PULLMAN – Seven WSU students majoring in organic agriculture have been selected as the first recipients of the Pacific Natural Foods Organic Agriculture Scholarship, the first scholarship dedicated to the new organic agriculture systems major at the university.
Haly L. Ingle, a sophomore from Waitsburg; Karly Marie Kercheval and Mark W. Knue, both juniors from Mount Vernon; Amanda S. Zwainz, a sophomore from Reardon; William M. Hollingbery, a junior from Wapato; Harold Isaac Jahns, a sophomore from Othello; and Emily Anne Rude, a freshman from Seattle, each received scholarships awards of just over $1,400.
The scholarships were made possible by a $10,000 donation from Pacific Natural Foods to WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences in 2006. The Tualatin, Ore., firm manufactures natural foods sold nationwide in mainstream grocery and natural food stores.
“This is the first donation specifically for scholarships in the new organic agriculture systems undergraduate major,” said Cathy Perillo, coordinator of WSU’s bachelor’s of science in agricultural and food systems degree program in which the organic agriculture major is housed.
“We are grateful for the support that Pacific Natural Foods is providing our students,” she added. “It is a nice example of industry support and connection to the program.”
The Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board authorized the nation’s first organic major at WSU last May.
