The National Pork Board recently awarded 18 scholarships to college students around the United States. The winners were selected from a group of 21 applicants based on scholastic merit, leadership activities, pork production industry involvement and future pork production career plans.

Of those 18 recipients, nine were current or former members of the National Junior Swine Association (NJSA), listed below:
Dustin Compart, Nicollet, Minn.
Jake Erceg, Talent, Ore.
Jared Mumm, Kimberly, Idaho
Haley Gilleland, Fitzgerald, Ga.
Kiah Gourley, Philomath, Ore.
Jordan Bjustrom, Clarksville, Iowa
Ashalynn Bilton-Smith, Centralia, Wash.
Lauren Honegger, Forrest, Ill.
Austin Bailey, Curryville, Mo.

Dustin Compart was among the top three candidates and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. Compart is a junior at South Dakota State University and is studying animal science. He plans to eventually return to the family farm where he will work to sell seedstock and their branded Compart Family Farms Premium Duroc^®. The
other recipients will be awarded $2,000.

Congratulations to Compart and all of the current and former NJSA members on their accomplishments.