Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191, rd-burns@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION — Six graduate and undergraduate students in the Texas A&M University biological and agricultural engineering department were recently awarded Peary Wilemon-National Cotton Ginners’ scholarships.
All the awardees are from Texas, and received from $500 to $1,000 each, according to Dr. Calvin B. Parnell Jr., regents professor in the department.
The scholarship winners, their hometowns and field of study are:
— Jordan Grier, Grand Saline, recently completed his master’s in agricultural systems management. He will begin work as assistant manager at Oasis Gin and Cotton warehouse in Seminole, beginning Aug. 1.
— Daniel Luehrs, Corpus Christi, also recently completed his master’s in agricultural systems management and is employed at EdCot Co-op Gin in Odem.
— Walter Oosthuizen, Lampasas, who recently started work toward a master’s in biological and agricultural engineering.
— Demi Dean, Conroe, who recently received her bachelor’s in agricultural systems management and plans to attend law school in the fall.
— David Arthur, Ralls, an undergraduate biological and agricultural engineering student who will graduate in 2015.
— Zackary Skrabanek, Holland, a student in agricultural systems management, who will be graduating in 2015.
The Peary Wilemon-National Cotton Ginners’ Scholarship Foundation scholarships are awarded to students who are interested in joining the cotton ginning industry, Parnell said.
“By furthering these students education, they develop a partnership with each university and work towards more research for the gin industry and what types of research will be necessary,” according to award documentation.
Peary Wilemon was a long-time agricultural and civic leader from the Maypearl in Central Texas, Parnell said. Wilemon left college to take over his family’s cotton farming and ginning operation in 1928 and for many years led the cotton industry in technological advances to improve ginning efficiency and fiber quality.
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