LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Outstanding Hereford youth were awarded numerous scholarships during the 2022 VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) Banners in the Bluegrass Awards Ceremony, in Louisville, Ky., on July 21, 2022. The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and the National Hereford Women awarded $33,000 alone at this year’s JNHE, and will award more than $200,000 in 2022 to deserving junior members to aid in their academic endeavors.

The John Wayne Memorial Endowment awards two scholarships each summer to two deserving college students who have made outstanding contributions to the agriculture industry and Hereford breed. They are awarded in remembrance of John Wayne; a legendary actor, agriculturalist and Hereford breeder.

The 2022 John Wayne Memorial $1,000 Scholarships are awarded to the following individuals.
Wesley Denton, Blue Rapids, Kan.
Lauren McMillan, Tiskilwa, Ill.

Wesley Denton
Wesley Denton is entering his junior year at Kansas State University, majoring in animal sciences and industry. He is a fourth-generation Hereford breeder on his family’s operation, Springhill Herefords, and plans to return to help manage the operation. He also wants to pursue a career within the animal protein industry either as a cattle buyer or beef merchandiser, and has started working towards these goals with an internship at Cargill Inc., this summer.

Lauren McMillan
Lauren McMillan will be a senior at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign majoring in agricultural organization and community leadership with a double minor in agribusiness and media. She has a diverse interest in different careers ranging among event planning, advertising/marketing, recruitment and sales, and is spending her summer interning with Caterpillar Distributions to learn more about the careers possible and where her dedication lies.

###

The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) was established in 1986 and is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated exclusively to scholarship and educational support of youth in the business of raising Hereford cattle. The mission of the Hereford Youth Foundation of America is to encourage, recognize and reward the development of life skills and values in the next generation of leaders by providing education, scholarship and leadership opportunities for Hereford Youth.