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Narrator: The Purdue Ag Alumni Trust Fund was founded in 1967
to provide a way to receive private gifts that will support students
and programs of Purdue's College of Agriculture.
Most of our funds are used for scholarships
and to enhance the student experience at Purdue
through participation in events such as the Purdue Animal Sciences Food Production Day
Allison: So there's a group of us that we have been attending the College of Ag um career day
where um and career fair I guess is what they call it
Casey: The food animal production day was an initiative that myself,
a Barry Delks, a student from the dairy club, the poultry club, and the pork interest group
all came together to create.
Allison: There weren't a lot of animal science companies who came let alone the food animals
so those with like the beef, the cattle, the swine, poultry, and then sheep as well
um there wasn't a lot of companies that came for that
so we saw a need to try and help plan and get these companies together
that would actually come specifically related to food animal.
Casey: Funding from the Ag Alumni Association really expanded what we could do with the event.
Allison: The trust fund helped with an etiquette banquet
more or less like a dinner before the whole career event happened
Casey: Each student brought in selected to other students from within their club
and one representative from a company of their choice that was within their industry
and he went through how to conduct yourself within a formal setting,
um proper etiquette, proper attire.
Allison: So that was really cool cause it's kind of the only opportunity you have
um especially going outlike when you interview after college and stuff
and that's one thing we'd like to
our goal is to see a little like to grow even more.
Casey: We were very thankful for the funding that we received for that.
Allison: We have banquets and it's nice if you know which fork to use.
So that's always helpful.
Narrator: The trust fund also supports the students by funding participation in the MANRRS program
or Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.
Chloe: This year I'm president of the Purdue Chapter of MANNRS.
MANNRS stands for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.
We're a national organization
and our focus is reaching out to anyone interested in the field of agriculture.
Some of the opportunities that our chapter offers
for our students and members is volunteering.
We like to be involved in the community.
Um we like to give back
We like to be active on campus and do fundraising events
as well as offer some opportunities for networking with professionals in agriculture.
Thanks to the generosity of the Ag Alumni Association
we were able to attend the conference last year in Houston
and that gave us an opportunity to complete.
And one of our members even one the research poster competition
so that was pretty exciting for our chapter.
Narrator: The Ag Alumni Trust Fund is managed by a committee of alumni
who work closely with the Dean of Agriculture and scholarship administrators
to ensure that funds provide maximum benefit and impact to the College and to its students
For the fiscal year that ended 2015
contributions to the trust totaled $12,190. and 1970 7463
Income on endowments was $277,463.
Farm Income and cheese royalties totalled $68,959
Total earnings were at $346,422
Spending totaled $252,356
and the trust market value was over $5.6 million
The Ag Alumni Trust Fund has some unique assets that generate funds for these scholarships and programs.
The Marquardt farm is a 210 acre farm in Allen County.
bequeathed to Purdue Ag Alumni by Bert Marquardt.
The farm is operated as a grain farm managed by the Ag Alumni Trust Fund.
Farm proceeds support scholarships for College of Agriculture students
from Adams, Allen, Dekalb, Huntington, Noble, Wells, and Whitley counties.
In the 2015-2016 academic year a total of $48,600 was awarded to 72 students.
In recent years between 60 and 70 students have been receiving Marquardt scholarships each semester.
Another asset is Purdue's Swiss Sheese produced Swiss
Purdue Swiss Cheese was formulated in the 1950s by a Purdue University professor of Agriculture.
Cheese royalties which are unrestricted
make up a large percentage of the funding that supports our students in projects
such as the Purdue Animal Sciences Food Animal Production Day
It also support students by funding participation in the MANNRS program.
Allison: I just want to say thank you so much for your continued support of Purdue University
and the College of Ag.
Casey: I'd like to thank you for your generosity,
your continued support,
and your overall care for the students within the College of Ag.
Allison: And there will be many students that will benefit from your generosity and support.
Casey: Your support means more than you know
and all the opportunities that it works to provide
are truly genuine and great experience
Chloe: The first thing I would say to those who've been generous enough to donate
to the Ag Alumni Association would be thank you.
Um we really appreciate it.
It means so much our members.
It really does so much in helping us develop ourselves for professional careers
and um that gratitude is something that just also gets us in that Purdue spirit
and let's us know um that there's people out here who are here to support us
and help us get to the next level and to our next chapter.
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