New MSU scholarship supports agriculture students
Morehead State's Department of Agricultural Sciences continues to produce successful graduates in several agriculture-related fields. Now, it has a generous donation to make that experience more affordable.
The Morehead State University Foundation is proud to announce the creation of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Scholarship Endowment, a new fund designed to support the next generation of agriculture leaders.
This endowment was made possible through a generous gift from the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative. Established in 1922, the BTGCA is a marketing cooperative for Burley tobacco farmers in Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri. From the 1940s to 2005, the BTGCA played a vital role in administering the federal tobacco loan program, along with representing growers in regulatory and industry matters, and promoting the economic importance of tobacco and other farming. Throughout its history, BTGCA bought and sold hundreds of millions of pounds of burley tobacco, and, at its peak, had over 190,000 members.
In 2020, the BTGCA began the process of dissolution. Still, during this transition, the Cooperative's leadership and members expressed a desire to ensure that the legacy of Kentucky agriculture and the values of stewardship, innovation, and education would endure.
As one of its final acts, the BTGCA has funded the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Scholarship Endowment to support students pursuing agricultural studies. This gift reflects the Association's enduring commitment to the future of farming and rural communities.
Recipient selection criteria include being a full-time undergraduate student at MSU majoring in an agriculture program while being in good academic standing with the University. The deadline to apply for the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Scholarship Endowment is Monday, June 15.
For more information about the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Scholarship Endowment or other scholarship endowments, contact the Office of Alumni Relations & Development at alumni@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2033.
