By Jennifer Boyd

Three students from Texas Tech University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) were awarded the Howard Alford Memorial Scholarship this year. Plains Cotton Cooperative Association (PCCA) endowed the Alford scholarship in 1974 in remembrance of its former chairman.

Chelsey Miller

Chelsey Miller, a freshman agricultural communications major from Tahoka, Texas, Shawna Thomas, a freshman animal science major from Lubbock, and Tanner Holder, a freshman agricultural economics and general business major from Childress, Texas, received the scholarships.

Shawna Thomas

Each year, the CASNR scholarship committee chooses the recipients. The committee is comprised of a representative from the dean’s office and each of the six departments within the college. Students who receive the scholarship must have a good grade point average and have an interest in the cotton industry.

Tanner Holder

“I’m thankful for receiving this scholarship because it is allowing me to do something I have always wanted to do,” Miller said. She plans to be a sales representative for a chemical company and hopes to be a “great communicator” for her industry. Miller has a strong agricultural background and family interest in cotton farming.

“It (the scholarship) has really helped my family because I have two younger and two older siblings,” Thomas said. “My parents have already paid for two college educations, and after me they will have two more.” Thomas is a member of the Texas Tech Pom Squad and plans to attend veterinary school after graduation.

“This scholarship helped me by letting my main focus be my education instead of working to pay for it,” Holder said. “Growing up, I spent time working on my family’s farm.” Although his family members are not cotton farmers, Holder said he is interested in the industry.