For Immediate Release

Contact: Krista Lottinville 
Krista.Lottinville@cgb.com

Bloomington – Elizabeth Koehler, Sparland and Taylor Hardy, Carthage, will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to benefit their college educations in agricultural related fields from the Illinois AgriWomen as part of their Women Changing the Face of Agriculture program.

Koehler is a student at the University of Illinois in Champaign, majoring in Agriculture Communications with a minor in Environmental Economics and Policy.  She is an active member of 4-H House, Ag Communicators of Tomorrow, and ACES Council.

Koehler hopes to become an ag broadcaster.  “I have a special interest in policy and therefore would like to specialize my reports in agriculture policy on the state or national level,” she said.

Hardy will begin her freshman year at the University of Illinois in Champaign this fall and plans to major in Agriculture Communications.  She was very involved in FFA, serving as the Section 21 President.  She was also a member of the National Honors Society, high school band, and cheerleading.

“After receiving my bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Communications, my plan is to then pursue a degree in Agricultural Law,” said Hardy.  “Ten years from now, I hope to be working for a large agriculture based company as their spokesperson, communicating to the public the importance of their research and their products to the world.”

Both women are previous participants of the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event, hosted by the Illinois AgriWomen in March each year.  This event seeks to provide networking and mentoring opportunities for high school and college women with professional women in various agricultural careers.

Both credit the event with engaging them in the industry and reestablishing their desires to pursue an ag related career.

The Agent of Change Scholarship is given to one high school student enrolled in an Illinois college or university and one current college student planning to continue their enrollment in a college or university.  The Scholarship aims to help women further their careers in the agricultural industry.

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