By Justin Goulet

Rotary Club of Lethbridge East celebrates 2024 agricultural scholarship winners

Mar 13, 2024 | 1:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East celebrated three young women as recipients of the 2024 Agricultural Scholarships.

The program celebrated its sixth anniversary with a gala dinner and reception on Thursday, March 7, 2024. For the second year in a row, the recipients of the prize were all women.

The annual initiative awards three $10,000 scholarships to post-secondary undergraduate agriculture students from southern Alberta.

READ MORE: Application deadline approaching for Rotary Club of Lethbridge East agricultural scholarship

This year, the recipients were Carmen White, Lyndsey Peltzer and Tanessa Morris.

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CARMEN WHITE

White is currently in her third year at the University of Guelph (U of G). The honours student is studying Food and Agricultural Resource Economics with a minor in marketing.

On being celebrated at the Thursday night gala, White said she was “grateful that a lot of the community is here to support us and be with us on this really special night.”

White boasts nearly a decade of experience with the Claresholm 4-H Beef club and continues to advocate for teamwork while in school. In the fall of 2022, she guided 45 fellow agriculture students on a five-day beef industry tour that she planned in southern Alberta.

She also resurrected the U of G’s livestock judging team and has since planned and completed three trips to compete against other colleges and universities.

White is the current co-president of Guelph’s Canadian Agri Marketing Association team.

LYNDSEY PELTZER

Peltzer said it was a special feeling receiving the scholarship and “being able to know I’m a good leader in agriculture.”

She said, “It’s amazing. I have so much pride and I’m so happy and grateful for everything.”

She grew up on a mixed commercial cow/calf and irrigated grain operation near Duchess, Alberta. Her growing passion in agriculture led to a commitment to her local 4-H program and teaching others about the sector.

Peltzer currently studies at the University of Saskatchewan, in her third year of pursuing a BSc (Bachelor of Science degree) in Agriculture and majoring in Animal Science.

After completing her degree, Peltzer said she plans to attend the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine program to embark on a career in large animal health.

TANESSA MORRIS

After receiving her scholarship, Morris said, “It feels absolutely incredible.”

“I am absolutely inspired by this event and seeing how much pride agriculture brings this community and I want to be a part of that in pushing agriculture forward to become a part of this incredibly supportive community here.”

Morris started her post-secondary studies at the University of Lethbridge, later transferring to the University of Montana when she was recruited for the Griz Track and Field team.

In 2022, she graduated summa cum laude with a BSc in Geosciences and BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Anthropology. For her final year of NCAA Division 1 eligibility, Morris was recruited by the University of Nebraska Huskers. There, she is completing her MS (Master of Science) in Hydrogeophysics.

She shines in the classroom and in the world of athletics. Morris is a two-time Big Sky Champion and the reigning Big 10 champion in women’s hammer throw. The southern Albertan volunteers her time with younger throwers, coaching at track and field camps and providing science presentations in local schools.

This fall, Morris will return home to southern Alberta and start work on her PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in hydrogeology at the University of Calgary. The young woman from Patricia, Alberta hopes to someday be the voice of agriculture in hydrological consulting.

Thursday night’s gala also included a live auction, 50-50 draw and a keynote speech from Dr. Caroline Brookfield.

In total, $140,000 in scholarships have been awarded since the program started in 2019.

More details on the scholarship program and the work of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East are available at the club website.