EAST LANSING, Mich. -- For 53 years, the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation has been helping Michigan State University students fund their education.
This year, the foundation has added yet another endowed scholarship for students pursuing a career in the dairy industry. The John and Barbara Dilland Michigan Dairy Memorial Scholarship will benefit sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in the field of agribusiness management in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU.
The Michigan Milk Producers Association recently established the scholarship in the name of John Dilland and his wife, Barbara, through the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation in recognition of John Dilland's retirement from MMPA.
"The MMPA Board of Directors made this tribute to recognize John's 35 years of service to MMPA and the strong business management skills that he used to help shape MMPA into the successful dairy cooperative it is today," said Ken Nobis, MMPA president. "This contribution also recognizes John's desire to provide educational opportunities to students pursuing careers in agribusiness management."
Dilland is a former controller, director of finance and general manager for MMPA. Besides his involvement in MMPA, he has served in leadership capacities on several national organizations including the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, the National Milk Producers Federation and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. In Michigan, he served on the board of directors for the Michigan FFA Foundation and the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation.
The Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation awards nearly $100,000 annually to students. It is the largest scholarship fund in the CANR and is funded primarily through gifts from individuals and organizations representing the Michigan dairy industry.
For more information on the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation, visit http://www.ans.msu.edu/academics/undergrad/dairy_memorial/index.html.
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