A new scholarship helps students while honoring a cattle icon. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
The George Miller Memorial Scholarship is named after a man who was considered an icon within the Holstein breed and a generous leader in many other breed associations. Jeff Ziegler vice president of dairy cattle breeding for Select Sires says at Select, they work to remember their heritage and success stories.
“George is one of those true success stories, not only for Select Sires, but the industry in whole,” Ziergler said.
Hosted by the Holstein Foundation and awarded by Holstein Association USA, the soon-to-be annual scholarship was brand new this year. Because the George Miller Memorial Scholarship was built to represent all he did for the industry, the chosen recipient needed to share the same passion for giving back.
Kylie Konyn, a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was awarded the first-ever $1,000 scholarship during the recent National Holstein Convention. Besides staying active in many Junior Holstein activities, Kylie is proving how serious she is about the Holstein industry between school semesters.
“This summer I am an intern for Cargill Animal Nutrition, and so I’m working with a research project with their technical team, and I’m hoping to find correlations between rumination information with both production health and then different nutrient values in their diet,” she said.
Listen to Sabrina Halvorson’s This Land Of Ours program here. Audio provided as a service to farm broadcasters by Holstein Association USA.
Inaugural George Miller Memorial Scholarship Awarded to Kylie Konyn
(BRATTLEBORO, VT/July 20, 2023) — The first George Miller Memorial Scholarship was presented to Kylie Konyn of Escondido, California during the 2023 National Holstein Convention in Lexington, Kentucky. Kylie received her $1,000 scholarship during the Junior Awards Luncheon on June 27, 2023.
Kylie is attending the University of Wisconsin – Madison and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in dairy science with certificates in ag business management and science communications. She was raised on her family’s dairy farm in San Diego, California and aspires to become a dairy cattle nutritionist or management consultant.
In her scholarship application, Kylie wrote, “Although I did not have the opportunity to meet George Miller, I have so many questions to ask this dairy legend. I am confident in the legacy he left and aspire to make a change in the dairy industry, both today and in the future, just as he did. As I look forward to further involvement in the Holstein breed, I aspire to use the skills and relationships that I have developed to further impact the lives and industry around me, just as George did.”
The George Miller Scholarship fund is hosted by the Holstein Foundation, awarded by Holstein Association USA, and supported by Select Sires Inc., who has been allocating funds for this scholarship from semen sales of 7HO15807 GEORGE MILLER, a previous NxGEN® sire.
“We really wanted the scholarship to memorialize and remember what George was passionate about. George was passionate about youth, particularly youth that wanted to give back to the industry in some fashion after their education is complete,” says Jeff Ziegler, vice president of dairy cattle breeding at Select Sires Inc. “George was also a great ambassador for the Holstein Association and really believed in the programs and services the Holstein Association has offered.”
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.