Scholarships

Former Scholarship Recipients

2023 Scholarship Recipients – Ryan Shaw (Hoxie) & Parker McDaniel (Waverly)
Ryan will be attending Pratt Community College, towards an Associate of General Studies, Wildlife Outfitting & Operations: “I want to better understand how to have a successful guiding business.”  

Parker will be attending KSU to study Outdoor and Enterprise Management  “I want to acquire the knowledge, skills and practical experience necessary to make a meaningful impact on improving awareness, enhancing public hunting access and championing wildlife habitat projects.“

2022 Scholarship Recipients – No scholarship was awarded

2021 Scholarship Recipients – Breck   Aquinaga  (Arkansas City, KS) & Dane Scheetz (Oakley, KS)
Breck will be attending Cowley College: “My push towards going into wildlife conservation is that I want to help the environment and the wildlife that live in it and be able to educate people and help them understand how crucial it is that we protect all of our creatures.”

Dane will be attending KSU with and intended major of Animal Science with a dual major in Rangeland Management. “The reason I would like a dual major is that I feel wildlife, livestock and habitat management all correlate to each other.“

2020 Scholarship Recipient – Elsi Miller  (Great Bend, KS)
Elsie will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology/natural resources at Fort Hays State University. “I believe that my education at Fort Hays State University will help me to make a difference in the future of conservation and restoration of the earth.”

2019 Scholarship Recipient – Morgan Rains (Oakley, KS)
Morgan plans to attend Cloud Community College with hopes to attend Kansas State University to study Wildlife Outdoor Enterprise Management. “I have always loved the outdoors and wildlife. I would like to start my own guiding business and hope to start and run a deer farm in the future.”

2018 Scholarship Recipient – Ross Ifland (Cedar, KS)
A Senior at Smith Center High School, Ross will attend Barton Community College and plans to transfer to Kansas State University majoring in Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management with a minor in Business Management. Ross’ participation in wildlife and conservation management programs with Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks & Tourism, Ducks Unlimited, Quail Forever and his local county along with his chosen career path earned him the 2018 $1,000 student scholarship award. “Thank you so much for selecting me as the recipient of the Ringneck Classic scholarship. Your support of my college education is greatly appreciated.”

2017 Scholarship Recipient – Jaden Schmidt (Brewster, KS)
Jaden will attend Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas and plans major in wildlife management. “I have always had a deep and passionate love for the outdoors since I first went pheasant hunting with a group of friends. I realized how vital our environment is and the importance of preserving that ecosystem for future generations.”

2016 Scholarship Recipient – Austin Baalman (Oakley, KS)
Austin is earning a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. “With all of the knowledge I gain, I plan to come back to western Kansas to apply what I have learned.”

2015 Scholarship Recipient – Mason Scheetz (Oakley, KS)
Mason pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology at Kansas State University. “Being around wildlife (my whole life) has driven me to pursue a career that will allow me to help preserve the wildlife and the habitat in which they live. I would also like to own and operate a hunting lodge in Western Kansas where I have been raised and grown-up hunting in.”

2014 Scholarship Recipient – Kody Molzahn (Smith Center, KS)
Kody is entering Cloud County Community College in the fall and, after receiving his Associates Degree, plans to attend K-State to pursue an education in Wildlife Management and Outdoor Enterprise. “Thank you for selecting me as the Ringneck Classic Scholarship recipient. It is an honor to receive this and I will put the money to good use to further my education. I am a lifelong hunter and wildlife management is important to me.

2013 Scholarship Recipient – Jerrik Keller (Oakley, KS)
Jerrik graduated from Oakley High School in 2012 with a GPA of 4.0. He will be a second year student at CSU and is majoring in Agricultural Business. ”My goal is to use this degree to further my understanding of modern-day farming practices so that I may return to Oakley to farm alongside my father and family”.

2 012 Scholarship Recipient – Coulter Boyd (Oakley, KS)
August 16, 2012, Dear Committee:
I am honored to be a recipient of the Kansas Governor’s Ringneck Classic Scholarship Award. Your generous support is helping me with my tuition and books at FSU this fall. I look forward to helping with the 2012 hunt in November.
Thanks again, Coulter Boyd