Pictured above left to right: Kellam Nabers, Scotta Faulkenberry and Greg Salazar

After an amazing 75th Anniversary celebration, Rodeo Austin is proud to award $453,000 in scholarships to Texas students this summer. A total of forty-four deserving students will receive a Rodeo Austin scholarship ranging in amount from $5,000 to $16,000. Students receiving a Rodeo Austin scholarship are selected by their university or foundation based on financial need, academic performance and community involvement.

On Thursday, July 12th Rodeo Austin attended the 84th Texas FFA Convention in Corpus Christi. The Texas FFA Foundation seeks to strengthen agricultural education and the Texas FFA program, so each student can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace. During the scholarship presentation, Rodeo Austin awarded three $16,000 scholarships to FFA students: Scotta Faulkenberry, Kellam Nabers and Greg Salazar.

Scotta Faulkenberry, a native of Stephenville, Texas, will attend Clarendon College in the fall and plans to major in Agricultural Economics and Applied Economics. During her senior year of high school, Scotta and her younger sister teamed up for the FFA AgriScience Fair and won first place at the state level for the their project discussing legume nutrition and cattle.

Originally from Blanco, Texas, Kellam Nabers plans to study Agricultural Communications and Journalism at Texas A&M University in College Station. He enjoys working with children and hopes to further promote the importance of agriculture through his educational and professional careers.

A student from Throckmorton, Texas, with a graduating class of merely eighteen, Greg Salazar will study Wildlife Biology at West Texas A&M University. He started working at R.A. Brown Ranch of Throckmorton, which raises Quarter Horses and breed cattle, and is strongly inspired by Texas nature. When asked about his academic plans Greg says, “I want to study Wildlife Biology so I can help preserve the natural wildlife for the next generation so they can enjoy it just as much as I do.”

Additionally, on Monday, June 11th, Rodeo Austin awarded three $16,000 scholarships to 4-H students at the 4-H Scholarship Presentation Ceremony hosted at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Courtney Moore of Coleman, Texas will attend Baylor University, Dava Smetana of Eola, Texas plans to study at Texas A&M University and Amanda Weaver from Center Point, Texas is set to go to Angelo State University.

In August, Rodeo Austin will round out the summer of giving with the Scholarship Awards Ceremony on Thursday, August 9th at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. During the ceremony, the organization will present all forty-four students, including the three 4-H students and three FFA students mentioned in this release, with scholarships totaling a record $453,000. The public is welcome to attend this momentous occasion alongside the Rodeo Austin Board of Directors, volunteers and past scholarship recipients. The scholarship recipients will arrive by 4:00 p.m. and will be available for media interviews starting at that time. Presentation of the scholarships will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.

The Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, contributes more than $2 million annually to the youth of Texas with the help of over 2,000 volunteers, donors and sponsors. Through its acclaimed Livestock Show, Fair, Rodeo and other fundraisers, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo continues to work towards the advancement of its mission, Promoting Youth Education – Preserving Western Heritage. While delivering superior entertainment and boasting an economic impact that exceeds $68 million annually, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo is an established community tradition founded in 1938. Staying true to the official sport of Texas, Austin is home to the world’s 5th largest indoor, regular season ProRodeo known as Rodeo Austin. For more information visit www.RodeoAustin.com.