August 2, 2009
By Isabel Sterne
On May 28, the Student Association of the Geneva Experiment Station (SAGES) presented its first annual $300 scholarship to Meagan Wheatley, a Geneva High School senior, for her commitment to the advancement of agriculture.
“I was very surprised when I heard I had won the scholarship,” said Wheatley, who was selected on the strength of her essay, grades, and coursework and plans to attend SUNY Geneseo in the fall.
SAGES, the graduate student organization at Cornell’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES), encourages the study of state agricultural issues and seeks to build ties with the city of Geneva. The group plans to award one scholarship each year to a Geneva High School graduate.
“We do this as a way to interact with the community in Geneva, but also as a way to [rebut] the stereotype of agriculture [as limited to] plows and corn,” said SAGES treasurer Michelle Moyer, who pointed out that the prize is meant for students with a range of agricultural-related interests—from traditional farming to journalism.
In her essay, Wheatley, who wrote about her interest in veterinary studies, said she hopes to one day treat both small and large animals, particularly in farm settings.
The station community has so far played a vital role in supporting the SAGES scholarship through its ongoing participation in the group’s fundraisers. Besides supporting the group monetarily, NYSAES faculty and staff also provide SAGES with much of the homegrown fruit they use to create their popular jams and cider.
To date, SAGES has generated $2,000 from cider and jam sales, and hopes to increase the scholarship to $500.
While the first award was limited to Geneva High School students, SAGES will be expanding the field for next year’s submissions to include high school seniors in the surrounding areas.
“Agriculture is everywhere—from the food we eat to our local park grounds,” said Moyer. “We are looking for students who can demonstrate how agriculture relates to people’s everyday lives.”
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