SDSU student Grace Sargent receives Central Plains Dairy Foundation scholarship

Article and photo courtesy of Central Plains Dairy Foundation.

New Prague, MN (March 29, 2024) – The Central Plains Dairy Foundation (CPDF) awarded its $500 Tonneson Scholarship to Grace Sargent from Pierre, S.D., who is a sophomore studying agricultural communications and agricultural leadership at South Dakota State University (SDSU). Annually, this scholarship goes to a student who has successfully completed at least one semester enrolled in a post-secondary college or university, pursuing a degree in agriculture with emphasis in ag communication and/or leadership. Preference is given to applicants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Sargent interned with the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA), a policy advocacy group for cattle producers. “After interning with SDCA, my love for agricultural policy grew even more,” she stated. “Hearing the perspectives of producers and their concerns about government policies has inspired me to continue to pursue the field of communications and leadership. I want to increase my skill set to be an advocate and leader for agriculture in the political setting.”

During her first semester at SDSU, Sargent made the Dean’s List. In high school, she belonged to National Honor Society and was named to the Big Dakota All-Conference Volleyball Team. Additionally, she served as the 2023 legislative page keynote speaker for Family Voice’s Day at the Capitol and keynote speaker at 2022 South Dakota American Legion Auxiliary Girls State.

Besides outstanding academic achievements, Sargent actively participates in extracurricular activities, including Collegiate 4-H, Navigators, InterVarsity and Pheasants Forever. Furthermore, she serves as the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow secretary, SDSU Republicans vice president and Little International Livestock Expo catalog committee.

As a volunteer, Sargent expresses her passion for agriculture and serving others by training lead therapy horses for veterans at The Ranch Ministries. Also, she volunteers at her church as a pianist and nursery worker, lobbies during legislative sessions for bills concerning agriculture and family, and serves as a cabin leader at Victory Center Bible Camp.

The Central Plains Dairy Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 organization committed to serving the dairy industry in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. CPDF believes in investing in the people of dairy and supporting proactive programming across the region, driving innovation and progress in the dairy industry.