In 2013, Southern States Cooperative and John Deere Financial established a scholarship fund available to rising college sophomores pursuing a two year, associate’s degree with a focus in agriculture. Applications for the 2015 academic year are now being accepted through February 13, 2015.
Up to five scholarships, in the amount of $2,000 each, are awarded annually to students who demonstrate academic excellence, strong individual character and significant personal involvement in agriculture. Following the completion of their associate’s degree, scholarship recipients will also receive a paid summer internship at a Southern States retail or agronomy location.
Students receiving scholarships for the 2014 academic year were enthusiastic about the award. Lee Moore, a student at North Carolina State said “The scholarship has been a great financial help to me while attending college. I also look forward to the internship.”
Another benefit of the scholarship is an invitation to attend the annual Southern States Management Meeting and Product Show held in September. “The Southern States meeting and Product show was eye opening to me and it showed what a great company Southern States really was,” said Virginia Tech student Holland Edwards. “The best part about it, I think, was meeting people from both the agronomy side along with the retail side of the business,” he added.
Eligibility Requirements
- Rising college sophomores that are pursuing an associate’s degree focused on agriculture at an accredited university
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale at time of application submission
- Must be enrolled as a full time student for the following fall semester
- Must maintain a GPA at a 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale each semester. Official transcripts must be submitted at the end of each semester to retain the scholarship.
For more information about the Southern States/John Deere Financial Scholarships for students in 2-year, associate’s degree programs, including requirements and application forms, please visit southernstates.com/scholarship or contact us through email at scholarship@sscoop.com.
Southern States is a Richmond, Virginia-based farm supply and service cooperative, founded in 1923, which now has more than 200,000 farmer-members. As one of the nation’s largest agricultural cooperatives, it provides a wide range of farm inputs, including fertilizer, seed, livestock feed, pet food, animal health supplies and petroleum products, as well as other items for the farm and home. The cooperative serves its members and non-member customers through 1,200 retail outlets in 23 states.