Millen, GA – The Southeast Produce Council has announced this year’s SEPC 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. This scholarship is named in honor of the late Terry L. Vorhees, founder and first Executive Director of the Southeast Produce Council. Because of his vision and efforts, the Southeast Produce Council became and remains one of the best resources in the produce industry today.
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, which means they have been on the SEPC membership roster for at least 12 months and have personally attended at least one SEPC event within the last 12 months.
SEPC’s Vorhees Vision Scholarship 1st place recipient will receive a one-time scholarship of $7,500 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.
Congratulations to our 2023 Vorhees Vision Scholarship recipients:
1st Place – Bryan Biederman, son of Bryan Biederman of Scotlynn Sweet Pac Growers
2nd Place – Brian Dunleavy, son of Kevin Dunleavy of Super Marketing Promotions
3rd Place – Brittany St George, daughter of Kimberly St George of Dole Food Company
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 essay.
This year’s essay topic: The numerous grocery shortages we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic gave us just a small taste of the problems that can arise in our society as a result of food insecurity. If we intend to feed the world in the generations to come, now is the time to start thinking about how to build a more sustainable future. Where do you feel the produce industry should focus its efforts in pursuit of this goal? What specific actions, strategies, and/or innovations would you suggest putting in place to cultivate and distribute the world’s food supply more effectively in order to move toward a more sustainable tomorrow?
For more information on the Southeast Produce Council’s scholarship programs, events, and how to get involved, visit www.seproducecouncil.com.
