Agriculture Rotary Scholarships cultivate future leaders

By Lethbridge Herald on March 10, 2026.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Herald photo by JOE MANIO Scholarship recipients Liam Sjodin, Karl Petker and Julia Rawleigh pose together during the 8th Annual Rotary Ag Scholarship Awards Dinner hosted by the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East on March 5 at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel and Conference Centre.

By Joe Manio

Lethbridge Herald

Annual gala celebrates agriculture’s regional role while awarding

$10,000 scholarships to students pursuing industry careers

Community leaders, farmers, students and industry partners gathered Thursday evening to celebrate agriculture and the young people preparing to carry the industry forward.

The 8th Annual Rotary Ag Scholarship Awards Dinner, hosted by the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East, took place March 5 at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel and Conference Centre. 

The evening combined celebration with fundraising, including a silent auction and 50/50 draw alongside the presentation of $10,000 scholarships to post-secondary agriculture students.

Agriculture remains a driving force in Southern Alberta’s economy, from cattle ranching on the region’s grasslands to irrigation farming and a growing food-processing sector. For organizers, the scholarships help ensure the next generation has the support to pursue careers in the industry.

The Rotary Club of Lethbridge East launched the scholarship program in 2018 to encourage more Southern Alberta students to pursue agricultural careers. The first $10,000 scholarship was awarded the following year during a banquet held alongside Ag Expo.

Longtime Rotary member and event organizer Glenn Coulter said the idea grew out of discussions within the club about how to make a lasting contribution to an industry many members are closely connected to.

“Many of our members have some association with agriculture, whether they grew up on a farm or ranch, work as scientists, or have clients in the agricultural industry,” Coulter said. “We wanted to do something that would have a long-lasting impact, and we figured the best way to do that was to help some young people who will become the leaders of the future for agriculture in Southern Alberta.”

From the beginning, organizers wanted the scholarship to make a meaningful difference for students pursuing post-secondary studies.

“We wanted it to be significant, not just $1,000 or $2,000. We wanted something that would have a real impact in these students’ lives,” Coulter said.

Since its launch, the program has grown steadily with support from the agricultural community. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the club continued awarding scholarships each year.

In total, the initiative has directed about $180,000 toward agricultural education over the past seven years, supporting students studying fields ranging from agronomy and ag-business to veterinary medicine.

“If it wasn’t for agriculture, there wouldn’t be too much left of Lethbridge and the communities around it in terms of commerce and employment. Agriculture is massively important in this corridor, and we just wanted to contribute in a small way to the economic development focused on agriculture in Southern Alberta,” Coulter said.

For scholarship recipient Julia Rawleigh, the award provides important support as she continues her studies in veterinary medicine.

“It’s such an honour,” Rawleigh said. “Being able to continue in such a high-stakes program. A doctorate program, as you can imagine, is not cheap. I’m really grateful to be able to put it toward my studies.”

For Karl Petker, the scholarship also represents a connection to previous recipients and the broader agricultural community.

“Seeing everyone that’s come before me and won this and what they’ve gone on to do is incredible,” Petker said. “The connection it builds between me and the other winners is really rewarding, and I’m excited to move into the future here.”

Many recipients study close to home through programs at Lethbridge Polytechnic and the University of Lethbridge, while others pursue studies at institutions such as the University of Guelph, widely recognized for its agricultural and food science programs.

For Liam Sjodin, receiving the scholarship represents recognition for years of work and encouragement from a community that values agriculture.

“It means the world,” Sjodin said. “After years of hard work, people are actually rewarding us for it. It’s nice to know people are supporting us.”

The strong turnout at the dinner also left an impression on the students being honoured.

“When I got up there for my speech, it’s a huge room and it’s packed full,” Petker said. “Seeing the connection between everyone here and how many people came to say hi and ask how I’m doing, it’s really cool to see the connection in agriculture as a whole.”

Organizers say that a sense of community support is exactly what the program is meant to foster as the region invests in the next generation of agricultural leaders.