Future generations of the agriculture industry were celebrated in Lethbridge this week.
The Rotary Club of Lethbridge East held its eighth annual Agricultural Scholarship Awards Dinner at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel and Conference Centre on Thursday night.
Liam Sjodin, Karl Petker, and Julia Rawleigh each received a $10,000 scholarship from the Rotary Club, to help with their agricultural studies and careers in the industry.
LIAM SJODIN
Liam Sjodin grew up in Brooks and entered his local 4-H beef club when he was 11 years old. Since then, his passion for the industry has continued to grow.
Sjodin is currently in his fourth year of Animal Science at the University of Saskatchewan and was recently accepted for M.Sc. studies in the fall.
He said receiving the scholarship fills him with a sense of pride.
“It just means the world because after years of hard work, people are actually rewarding us for it, and it’s nice to know people are supporting us,” Sjodin stated on Thursday night.
The southern Albertan said his prior experience working hands-on at the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine Faculty doing research with dolphin and union caribou and herd traceability in Nunavut has proven helpful for his career goals.
“I want to be a food animal production veterinarian, so I plan to kind of plant myself right back in southern Alberta,” Sjodin said. “Through my studies, I’ve kind of broadened my scope more and I’ve really liked working with poultry and dairy animals. [I don’t have] a whole bunch of experience with swine but I’ve always grown up with beef, cows, so that’s kind of my goal – is working with production animals.”
He has also worked for a veterinarian on his cow-calf and custom feeding operation as a ranch hand, and has experience working with Bow Valley Genetics, a bovine reproduction clinic that works in the semen, embryo, and IVF lab.
Sjodin thanked the Rotary Club and all those that attended the awards event.
“It’s nice to see the comraderies and everyone is kind of a tight knit group and we’re all supporting agriculture, which is really important for southern Alberta, so that’s nice.”
KARL PETKER
Karl Petker grew up on a farm near Coaldale and is in his third year at Lethbridge Polytechnic, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture science.
He said he has been inspired by past scholarship winners.
“The connection it builds between me and the other winners and seeing what they’ve gone on to do is incredible and very rewarding. I’m excited to move into the future here.”
In addition to his work in the classroom, Petker is a member of the Kodiaks men’s volleyball team and has been able to develop his leadership skills through coaching. Upon graduating, he plans to pursue a career in agronomy consulting.
“I want to help farmers make their operations more sustainable because our land base is shrinking and small farms are getting pushed out of the business here, so I just want to help people be as efficient as they can and take care of the land that we have,” Petker said.
He thanked the Rotary Club for the ongoing support he received during the scholarship application and interview process.
“Ever since my parents told me about this scholarship, or, pushed me to apply, it’s been nothing short of amazing how much they’ve [Rotary] helped me and how friendly they’ve been and I can just tell they really care about all the people who apply, whether they get the scholarship or not – just the support they offer is very nice to have. I’m very thankful.”
JULIA RAWLEIGH
Julia Rawleigh was raised in Vulcan and went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of Calgary. During her undergraduate summers, Rawleigh gained hands-on experience in swine, dairy, and equine production.
After her undergraduate degree, she completed veterinary technology training at Olds College, where she became a Registered Veterinary Technician. Recently, Rawleigh was accepted into the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
“It means so much, it’s such an honour,” she said on receiving the scholarship, which she plans to use to help cover her schooling costs.
Rawleigh said it was “a little bit intimidating” to give an acceptance speech on stage in front of a large crowd, but noted that, “There’s such a strong show of support and I think that’s kind of what Rotary is all about, so that’s really special”.
When she graduates, Rawleigh said she wants to pursue a career in production animal medicine, support producers and provide a boost to rural agricultural communities.
“Thank you so much [to Rotary],” she said. “It’s inspiring and I’m just so grateful.”
ROTARY CLUB
Glenn Coulter with the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East said it was inspiring to see so many people in attendance, and to see what past winners have gone on to do in the industry.
“To hear what these individuals have done, the people that they’ve been involved with, the organizations that they’ve been working for, they’re obviously having a significant impact on the industry and that’s really what we were trying to accomplish, is create these agricultural leaders of the future,” Coulter said.
He explained that many Rotary Club members have a background or connection to the agriculture industry. So, when the scholarship was first awarded in 2019, one of the main goals was to support future leaders of the industry in southern Alberta.
“We wanted to do something that would have a long-lasting impact,” Coulter said.
“If it wasn’t for agriculture, there wouldn’t be too much left of Lethbridge and the communities around it in terms of commerce, in terms of employment and everything else. Agriculture is massively important in the corridor which Lethbridge and area are part of, and we just wanted to contribute in a small way to the economic development focused on agriculture in southern Alberta.”
The Thursday evening event included a prime rib dinner catered by LA Chefs, a silent auction, a 50-50 raffle, as well as a live auction by Perlich Bros., featuring an original painting by Lynn Gregson. A keynote speech was given by Dr. Sidney Shapiro of the University of Lethbridge.
More on the scholarship is available on the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East website.
