Three CABEF scholarship recipients reveal how financial support transformed their post-secondary experiences
The Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation scholarship plays a vital role in supporting the next generation of passionate agvocates dedicated to Canadian agriculture. By providing financial assistance and fostering mentorships and meaningful connections, CABEF helps students achieve their academic and career aspirations.
Here’s how the CABEF scholarship has helped support the educational journeys of three recent recipients with their eyes on the future.
From Prairie roots to soil science
Amanda Mitchell, currently a PhD student at the University of Guelph, traces her passion for agriculture back to her family’s grain farm in southwestern Saskatchewan. In seeking scholarship opportunities through the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Mitchell found the CABEF scholarship – a $2,500 gift awarded to seven Canadian students pursuing a post-secondary education in agriculture or agri-business. After learning that a friend from 4-H was a previous recipient of the scholarship, she decided to apply and was granted a scholarship in 2017.
Mitchell recalls the application process as a fun exercise, but a more prominent memory was the scholarship’s significant impact. The funds allowed her discretion in choosing part-time research and work opportunities that provided invaluable industry experience. “Instead of just chasing a part-time job that would pay the best, I was able to choose my opportunities and really use the scholarship to support and leverage my career moving forward,” she says.
The financial support also proved particularly valuable during personal challenges, Mitchell recalls, including the passing of her mother, aunt and grandfather. “Scholarships have been so amazing, because I had financial support to pay my bills while I spent time supporting my family,” she recalls. “Scholarships are given out to support a person’s education, but they also support the person through life events too – they make a big difference.”
After completing her undergraduate studies, Mitchell was invited to join the CABEF board of directors, judging scholarship applications and networking with other industry leaders. “Being a part of the board allowed me to meet some fantastic people, and I was so grateful for that,” she says of the mentoring opportunities that came along with being a part of the board. “The CABEF board is primarily volunteers who have full-time careers and put so much work into this foundation. It was so interesting to see how things work behind the scenes.”
Chasing veterinary dreams
Emily Bieman’s life has been naturally linked to agriculture since childhood, growing up on a beef feedlot and cow-calf operation. Her early involvement in feeding animals and showing livestock through 4-H sparked a clear ambition: to become a large animal veterinarian serving rural farming communities. Now, as a student at the University of Guelph pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in animal biology, Bieman credits the CABEF scholarship with supporting a well-rounded university experience.
“I learned about the scholarship through magazine and farm papers, reading about who had won in previous years, and had a lot of industry people encouraging me to apply,” she says.
Hands-on experience is an important part of learning for many students, especially in such a practical field of study. With a desire to practice large animal veterinary medicine, Bieman says the CABEF scholarship allowed her the flexibility to actively participate in several clubs and extracurricular opportunities to expand her breadth of knowledge, including the College Royal Society, the OAC Sheep and Goat Club and the Poultry Club.
“The scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my education and extracurriculars, with a little bit less worry about the cost of tuition and the expenses that come with pursuing a post-secondary education,” she says, noting the added benefits of building a network and community of like-minded people.
Bieman also hopes to bring her practical experience and scientific knowledge home to her family farm near Belgrave, Ont., to continue farming in addition to practicing veterinary medicine.
Building a career from cattle to communications
Julie Sharp’s agricultural journey began on her family’s purebred Black Angus cattle farm in Lacombe, Alta. Her early involvement in 4-H and various associations naturally led her to pursue agriculture academically. A recent graduate of the University of Saskatchewan where she majored in animal science and minored in agribusiness, Sharp began university online during the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought about several challenges. She acknowledges the meaningful impact of the CABEF scholarship, which she received during her second year of studies, after hearing about the scholarship through fellow students and ag media.
“It’s a very substantial scholarship and it had a significant influence on my finances as a university student,” she recalls.
With some financial pressure alleviated, Sharp learned to balance academics with independent living, and pursued a diverse range of work experience to give her a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the industry.
“I had a different summer job each year, including weed inspection at Lacombe Country River Weed Inspection, office administration at a local trucking company and crop research with Syngenta,” Sharp says, noting how the varying roles contributed to new connections both within and outside of the agriculture industry, introducing her to people from across Canada and around the world.
Sharp also completed internships at the Canadian Cattle Association and Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which paved the way to career opportunities in her field. After graduating and completing an internship at the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef in 2024, she was hired full-time as the group’s Member and Communications Coordinator.
“I haven’t had to apply for a job after university – I already had one lined up because of my network and my experiences,” she shares, pointing to the power of connections in the agricultural industry.
Nurturing ag excellence
Mitchell, Sharp and Bieman are just three of the many past recipients of the CABEF scholarship since its inception in 2014, with many more to come. Through financial support, mentorship opportunities and industry connections, CABEF continues to foster agricultural excellence, contributing to a vibrant future for Canadian agriculture.
Learn more about CABEF and the different ways to support the future of Canadian agriculture.