14
Almond Facts
MAY | JUNE 2015
Blue Diamond Growers
Foundation
Awards Record Number of
Scholarships
Phillip Agusto –
Lemoore
Fall 2015 School: Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo
Major: BioResource & Agricultural
Engineering
Rachel Coelho –
Turlock
Fall 2015 School: California State
University, Fresno
Major: Agricultural Business
Christine Fry – Chowchilla
Fall 2015 School: California State
University, Fresno
Major: Agriculture Business
Kayla Copus –
Merced
Fall 2015 School: Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo
Major: Agricultural Communications
Hannah Friesen –
Livingston
Fall 2015 School: Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo
Major: Agricultural Education
The
Blue Diamond Growers
Foundation received a record
number of applications and awarded a record number of
scholarships to the incoming freshman class of 2015. The
students all hail from California’s almond growing regions
of the Central Valley and plan to pursue an agriculture-
related degree. The board members who comprise the
scholarship committee hope that with the Foundation’s
assistance to complete their agricultural education, these
students will give back to the industry in the future.
Here are profiles of this year’s
Blue Diamond Growers
Foundation scholarship recipients, with an excerpt from
their essay in which they were asked to describe a key
problem in agriculture today.
“Water is one item that everybody
needs. Proper water management
benefits everybody, as water is such
a precious commodity. The more
we can conserve water the more
water there will be to go around
for everyone whether you live on a
farm or in the city.”
“Seeing personally the toll
the water shortage is having
on farmers and agriculture
production has been scary.
Suggestions, ideas and game plans
for what to do and how to manage
the issue have come out of the
woodwork. All that can truly be
done that is in our control is to
conserve fresh water as best as we
can.”
“Some concerns in agriculture
I see today are the lack of
groundwater and the resources
to manage it. Immigration, labor
and the increase of minimum
wage in California are also
challenges I see.”
“Without knowledge, the public will
not be able to support or understand
the struggles that farmers, ranchers
and everyone involved with the
industry are facing. With the
terrible drought California is facing
currently, we need as much help and
support as we can get to bring water
to the farmers.”
“A trend I see throughout
agriculture education is that students
are not incredibly passionate and
motivated to learn and experience
more with the ag industry. I want
to change this. I want students
to understand the true value in
pursuing a career in agriculture.”
