Student Receives Mid America CropLife Scholarship

North Dakota State University (NDSU) student Mindee Boyce was selected as a recipient of the 2022 Young Leader Scholarship Program (YLSP) from the Mid America CropLife Association (MACA). Boyce is a senior majoring in crop and weed sciences with an agribusiness minor and is advised by Juan Osorno, associate professor and dry bean breeder in the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences.

To be eligible for the YLSP, candidates must be enrolled at one of the 14 Land-Grant Universities, have an educational focus in agriculture, meet academic performance standards, and have secured a summer internship within agriculture, preferably in the crop protection industry. 

MACA selects one recipient per university to receive a $2,000 scholarship. Recipients also receive a travel stipend to attend the fall MACA annual meeting and participate in networking opportunities with MACA mentors and members. Following the annual meeting, YLSP recipients are obligated to give two campus presentations to create awareness about MACA, the YLSP and the agriculture industry.

Boyce, who is from Minot, North Dakota, became interested in agriculture when she joined FFA in high school. “I specifically found my passion in the agronomy career development event and the rest has fallen into place since then,” she says.

She has received numerous scholarships from NDSU and the agriculture industry throughout her college career.

Boyce will intern this summer with Scheresky Ag Service in Max, North Dakota, as a crop scout. Her responsibilities will include scouting fields, documenting crop stage, weeds, diseases, insects and pest severity, and maintaining equipment.

After graduation, Boyce plans to seek a crop consultant or sales agronomist position in western North Dakota.

Author: Kamie Beeson
Editor: Shannon Ueker