Missouri's Cattlemen Foundation Scholarships

Since 1997, Missouri's Cattlemen Foundation has awarded over 815 scholarships worth a total of $801,500. The scholarship program is open to graduating high school seniors and current college students. Scholarships are awarded at the MCA Annual Convention & Trade Show in January.

2024 Scholarship Guidelines

1. Applicant must be a Missouri resident and a current paid member of the Missouri Junior Cattlemen's Association, or the parent/legal guardian must be a current paid member of the Missouri Cattlemen's Association.
2. Applicant must submit three letters of recommendation.  One letter must be from a current Missouri Cattleman's Association member.  Please upload letters online.
3. Applicant must not have previously received a full ($1,000 or above) Missouri's Cattlemen Foundation Scholarship.
4. Applicant must be a high school senior or a full-time college student and have a GPA of 2.5/4.0 or better. Applicant must have been a full-time student (high school or college) the previous year and not have reached their 23rd birthday by January 1, 2022.  Emphasis will be given to these degree programs: Agribusiness Management, Agriculture Economics, Agriculture Education, Agriculture Journalism, Agriculture Systems Management, Animal Science, General Agriculture, Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition and Plant Science.
5. Applicant must submit, with the application, the most recent available high school or college transcript to Missouri's Cattlemen Foundation for proof of grade point average and enrollment. 
6. Applicant must demonstrate leadership potential through extracurricular activities and work experiences.
7. Preference may be given to students who plan to/are attending Missouri colleges and universities. Preference will also be given to those who need financial assistance.  
8. Missouri’s Cattlemen Foundation Scholarship Committee will review applications and all applicants will be notified regarding the committee’s decision by mail on or before November 30, 2024.  Scholarship recipients will be honored during the Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show on January 17-18, 2025, in Osage Beach, Missouri.
9. Upon completion of judging the applications, the top five applicants will be selected for an interview. The interview will be held during the Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show. During the interview, the panel of judges will select the overall recipient to receive an additional $2,000 and the reserve recipient to receive an additional $1,000.
10. Unless otherwise noted, all Missouri’s Cattlemen Foundation scholarships will be $1,000.  
11. Scholarships will be payable during the calendar year 2025.  To redeem scholarship, recipients must provide Missouri’s Cattlemen Foundation with proof of college enrollment.  Funds for scholarships will be sent directly to the recipients’ institutions. In the event a recipient does not use all of the funding, the unused portion shall be returned to Missouri's Cattlemen Foundation.  
12. All scholarship donor agreements presented to the MCF for approval must be consistent with the mission and policy of MCF.  The MCF board may grant exceptions to these overall guidelines.

Note to applicants:  

• Please use the original form provided on the website
• Use only the space provided.  No additional pages should be added, except where specified (i.e. essay, transcript).  Resumes and/or extra pages will not be forwarded to the judges.  
• Applications will be scored using the following point system:  Communication - 10 points; Leadership - 20 points; Community Involvement - 15 points; Agricultural Involvement - 20 points; Scholastic/Academic - 10 points; Financial Need - 5 points; Cattlemen’s Association Involvement - 5 points; Work History - 5 points; and General Impression - 10 points.