The University of Arkansas at Monticello Agriculture Alumni Society awarded Robert C. Kirst scholarships to Joseph Moore of Pine Bluff and Jessica Croswell of Crossett.
The two seniors earned the fall semester's scholarships of $500, according to a news release.
Moore is from Pine Bluff. He said he chose the agricultural field at UAM because he believes the field offers job stability.
"I come from a family of electricians where the work is taxing and inconsistent, so when I chose a major, I wanted to make sure that I would have a job that would consistently be there for me to provide for my family," Moore said. "Agriculture business was the best fit."
"I interned at George's Poultry in NWA this past summer, so my wife and I will be looking into a job opportunity either there or at one of the Tyson plants in Arkansas or the surrounding states," Moore said. "We are interested in applying for the managers program at George's or Tyson."
Croswell is an animal science major.
"I have always had a passion for animals," she said. "Because of that, I know that any job or career that I find in this field will be one that I will be happy with long-term. After I receive my bachelor's, I am either going for my master's degree in Equine Genetics and Reproduction, or I will find an available job near this area."
Rocky Lindsey, a UAM assistant professor and scholarship coordinator, said that "The UAM ag alumni find great joy in positively impacting students' lives because their experience at UAM positively impacted them themselves."
"The financial reward the scholarship recipients receive eases their burdens, rewards their hard work, and gives the student a firsthand perspective of how hard work and dedication pay off," Lindsey said.
The UAM Agriculture Alumni Society established the scholarship to honor Kirst, professor emeritus of agriculture, after his retirement from UAM in 1998. The scholarship is awarded to full-time students who are juniors or seniors majoring in any field of agriculture on the Monticello campus. Recipients must have and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0. The recipients must have a strong work ethic, good personality traits and excellent professional potential, according to the release.
