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Updated: May 9, 2025 @ 8:14 am
PROVIDED
RCHS senior Brock Hurley, who serves as president of Rensselaer’s FFA chapter, is a national and district FFA champion.
PROVIDED
RCHS senior Brock Hurley, who serves as president of Rensselaer’s FFA chapter, is a national and district FFA champion.
RENSSELAER — Indiana Farm Bureau recently awarded five scholarships to incoming or current college students pursuing careers in agriculture, including Rensselaer FFA chapter president and RCHS senior Brock Hurley.
For the second year, INFB awarded the Ag Impact Scholarships, which highlight applicants who demonstrate a lasting effect on Indiana agriculture, to three recipients who each received a $2,000 scholarship.
The Ag Impact Scholarship program is designed to focus on the applicant’s current involvement, future commitment, and potential impact in agriculture as well as academic and career potential. All applicants must have been graduating high school seniors.
The scholarship funds can be applied to tuition, housing, books or other educational expenses.
The three recipients of the 2025 Ag Impact Scholarship are listed below:
• Brock Hurley of Rensselaer will graduate from Rensselaer Central High School this spring. He will attend Purdue University in the fall to pursue a degree in agriculture economics. Hurley serves as his local chapter’s FFA president, Indiana FFA’s District 1 president, and is completing his 10th year in 4-H. He was named the 2024 National FFA Employment Skills Champion at the annual convention in Indianapolis and plans to use those skills — speaking, interviewing, and performing under high-pressure situations – to pursue a future career in ag policy.
• Kaitlyn Maruszewski, of Tipton County, will graduate from Tri-Central High School and attend Purdue University in the fall to study horticulture. She is the FFA chapter president and a 10-year 4-H member. Maruszewski also is president of National Honor Society, member of Tri-Central’s student council, and participated in cheerleading, basketball, track and volleyball. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, she intends to work toward earning master’s and doctorate degrees to eventually work in horticultural plant genetic research to study specialty crops and create enhanced plant varieties that will help farmers increase their yields, efficiency and production value.
• Audrey Newkirk, of Jackson County, will graduate from Seymour Senior High School. She will attend Purdue University in the fall where she will pursue a degree in agriculture economics. She has served as both FFA chapter president and Indiana FFA District XI Northern Region vice president. She also is a member of the marching band as head drum major and captain of the social studies academic bowl team. Newkirk’s goal after graduation is to work for a larger organization in marketing and supply chain management but also wants to advocate and be a voice for farmers.
“Indiana Farm Bureau congratulates our scholarship winners,” said INFB President Randy Kron. “This generation of students shows so much promise and potential for the future of agriculture. I’m happy to see the passion for careers in agriculture remains strong in Indiana and that’s thanks to young people like these.”
Additionally, two $1,000 scholarships are offered to members of any of the Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters – Purdue, Vincennes, and Huntington universities. This year, Camille Thopy, of Shelby County, and Maggie Wolf, of Whitley County, received the Collegiate Farm Bureau scholarships. Thopy attends Purdue University pursuing a degree in agricultural education. Wolf attends Huntington University and is majoring in agricultural business and animal production.
Many county Farm Bureaus also offer annual scholarships for students in their area. To learn more, visit www.infb.org and visit the Scholarships and Grants page under the Resources tab.
About Indiana Farm Bureau: For more than 100 years, Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) has protected and enhanced the future of agriculture and our communities. As the state’s largest general farm organization, INFB works diligently to cultivate a thriving agricultural ecosystem to strengthen the viability of Indiana agriculture. Learn more at INFB.org.
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