Scholarship

Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association

TAIA brings members from the irrigation industry, research, education and production agriculture together to work toward water conservation and improved profitability in irrigated agriculture.

Scholarship

The Dick Laursen Memorial Scholarship was created in honor of Dick Laursen, a life-long irrigation specialist. Dick was born in 1942 into a Nebraska ranching/farming family. He began his career as a purchasing agent for a pivot manufacturer; then moving on to Rain Bird Ag before partnering to open SWISH, Inc., an irrigation company. With his partners, Dick spent the rest of his life building SWISH, until his death in 1998.
TAIA will award scholarships based on the applicant’s qualifications. Scholarships will be available to registered, full-time students either entering college or continuing a college education. Graduate students are also eligible. A recommendation from a TAIA member would be beneficial but is not mandatory. Scholarship funds will be given to the student's selected college to use towards enrollment expenses.

The scholarship committee will start taking applications October 1, 2012. The deadline for the 2013 scholarship will be March 1, 2013.

For Fed-Ex deliveries please send to the following address:

Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association
c/o Kern Stutler
6028 79th Street
Lubbock, TX 79424

Qualifications:

An agriculture major

Attend a Texas university or college

Full-time student (12+ hours)
Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA, reporting GPA at end of each semester
1000 minimum word essay with application
Not required to be a Texas resident
$500 per semester / $4000 total maximum / 4 year maximum
Funds sent to attending school first semester; from then on GPA and enrollment must be verified by a scholarship committee

The 2013 Scholarship Application in PDF format may be downloaded by clicking on this link:

ARTICLE X – Special Programs & Finances Section 1.

Scholarships: There shall be a separate bank account designated for scholarships. The board of directors will develop a scholarship policy and application. The board will determine annually the amount of money to transfer from the general fund into the scholarship account. Additional money contributed specifically for scholarships shall be placed in the scholarship account.

The Board of Directors shall appoint a scholarship committee chair at each annual meeting. The committee chair will select a minimum of two additional TAIA members to serve on the scholarship committee. The scholarship committee will determine the recipient of each scholarship awarded based on the scholarship application and policy.