Southeast Produce Council Announces Vorhees Vision Scholarship Recipients
MILLEN, GA - Three children of produce industry members recently received a unique opportunity through the Southeast Produce Council (SEPC). The organization has officially announced this year's Vorhees Vision Scholarship recipients.
The Vorhees Vision Scholarship was created to reward the achievements of young individuals who demonstrate a true entrepreneurial spirit in their lives as they pursue their educational goals. A press release noted that this scholarship is named in honor of the late Terry L. Vorhees, Founder and first Executive Director of the SEPC. Because of his vision and efforts, the SEPC became and remains one of the best resources in the produce industry.
All SEPC Scholarships are awarded to applicants who meet the application criteria of having a parent or grandparent who is a corporate member in good standing with the SEPC. This means they have been on the SEPC membership roster for at least 12 months and have personally attended at least one SEPC event within that time.
SEPC’s Vorhees Vision Scholarship 1st place recipient will receive a one-time scholarship of $10,000 to their enrolling college/university. The 2nd place recipient will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the 3rd place recipient will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
The 2024 Vorhees Vision Scholarship recipients are as follows:
- 1st Place – Avery White, daughter of Johnny and Melanie White, Shuman Farms
- 2nd Place – Kaylee Nelsen, daughter of Sean Nelsen, Fowler Packing
- 3rd Place – Emma Jackson, daughter of Rob Jackson, Red Sun Farms™
Applicants must be either graduating high school seniors or enrolled as college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors and must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Other selection factors include letters of recommendation from high school and/or college staff, clergy, community leaders, etc., SAT or ACT scores, leadership and community service involvement, and the quality of their essays.
With the 2024 essay topic, SEPC celebrated The Unseen Heroes—individuals who serve our industry by plowing fields, harvesting crops, sorting produce, loading trucks, stocking shelves, and prepping meals. The prompt asked students how they have witnessed the unseen side of the produce industry and what they learned from this.
Congratulations to the recipients!
