Select Sires Member Cooperative Scholarship 2025-2026
Description
The Board of Directors of Select Sires Member Cooperative (SSMC) wish to recognize the efforts and long-term goals of member-owners by offering $40,000 in scholarships to those pursuing a higher education in an agricultural field from member-owner families. Students who have a desire to remain in the agricultural industry, especially the dairy and/or beef industries, will be given highest priority.
Select Sires Member Cooperative supports our team, cattle producers, and their local communities. We value teamwork, collaboration, expanding knowledge and advancing success. We believe knowledge is the path to individual and collective growth. We are committed to expanding knowledge within our teams as well as our membership. Supporting the development of the future leaders of tomorrow is part of our culture, priorities and cooperative responsibility.
A selection committee consisting of board members and management will make final selections of scholarship recipients. The scholarship committee will award the $40,000 based on merit, number and quality of applicants.
Qualifications
Eligibility
• Must be from a member-owner family, currently doing business with SSMC at the patronage standard level of $1,000 per year.
• Must be enrolled in a two or four year college or university, proof of enrollment required for incoming freshman, transcript will be required for all others.
Selection Process
Required Submission Materials:
Complete application (Customer account number must be provided and will be verified to determine eligibility)
Written Essay
Video
Transcripts – Upload a transcript from December 2024 for all currently enrolled students. Incoming freshman for the fall of 2025, must include a high school transcript and a proof of enrollment. Unofficial copies are acceptable.
Headshot – Upload a 2 x 3 inch jpeg or png file. Images will be used in promotion of winners. Please no selfies.
Deadline: April 25, 2025
The required material must be submitted online by April 25, 2025. Scholarship award announcements will be made no later than July 31, 2025. Incomplete or ineligible applications will be disqualified.
Questions about eligibility should be directed to [email protected].
About Select Sires Member Cooperative
Select Sires Member Cooperative (SSMC) was established on October 1, 2023 after the boards of directors of All West/Select Sires, COBA/Select Sires, Select Sires MidAmerica, and Minnesota/Select Sires voted unanimously, and then further ratified by Delegates and Members, to merge as one cooperative, representing the Select Sires federation in 27 U.S. states and the country of Mexico. The board-led merger was intentional to create a cooperative that can serve dairy and beef producers well into the future.
The goal of Select Sires Member Cooperative remains aligned with the previous goal of each of the former cooperatives, to serve all member-owners equitably and efficiently while providing outstanding genetics and services. Select Sires Member Cooperative delivers excellence in personalized service, quality offerings and cattle genetics. SSMC remains a farmer-owned-and-controlled cooperative led by fellow producers.
Our values:
People First
Win Together
Grow Forward
Never Settle