By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Applications are being accepted for the S.M. True Jr. Agricultural Scholar Award, a major scholarship offered by Texas Farm Bureau (TFB).
The $20,000 scholarship honors S.M. True Jr., a former TFB president, and his commitment to agriculture.
“The late S.M. True had a deep passion for agriculture, farmers, ranchers and rural communities,” Mia Balko, TFB director of Youth Outreach, said. “To honor his legacy, TFB established a scholarship to help one college student each year who shares the same devotion to agriculture. It is a fitting tribute to his leadership, lifelong interest in agriculture and optimistic outlook.”
Applicants must be a member of a TFB family with continuous membership for at least three years at the time of application.
Students also must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program with at least 60 hours of college credit and have declared agriculture as their major.
Applicants must submit a completed application and two letters of recommendation—one from the county Farm Bureau president and one from the dean or head of the agricultural department of the applicant’s college or university.
To receive the full amount, the recipient must continue to major in agriculture, maintain a satisfactory grade point average and maintain TFB membership for the duration of the scholarship.
Students are encouraged to apply at the end of their sophomore year for TFB’s most prestigious scholarship.
Applications for this year’s scholarship are due March 5.
Applicants must create an account and register through the MyTFB Membership portal at my.texasfarmbureau.org. Once there, navigate to “My Registration” on the left side of the screen and select the 2021 Texas Farm Bureau Collegiate Scholarship Applications from the list.
True farmed with his wife, Anna Jean, in Hale County. They raised cattle and grew cotton, wheat and feed grains. True maintained a keen interest in farm and agricultural issues until his death in 2012.
True served as TFB president from 1982 to 1993 and had a passion for improving the lives of his fellow farmers and ranchers. He believed Farm Bureau was the organization that best represented agriculture because of its grassroots orientation.
The scholarship was established by the TFB board of directors in True’s name in 2014.
Previous scholarship winners include:
2020: Madison Ainsely
2019: Conner McKinzie
2018: MaKayla Arthur
2017: Shelbi Greaves
2016: McCalley Cunningham
2015: Lauren Thompson
2014: Kaylie Walker
Get more information on the S.M. True Jr. Agricultural Scholar Award and other TFB scholarships on the Youth Opportunities page.
Contact mbalko@txfb.org with questions related to scholarships.