U of M Crookston Senior Kole Pederson, Bejou, MN, Awarded $5,000 NAAA/BASF Agricultural Aviation Scholarship

2013 Nov 21

University of Minnesota Crookston Senior Kole Pederson, Bejou, Minn., was recently awarded a $5,000 Agricultural Aviation Scholarship, funded by an educational grant provided by BASF and administered by the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA). Pederson, a quadruple major in aviation, agronomy, agricultural business, and agricultural systems management, will be presented the scholarship during the NAAA annual convention in Reno, Nev., to be held in early December 2013.

The purpose of the scholarship is to bring new pilots into agricultural aviation and help fund their training. The scholarship is to be used for flight training or ag-related coursework at a university, college, community college or other institution of higher learning. Applicants were required to submit a letter of recommendation, an essay explaining why they were deserving of an NAAA/BASF Agricultural Aviation Scholarship, and a one-page r?sum? or list of activities detailing all agricultural and aviation experiences, and education and training. To learn more, visit http://www.agaviation.org.

An active student, Pederson serves as vice president of Alpha Eta Rho; the Success Network Team Coordinator for the National Society of Leadership and Success; a Crookston Student Association representative, and an active member of the Ag Business Club; Alpha Lambda Delta; the Agronomy Club; and the Ag Industries Club. His advisor in the aviation program is Les Dillard, an aviation lecturer and flight instructor in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department on the Crookston campus.