Lake Land College recently honored students in its agricultural programs at the 46th Annual Agriculture Banquet.
More than 600 people filled the Lake Land College Field House for the banquet, which honored outstanding agriculture students and alumni.
“I am very proud of our faculty, staff, retired faculty and students because without their hard work and success, the agriculture programs at Lake Land College would not be what they are,” said Jon Althaus, Agriculture Division Chair, as he welcomed families and friends of the agriculture students.
Throughout the evening, various groups were recognized for their outstanding efforts including: the Agriculture Transfer Club, the Agriculture Business Club, the Horticulture Club, student leaders in the agriculture division, the Livestock Judging Team and members of the Post-Secondary Agriculture Students group.
The 2016 Honored Alumnus Award went to Matt Bennett of Windsor. Bennett is a Channel Seed grain marketing consultant. He and his wife Tiffany live on the family’s centennial farm north of Windsor, where they are raising their four children. He owns and operates a 3,000-acre corn and soybean farm with his father while raising 60 head of registered Angus cows. He received an associate degree from Lake Land College, where he was a highly successful member of the Livestock Judging Team. Bennett then transferred to the University of Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. Since owning Bennett Consulting, his analysis and commentary on the grain markets appears on various TV and radio stations across the Midwest, including “AgDay” and “U.S. Farm Report.”
Matt Bennett of Windsor received the 2016 Honored Alumnus Award at the Lake Land College Agriculture Banquet. Pictured left to right are Bennett and Jon Althaus, Lake Land College Agriculture Division Chair.
“Matt represents to all students that hard work, dedication and a willingness to share time and energy can allow you to accomplish great things,” said Althaus.
Later that evening, Cody Morris, Mattoon, was recognized as the Outstanding Agriculture Student for 2015-2016 and received a $500 scholarship on behalf of Curt Rincker, former Lake Land College Agriculture Division Chair, and his family. Cody is an agriculture transfer student.
Gracia Ramp, Yates City, received the Phil Rincker Scholarship. This scholarship was named after Phil Rincker, Strasburg resident and 2006 graduate, who died in a farming accident in 2009. Rincker was an active member of the Livestock Judging Team. The $500 scholarship was contributed by his teammates, Sara Beckman, Schuyler Boyden, Blane Olson and Tucker Wood, and is an annual scholarship given to a livestock judging team member who scores the highest in the beef category to honor Phil’s memory and his love of beef cattle.
Other students recognized at the banquet were as follows:
Recognized for Agriculture Business and Supply/ Professional Custom Application were:
Kody VanDyke, High GPA and Outstanding Student
Recognized for Agriculture Production were:
Tanner Shull and Brittany Deters, High GPA
Tanner Shull, Outstanding Student
Recognized for Agriculture Power Technology were:
Colin Cole, High GPA
Derrick Verhey, Outstanding Student
Recognized for the John Deere Ag Tech program was:
Neil Rose, High GPA
Kody Shoenbeck, Outstanding Student
Recognized for the Horticulture program were:
Stephanie Bushue, High GPA and Outstanding Student
Recognized in the Agriculture Transfer program were:
Gracia Ramp, High GPA
Kayla Peterson, Outstanding Student
Lake Land College recognized its agriculture division students at the 45th Annual Agricultural Banquet. Awards are given to the students who display excellence and scholastic achievement within the agriculture programs. Pictured are award recipients, in the first row, from left: Gracia Ramp, High GPA in Ag Transfer; Brittany Deters, High GPA for Agriculture Production; Derrick Verhey, Outstanding Student for Ag Power; Kody VanDyke, High GPA and Outstanding Student for Ag Business. In the back row, from left are: Stephanie Bushue, High GPA and Outstanding Student for Horticulture; Kayla Peterson, Outstanding Student for Ag Transfer; Colin Cole, High GPA for Agriculture Power; Tanner Shull, Outstanding Student and High GPA for Ag Production; Cody Morris, Overall Outstanding Student; and Kody Shoenbeck, Outstanding Student for John Deere Tech.
