TROUTMAN — Case Farms, a fully integrated poultry farming and processing group, has awarded more than $37,500 in scholarships this year to 13 children of Case Farms’ employees through the J. Leroy Cook Memorial Scholarship Program.
To date, Case Farms has awarded more than $270,000 in college scholarships to more than 90 children of its employees.
Established in 2006 by Case Farms founder Thomas Shelton, the memorial scholarship encourages the pursuit of a post-secondary education and recognizes each student’s dedication to academic success and community involvement. The award honors long-time Case Farms employee J. Leroy Cook, a former senior vice president of operations at the company. Through the program, awards are made on behalf of each student to their respective college or university.
“Case Farms is grateful to be able to award these scholarships to 13 of our team member’s children to help pursue their educational dreams,” said Mike Popowycz, vice chairman and CEO of Case Farms. “We congratulate these outstanding students for their hard work in academics and their communities. We remain committed to assisting our Case Farms family members gain the educational opportunities they need to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace.”
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The recipients of the 2023 J. Leroy Cook Memorial Scholarship are:
Gibely Estrada Cisneros
- is the daughter of Fulvia Estrada, a team member from the Morganton facility. Gibely is attending Eastern Carolina University, where she is pursuing a degree in psychology.
Qisheng Xie
- is the son of Ningzhand Xie, a team member from the Morganton facility. Qizheng is attending Columbia University and pursuing a degree in engineering.
Sierra Davenport
- is the daughter of James Davenport, a team member from the Morganton. Sierra is attending Elizabeth City State University, pursuing a degree in Kinesiology exercise science.
Tushar Joshi
- is the son of Neeraz Joshi, a team member from the Morganton facility. Tushar is attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he is pursuing a degree in neuroscience.
Sarene Roland
- is the daughter of Steve Roland, a team member from the Troutman office. Sarene is attending Western Piedmont Community College, pursuing a degree in visual arts.
Jagger Zeidel
- is the son of Janet Rzucidlo, a team member from the Troutman office. Jagger is attending Central Piedmont Community College and pursuing a degree in electrical engineering.
Jocelyn Hunter
- is the daughter of Jill Hunter, a team member from the Troutman office. Jocelyn is attending Queens University of Charlotte to pursue a degree in creative writing.
Ashley Luckadoo
- is the daughter of Ronald Luckadoo, a team member from the Shelby Feed Mill. Ashley is attending the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to pursue a degree in filmmaking.
Chelsea Walters
- is the daughter of Darren Walters, a team member from the Shelby Feed Mill. Chelsea is attending Gardner-Webb University, where she is pursuing a degree in nursing.
Richard Montesinos
- is the son of Ramiro Zamara, a team member from the Goldsboro facility. Richard is attending the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to pursue a degree in business administration.
Cameryn Reavis
- is the daughter of David Reavis, a team member from the Olin research farm. Cameryn is attending Gaston College, where she is pursuing a degree in veterinary medical technology.
Courtney Reavis
- is the daughter of David Reavis, a team member from the Olin research farm. Courtney is attending Mitchell College, where she is pursuing a degree in nursing.
Prativa Rai
- is the daughter of Suk Rai, a team member from the Winesburg, Ohio facility. Prativa is attending Kent State University where she is pursuing a degree in psychology.
“Being selected for this scholarship gives me the peace of mind knowing that I have the support to further my education, as well as a sense of pride for being chosen for this scholarship,” said Richard Montesinos, scholarship winner.
Ashley Luckadoo, scholarship winner added, “Receiving this scholarship has enabled me to take the first steps toward achieving my dream without worrying about the financial burden that comes with it. Moreover, the scholarship is more than just financial aid since it represents the faith and trust that people have in my abilities and potential.”
Scholarship recipients underwent a competitive process, completing a detailed questionnaire that was evaluated by a scholarship committee of independent professionals outside of Case Farms.
Founded in 1986, Case Farms is a fully integrated poultry farming and processing group that processes 3.7 million birds per week, has more than 3,300 dedicated team members, and produces in excess of 1.1 billion pounds of fresh, partially cooked and frozen-for-export poultry products per year. The company has operations or offices in Ohio and North Carolina. For more information on Case Farms, visit www.casefarms.com.
