The National Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA) Scholarship Committee has awarded $1,000 scholarships to 18 high school seniors and college students. These recipients were chosen for their strong academic records, leadership in school and community activities, and insightful answers to questions about Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) programs and career goals.
To be eligible for a National DHIA scholarship, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria: they must be a family member or employee of a herd enrolled in DHI testing, a family member of a DHI employee, or an employee of a DHI affiliate. Additionally, the affiliated herd or employee must be a National DHIA member.
This year’s scholarship recipients are:
- Lillian Agueda (Hickman, Calif.) – Parents: Tony and Diane Agueda
- Jon Chapman (Turlock, Calif.) – Parents: Katherine Teixeira and Jon Chapman
- Claudia Frenchick (St. Martin, Minn.) – Parent: Amanda Frenchick
- Alexis Hoefs (New Prague, Minn.) – Parents: Jim and Lisa Hoefs
- Blake Jauquet (Luxemburg, Wis.) – Parents: David and Stacy Jauquet
- Katie Ketchum (Altura, Minn.) – Parents: Mike and Mary Ketchum
- Sam Miller (Viola, Wis.) – Parents: Kathryn and Stuart Miller
- Jacob Mitchell (Freeport, Ill.) – Parents: Matthew and Stephanie Mitchell
- Ainsley Noble (Lancaster, Wis.) – Parents: Troy and Jaime Noble
- Annabelle Pronschinske (Rollingstone, Minn.) – Parents: Kim and Kimberly Pronschinske
- Abigail Roskom (Lena, Wis.) – Parents: Scott and Jackie Roskom
- Liviya Russo (Lunenburg, Vt.) – Parents: Samantha and Stephen Russo
- Ella Saal (West Salem, Ohio) – Parents: Mark and Carolyn Saal
- Alexis Schultz (Marion, N.Y.) – Parents: Shane and Shandele Schultz
- Sophie Stelling (Millville, Minn.) – Parents: Brent and Tricia Stelling
- Jellie Waterlander (Pine River, Wis.) – Parents: Harmen and Edna Waterlander
- Connor Weltzien (Arcadia, Wis.) – Parents: Keith and Karen Weltzien
- Matthew Winch (Fennimore, Wis.) – Parents: Peter and Christina Winch
For the 17th consecutive year, the National DHIA paid tribute to Joe Drexler’s legacy by awarding scholarships in his name. Drexler was a dedicated contributor to NorthStar Cooperative DHI Services, now known as CentralStar Cooperative Inc. This year, the Joe Drexler scholarships were awarded to Blake Jauquet, Abigail Roskom, and Jellie Waterlander. The Drexler scholarship fund, established through donations from NorthStar members, employees, family, and friends, has raised nearly $10,000.
The National DHIA Scholarship Program is funded primarily through proceeds from the annual scholarship auction, along with investments and private donations. To support the National DHIA Scholarship Fund, contact Leslie Thoman at 608-848-6455 ext. 108 or via email at lthoman@dhia.org.
Looking ahead, the 2026 National DHIA Scholarship application will be available starting July 1, 2025, on the organization’s website (www.dhia.org/scholarship.asp). Applications are due by October 31, 2025.
The National DHIA remains committed to serving the dairy industry by ensuring the integrity of dairy records and advancing information systems for the benefit of its members and the broader dairy community.
