
• Brittley Bowers (Texas A & M)

FPSA Dairy Council's Tom Imbordino Scholarship

The FPSA Dairy Council's Tom Imbordino Scholarship, established in 2021, awarded $7,000 to two students pursuing careers in the dairy or food industry. Each recipient received $3,500. Tom Imbordino is the former publisher of Dairy Foods, sister magazine to SF&WB, and he passed away in June 2020.

This scholarship is specifically designed to support undergraduate and graduate students in North American universities dedicated to contributing to the dairy industry's future. The students are:

• Kylie Konyn (Wisconsin–Madison)    
• Emily Cole (Wisconsin–Madison)

"The FPSA is deeply committed to the education and development of the next generation of industry leaders," says Matt Ott, president and CEO of FPSA. "These scholarships not only provide financial assistance but also help to ensure the sustainability and growth of our industry. We proudly support these outstanding students as they work toward their academic and career goals."

Related: EATS, FPSA announce production lines for 2025 tradeshow