Since 1967, North Carolina Farm Bureau has provided more than $500,000 in scholarship money to agriculture students statewide through its R. Flake Shaw Scholarship program.

NCFB’s top academic endowment is valued at $3,000 per academic year and provides each of its recipients with a total of $12,000 over four years to help pay tuition, books and other collegiate expenses.

Six young adults from across North Carolina, who are pursuing degrees in agriculture or a closely related field, have been selected to enter this year’s freshman class as R. Flake Shaw Scholarship recipients:

JAY B. BAKER, a graduate of Northeast Academy in Bertie County, has been accepted into the Agricultural Institute at North Carolina State University. He says he plans to major in agriculture business management.

“After graduating, I plan to come back home and work with my dad, mom and brothers on our farm and with our peanut business,” he says.

Baker also says he will continue to help out at 4-H livestock shows and hopes to raise cattle one day, or possibly own his own butcher shop. He would also like to start his own small bio-diesel operation.

JOHN D. BALTZELL is a graduate of Faith Covenant Christian School in Haywood County and has been accepted to North Carolina State University. He plans to pursue a degree in animal science. He is involved in several activities, including 4-H, operating a cow-calf unit and numerous community service projects. He says he wants to be one of the proud few to keep agriculture alive in North Carolina.

“After I have received my B.S. degree, I would like to attend vet school to become a large-animal vet,” he says. “This is because I would like to give back to the many famers in Western North Carolina who have been willing to lend so much help and support to me.”

LISA L. BAXTER is a graduate of Creekside Christian Academy in Catawba County. She plans to attend either Berea College or North Carolina State University and hopes to become a food animal veterinarian. Having been involved in numerous activities, including 4-H and livestock and poultry competitions and events, she says agriculture has become one of the foundations of her life.
“Ever since I can remember I have wanted to pursue a career in agriculture,” she says. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, she hopes to be accepted into an accredited college of veterinary medicine.

JACOB D. BURLESON, a student at Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He hopes to earn a degree in veterinary medicine and to become a large-animal veterinarian. Burleson grew up on a farm in Yancey County and hopes that as a veterinarian he can contribute to his community and be an asset to his fellow farmers.

“I know firsthand the joys and discomforts of an agriculture-based lifestyle and hope to someday be able to contribute, even a small amount, in making the lives of Western North Carolina’s livestock farmers a little easier,” he says.

KRISTEN E. HARTGROVE is a graduate of Southern Guilford High School and has been accepted to North Carolina State University where she will major in agronomy, with a special interest in plant disease and pest control. She plans to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and then return to her hometown to find a job as a scientist. She intends to return to school later for her doctorate degree.

“I look at my education as a way to give back to my community,” she says. “I truly love working with plants and having the prospect of helping the agricultural community as well.”

MARTIN E. McVEY is a graduate of Ashe County High School and plans to attend either Appalachian State University or North Carolina State University to pursue a career in poultry science. His early experience with agriculture and raising game birds in particular influenced his career choice.

“Game birds are very sensitive and hard to get to live. For this reason they were very challenging for me,” he says. “However, working with game birds, I have realized the importance of poultry science and would like to pursue a career in this field.”

McVey is also an FFA member and raises cows, honeybees, trees and sugarcane.

— By NCFB Intern Kristen Gossett