GROWMARK Announces 2026 Scholarship Winners

Fifty-five students have been selected to receive scholarships totaling $2,000 each through the GROWMARK Foundation. Nearly 700 students from across the United States and Ontario, Canada, applied for the scholarships. Students who received the scholarships will have those funds available for the fall 2026 semester.

“At GROWMARK, we believe investing in students today helps shape the future of agriculture and business,” said GROWMARK CEO Mark Orr. “Our internship programs give students real-world experience and exposure to the wide range of careers within the agriculture industry, while our scholarships support them in pursuing those paths. Together, these opportunities help connect students to meaningful careers with GROWMARK and FS companies after graduation.”

Scholarship recipients are divided into three categories.

Agriculture focus– students earning an associate degree from a community college or technical school. Recipients of this scholarship are:

ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

• Ryan Carlson 

LAKE LAND COLLEGE 

• Jay Bliler 

• Kaylin Arlene Nolte 

LINCOLN LAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

• Tucker Kade Beckmier 

HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE 

• Emily Cason 

SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE 

• Avery Drew 

ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLLEGE 

• Delaney Engler 

BLACKHAWK TECHNICAL COLLEGE 

• Faith Traynor 

BLACK HAWK COLLEGE EAST 

• Clay D Jackson 

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR 

• Helen Butcher - Northwestern High School (IL)  

• Garris Warren - North Duplin Jr./Sr. High School (NC) 

• Graydon Henson - Hamilton High School (IL) 

• Sydney Stirm - Colonel Crawford High School (OH) 

• Natalie Zwilling - Richland County High School (IL) 

• Ryan Jagers - Princeton High School (IL) 

• Tyler Hoeger - Maquoketa Valley High School (IA) 

• Rachel Eckert - Henry-Senachwine High School (IL) 

• Kylie Kocher - Richland County High School (IL) 

• Amanda Herrin - Moberly High School (MO) 

• Grace McCarty - Edwards County High School (IL) 

Agriculture focus– students earning a bachelor’s degree from a university. Recipients of this scholarship are:

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Madisyn Henderson 

• Elle Ruffner 

• Emma Whitaker 

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS – URBANA CHAMPAIGN 

• Hana Gillaspie 

• Tristin Potts 

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Shalelyn Armstrong 

• Jared Pechart 

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE 

• Isaac Luebkemann 

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Kasandra Hughes 

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Bennett Gordon 

• Kyia Hunter-Kanoff 

BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY 

• Bobby Gross 

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Emily Robbins 

• Caleb Schmaltz 

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY  

• Will Harrison  

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR 

• Alyssa Benningfield - Taylor County High School (KY) 

• Kadence Leeper - Macon County R-1 High School (MO) 

• Joshua Miller - Ovid Elsie (MI) 

• Kara Theis - Osage Community Schools (IA)  

• Calum Brown - Lafayette High School (MO) 

Business focus – students earning a bachelor’s degree from a university. Recipients of this scholarship are:

MIAMI UNIVERSITY 

• Avarie Wellman 

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY 

• William Vlasek 

FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Steven Velez 

HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY 

• Emily Hawkins 

GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Chelsa Takuebai 

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA 

• Mary Hails 

UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO 

• Steven Kim 

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Mya Barnes 

• Audrey Coffey 

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY 

• Johnna Fulcher 

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR 

• Ethan Hoang - Yuma Catholic High School (AZ) 

• Caroline Spangler - Bushnell-Prairie City High School (IL) 

• Sophia Kisler - Galesburg Junior Senior High School (IL)  

• Jonathan Hulce - Boerne-Champion High School (TX) 

• Mason DiEnna - Holy Ghost Preparatory High School (PA)