The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), Madison, Wis., announced the names of its 2019 scholarship recipients.  Each year, WCMA shows its support for the dairy industry’s next generation of leaders through scholarship awards worth a total of $15,000.

“WCMA is honored to invest a portion of the proceedings from our Championship Cheese Auctions to offer five scholarships to students destined to be among the next generation of dairy leaders,” said John Umhoefer, WCMA’s executive director.

Dairy processors and their family members are eligible for the WCMA Myron P. “Mike” Dean Cheese Industry Student Scholarship, the association said.  Over 23 years, WCMA has awarded these $3,000 scholarships to 40 students.  Winners of the 2019 Mike Dean Scholarships, WCMA said, include:

  • Chris Eckerman, a product development specialist at Agropur in Appleton, Wis., who is pursuing a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and maintains a 4.0 grade point average. A licensed cheesemaker and cheese grader, Chris is expanding his business skills to enhance his career within Agropur.
  • Emily Franke, a dairy science student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison who is active in Association of Women in Agriculture, Badger Dairy Club and Collegiate Dairy Judging. Her father, Scott Franke, is employed at Grande Cheese Co., and this summer, she will serve as a milk marketing intern at Grande.

Suppliers to the dairy industry and their family members have earned the WCMA Supplier Student Scholarship since 1999.  This year, the 49th, 50th and 51st winners include the following students, WCMA said:

  • Morgyn Haumschild, a high school senior who is set to attend the University of Wisconsin - Rivers Falls this fall to study dairy science. She is a member of 4-H, Future Farmers of America and the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association and earned a grade point average of 3.967. Her mother, Laura Haumschild, is an employee of Roehl Transport in Marshfield, Wis. 
  • Paul VanderKelen, a six-year employee of HART Design and Manufacturing Inc. in Green Bay, Wis., who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering with a grade point average of 3.935.  He plans to continue working for HART following his graduation in May 2020.
  • JunHyuk Yoon, an intern at Excel Engineering in Milwaukee who is attending the Milwaukee School of Engineering to earn a degree in architectural engineering. He is on the Dean’s List and is set to graduate in May 2020.

This year’s Champion Cheese Auction supporting WCMA scholarships will take place on Wednesday, April 17 at the 2019 Cheese Industry Conference, during the Chr. Hansen Reception, beginning at 5:00 p.m.  All are welcome at the auction, WMCA said, and more details are available at CheeseConference.org.