Details

The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation is pleased to offer $44,000 in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year. Scholarships are available to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies related to the soybean industry and the field of agriculture.

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year open on Monday, October 23rd, 2023 and close on Friday, January 12th, 2024.

Please contact Julia Brown at jbrown@soyohio.org with any questions.

The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports scientific research and educational opportunities to the benefit of the soybean industry.

Undergraduate Scholarships

  • Seven undergraduate scholarships of up to $3,000 each
  • One $3,000 Robinson W. Joslin Scholarship, which was established to recognize a student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership potential
  • One $5,000 Bhima Vijayendran Scholarship, named to honor Dr. Vijayendran’s contributions to the soybean industry through his scientific research and commercialization activities at Battelle. This scholarship was founded to support those pursuing a degree related to science, technology or soybean research.

Applicants must be Ohio residents enrolled as full-time students at an Ohio college or university, having attained at least sophomore status by the fall of 2024, with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Eligible majors include: Agricultural business, agricultural communications, agricultural education, biochemistry, bioenergy, bioengineering, biofuels, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, crop science, engineering, environmental science, food science, molecular biology, or any of the agricultural disciplines or related fields.

Graduate Scholarships

Three scholarships of up to $5,000 each are available to students who are enrolled as full-time graduate students at an Ohio college or university.

Applicants must be conducting research in:

  • biotechnology
  • biobased materials
  • bioengineering
  • crop production
  • plant pathology
  • crop science
  • agronomy
  • soybean breeding
  • another related field

The research must be focused on advancing the soybean industry. Applicants must have proof of legal residency in the U.S.

2023-2024 Scholarship Recipients

Undergraduate Winners

  • Rachel Barrett of Rockford, Ohio, is a junior at The Ohio State University studying food science and technology.
  • Justin Beckner of Somerville, Ohio, is a junior at Wilmington College studying agriculture education.
  • Grant Heuing of Celina, Ohio, is a freshman at the University of Findlay studying pre-veterinary animal science.
  • Haven Hileman of Stout, Ohio, is a sophomore at The Ohio State University studying animal sciences.
  • Kiley Holbrook of Amanda, Ohio, is a junior at The Ohio State University studying agricultural communication and public policy.
  • Alicia Knapke of Celina, Ohio, is a junior at Wright State University – Lake Campus studying agriculture.
  • Lauren Mellott of Butler, Ohio, is a junior at The Ohio State University studying agriscience education.
  • Paige Teeters of Hillsboro, Ohio, is a junior at Wilmington College studying agriculture education.
  • Lauren Thornhill of Anna, Ohio, is a freshman at The Ohio State University studying agricultural education.
  • Ryanna Tietje of Deshler, Ohio, is a junior at The Ohio State University studying agribusiness and applied economics.
  • Amber Zimpfer of Anna, Ohio, is a junior at The Ohio State University studying agribusiness and applied economics and accounting.

 

Graduate Winners

  • Sayan Basak is pursuing his doctorate in polymer engineering at the University of Akron. His research area focuses on utilizing soybean oil and turning it into a smart and form-fitting plastic.
  • Fabiano Colet is pursuing a doctorate in horticulture and crop science at The Ohio State University. His research analyzes situations where biological seed treatments improve soybean grain yield and profitability and measures the influence of biological seed treatments on soybean nutrient status.
  • Alison Peart is pursuing her masters in plant pathology at The Ohio State University. Her research looks at diseases and pests that threaten soybean production and yield, specifically soybean cyst nematode and fungal pathogens which cause brown spot, charcoal rot, and frogeye leaf spot.
  • Annika Pratt is pursuing her doctorate in plant pathology at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on discovering which genes are essential in causing charcoal rot as well as identifying which soybean genes combat the fungus.