Above, the 2024-25 Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars at DMACC pose for a group photo with DMACC President Rob Denson and Eden Pearson, DMACC English Professor and wife of the late Mark Pearson, at the FFA Enrichment Center on the DMACC Ankeny Campus.

Pictured are (front row, left to right) Delaney Bulechek of Frytown; Alexis Cochrane of Tipton; Amanda Ostrem of Stanhope; Eden Pearson, DMACC English Professor and wife of the late Mark Pearson; DMACC President Rob Denson; Calla Langel of Le Mars; Callie Kohlwes of Colo; Autumn Wild of Ames; (2nd row, left to right) Mason Peters of Remsen; Tricia Kellner of Humboldt; Lillian Bru of Gladbrook; Amy Martin of Milford; Kynsie Lyman of Rockford; Trysten Ward of Boone; Caleb Cook of Pleasantville; Myles Grove of South English; Jonah Schumacher of Pleasantville; Trey Voeller of Prairie City; (3rd row, left to right) Delaney Petersen of Reinbeck; Natalie Ausdemore of Minden; Luke Van Essen of Pella; Macy Smith of Chariton; Janelle Clark of Albia; (4th row, left to right) Preston Daufeldt of West Liberty; Carson Kelderman of Tracy; Caleb Lentz of Plainfield; and Lane Kool of Moravia. Not pictured are Cara Caltrider of Adair and River Rasmussen of Estherville.

Photo credit: Lisa Schmitz for DMACC

Twenty-seven DMACC students are receiving full-tuition scholarships through this year’s program, including 14 first-year students at the College

  • Now in its ninth year, the Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars Program was established in 2016 in memory of beloved ag broadcaster Mark Pearson.

  • Each year, the program offers full-tuition scholarships to qualifying Iowa FFA Chapter Presidents who choose to attend DMACC after high school; to date, the program has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships.

  • Scholarship recipients can enroll in any DMACC degree program across the College’s six campuses and seven learning centers.

DMACC is pleased to announce its 2024-25 class of Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars, which includes a total of 27 outstanding students from across Iowa. The group features 14 first-year students and 13 returning students, with each attending DMACC on a full-tuition scholarship during the 2024-25 academic year through the competitive scholarship program.

The Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars Program has awarded more than $2 million in full-tuition scholarships to qualifying DMACC students since its founding prior to the 2016-2017 academic year at the College. The scholarship program was established in honor of beloved ag broadcaster Mark Pearson, who passed away suddenly in 2012 at the age of 54.

“Some of the greatest leaders in Iowa, across many different industries, have an FFA background,” said DMACC President Rob Denson. “DMACC is proud to help the next generation of leaders prepare themselves for their careers, and we are honored to continue sharing Mark Pearson’s legacy and passion for his profession with today’s students.”

Each year, up to 15 eligible first-year students at DMACC are awarded a Mark Pearson FFA Leadership scholarship, including one student from each of Iowa’s six FFA districts. The scholarship recipients can enroll in any degree program at DMACC, and the scholarship will pay for the completion of their degree. After completing their first year at DMACC, Mark Pearson FFA Leadership scholars are then eligible to maintain their scholarship for a second year.

To qualify for the competitive Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars Program, students must 1) serve as president of their FFA chapter during either their junior or senior of high school; 2) apply for the program during their senior high school; and 3) commit to attending DMACC the fall following their high school graduation. The application period for the scholarship runs from Dec. 1 to March 1 each year, with scholarships awarded in April/May for the upcoming fall semester.

Introducing the 2024-25 Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars

The 2024-25 class of Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholars includes the following students, who are listed with their hometowns, areas of study and year at DMACC (first year or returning):

  • Natalie Ausdemore of Minden, Elementary Education, first year

  • Lillian Bru of Gladbrook, Agribusiness, first year

  • Delaney Bulechek of Frytown, Agribusiness, first year

  • Cara Caltrider of Adair, Entrepreneurship, returning

  • Janelle Clark of Albia, Nursing, first year

  • Alexis Cochrane of Tipton, Agribusiness, first year

  • Caleb Cook of Pleasantville, Agribusiness, first year

  • Preston Daufeldt of West Liberty, Agribusiness, returning

  • Myles Grove of South English, Communication, first year

  • Carson Kelderman of Tracy, Agribusiness, returning

  • Tricia Kellner of Humboldt, Liberal Arts, returning

  • Callie Kohlwes of Colo, Agribusiness, returning

  • Lane Kool of Moravia, Agribusiness, first year

  • Calla Langel of Le Mars, Agribusiness, returning

  • Caleb Lentz of Plainfield, Liberal Arts, first year

  • Kynsie Lyman of Rockford, Agribusiness, first year

  • Amy Martin of Milford, Elementary Education, returning

  • Amanda Ostrem of Stanhope, Agribusiness, returning

  • Mason Peters of Remsen, Agribusiness, first year

  • Delaney Petersen of Reinbeck, Liberal Arts, first year

  • River Rasmussen of Estherville, Agribusiness, first year

  • Jonah Schumacher of Pleasantville, Agribusiness, returning

  • Macy Smith of Chariton, Business & Entrepreneurship, returning

  • Luke Van Essen of Pella, Agribusiness, returning

  • Trey Voeller of Prairie City, Biology, returning

  • Trysten Ward of Boone, Nursing, returning

  • Autumn Wild of Ames, Liberal Arts, first year

The Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholarship at DMACC was officially created in April 2016 during an announcement made in the Formal Office of then Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. Pearson was the host of Iowa PBS’ “Market to Market” program for more than 20 years and was the host of WHO Radio’s “The Big Show.” Pearson was a Madison County farmer who also served as an Assistant Secretary of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and was the Markets Editor for Successful Farming Magazine.

For more information about the Mark Pearson FFA Leadership Scholarship, visit dmacc.edu/pearsonscholar.

Contacts: 

- Andrea Rouse, DMACC Agribusiness Professor, (515) 964-6866, adrouse@dmacc.edu

- Lisa Schmitz, DMACC Public Relations, (515) 964-6813, lmschmitz@dmacc.edu