Farm Credit Announces 2023 MANRRS VIP Scholarship Winners

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Farm Credit and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) announce the 2023 Farm Credit VIP Scholars.

This competitive academic scholarship provides special programming for outstanding MANRRS students with an expressed interest in Farm Credit. Scholarship recipients each receive a $1,000 academic scholarship, the opportunity to participate in the Farm Credit VIP track of the 2023 National MANRRS Conference, and $1,500 in travel compensation to attend the MANRRS Conference.  

The VIP track provides scholars with meaningful interactions with Farm Credit leadership and exposes students to information about Farm Credit careers in fields including finance, credit, capital markets, informational technology, marketing, etc. Students benefit from leadership development and training to better prepare them to find and succeed in careers within agriculture. 

The 2023 VIP Scholars are as follows: 

Lucero Macias-Torres - University of California, Davis

Catherine Fremaux - North Carolina State University

Dacia Ringo - Tennessee State University

Aria McElroy - Tennessee State University 

Faith Twinamaani - University of Florida 

Olivia Holliman - Tuskegee University 

Phil Angelo Estrada - Tuskegee University

Gillian Boggs - University of Arizona

William Eager - Colorado State University 

Kristine Schoenecker - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Drew Parker - Purdue University 

Gabrielle Moore - Rutgers University 

Ja'Quan Battle - North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University

Cherise Davis - Prairie View A&M University 

Ryan Bake - Utah State University

Troy Pippen - North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University

Christian Miller - Fort Valley State University

Zenzele Asante - Kansas State University 

Madison Dains - University of Arkansas

Emilio Naranjo - Modesto Junior College

Hariharan Thirumalai - Purdue University

Zarria Smith - Alcorn State University 

Marisol Olivas - New Mexico State University 

Blake Wright - Tennessee State University

Emery Minor - Tennessee State University

About Farm Credit: Farm Credit supports rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow. It has been fulfilling its mission of helping rural America grow and thrive for more than a century with the capital necessary to make businesses successful and by financing vital infrastructure and communication services.

About Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Science (MANRRS): Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, MANRRS promotes academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences. It is our goal to provide the student members (junior high school through doctoral programs) of our organization with the support to become productive citizens by engaging them in leadership development activities, educational opportunities, job readiness training, and facilitating internship placement and permanent employment, with special emphasis on agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. MANRRS encourages and promotes Agriculture, Natural Resources, and related STEM programs in an effort to interest and attract underrepresented students and professionals into pursuing educational and career opportunities in these respective areas.