Scholarships

Sponsor Plant: Dewig Meats, Haubstadt, IN

My name is Sarah Jade Dewig and I am 19 years old. I am part of the 4th generation of Dewigs at Dewig Meats in Haubstadt, IN, where I was born and raised. As I was growing up, I spent a lot of time running around our plant, playing in the creek out back, and sitting with my mom and grandma doings arts and crafts at their desks. I grew up going to the IMPPA conventions, which I always called “meat conventions”, and thought of my family as celebrities whenever they won awards. The older I got the more I started to appreciate the work and dedication I saw my whole family putting into this business and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.

I graduated from Gibson Southern High School in 2020 with an Honors Diploma. Trying to finish my senior year while helping my family navigate the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic was not easy. However, seeing how much our community needed and supported us during that time made me proud to be a part of the Dewig family and the Meat Packing Industry as a whole. I was even more inspired than before to further my education and help grow our business. I am currently in my second year of college studying Business and Visual Design at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville, IN while also working and learning the business firsthand.

In the future I hope to run the business alongside my brothers, Austin and Logan, my parents, aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents
-Jade Dewig

Jade has been a much welcome addition to our office and retail staff. Her current duties assisting her Mother, Karen in retail sales, inventory, social media, accounts receivable, accounts payable, customer service among many other activities has been much appreciated. We will be glad for Jade to finish her education and come back to work full time in our family owned and operated business where I’m sure she will succeed.
-Darla Kiesel

Sponsor Plant: Gettinger Meats, Rushville, IN

My name is Taylor Pinkerton and I am currently a sophomore at Purdue University in West Lafayette. I am majoring in Agriculture Sales and Marketing and am planning on pursuing a career within the agriculture industry following graduation. I am so grateful for the experiences I gained working with Gettinger Family Custom Meats this past summer and am extremely thankful for the IMPPA’s scholarship to continue my education.
-Taylor Pinkerton

It’s great to see young people wanting to pursue a career in agriculture and to have interest in the meat industry. Taylor is a great young lady and will be successful at whatever career she pursues after college. It’s wonderful to see the IMPPA helping out and getting more people involved in the meat industry.
-Sam Gettinger

Sponsor Plant: The Butcher Block, Lowell, IN

Thank you so much to IMPPA and their sponsors for this scholarship and the amazing opportunity! I am currently a sophomore at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond studying Elementary Education with a specialization in reading. This scholarship will help me further my education at Purdue and allow me to take more classes than anticipated so I can graduate sooner! This scholarship will also help me fund my participation in PNW's chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) this semester.

Sponsor Plant: Merkley & Sons, Jasper, IN

As a recipient of the Indiana Meat Packers Scholarship I wanted to thank you for helping make my college education possible. Your generous gift of $1,000 will help pay for my tuition fees and book rental for the upcoming academic year. Your generosity will help make my dream of becoming a veterinarian possible.

I would like to share with you a little more about myself. I grew up in Jasper Indiana where I first got my animal experience with all my pets I owned. I became a part of 4-H, where I was a 10-year member, showing rabbits and taking projects like basket weaving. Now I am at Purdue majoring in Animal Sciences with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Medicine. Purdue offers a great variety of programs to students that I am able to take advantage of through scholarships like this one. I plan to continue my education by applying to vet school to obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, then to open my own mixed animal practice in Southern Indiana.

Once again, I want to thank you for your scholarship donation. Your generosity has made it possible for me to receive a quality education, participate in clubs and leadership opportunities, and make lifelong connections. I understand that without the generous efforts from people like you, a college education could not be made possible for students like myself.

Sponsor Plant: Sander Processing, Celestine, IN

Thank you so much Indiana Meat Packers for this scholarship. I am currently in my sophomore year at Ball State University studying Geography with a concentration in Travel and Tourism and a minor in Hospitality Management. This scholarship will go towards my tuition to help me as I am working towards my degree. I am very appreciative of this award and your generosity.

Sponsor Plant: Fisher Packing, Portland, IN
Hello Indiana Meat Packers! I cannot thank the Indiana Meat Packers enough for their generosity. This scholarship will help me tremendously in my pursuit of a good education. I am majoring in Computer Science at Purdue University right now, and it has already proven to be difficult. Student debt is no joke these days, and it is a serious financial obstacle that many have to face. This scholarship will allow me to focus more on becoming the best computer scientist I can be and less on my future financial burdens. I again would like to extend my appreciation for the Indiana Meat Packers! It means a lot to me! God bless!

Sponsor Plant: Merkley & Sons, Jasper, IN

Haley is the 19-year-old daughter of Julie and Terry Schroeder. Her father, Terry has been an employee of Merkley & Sons for over 40 years.  She is from Jasper, Indiana where she attended Jasper High School. Haley is currently attending Western Kentucky University. She was on the JHS Golf Team, Student Council, National Honor Society, Honor Roll, Prom Committee, Baseball Batgirl, Hoosier All-State Delegate, Peer Mentors, NCCA Student Advisory Committee, Spanish Club, FCA, SADD, Key Club and a Memorial Hospital Volunteer. Haley has always had an empathy and compassion in helping others, and that is why she chose nursing as her major. In her spare time, she is involved in various philanthropy activities that support awareness in Child Abuse Prevention, Arthritis Foundation, Speech and Hearing Impaired, and Wounded Warrior Project to name a few. She enjoys being busy and loves spending time with her family when she is home.

Sponsor Plant: Manley Meats, Decatur, IN

Lakeisha is a full-time student at Ivy Tech Community College. She plans on graduating in December with her associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. She then plans on transferring to Trine University to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in psychology. Afterwards she plans to possibly go on to earn her Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Lakeisha is not sure what exact career she wants to follow after completing school, but she is very passionate about both criminal justice and psychology, and because there is such a stigma surrounding mental illness in the criminal justice system, she hopes to one day help end the stigma and provide both offenders and law enforcement with the help and resources they need.