SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. — John Mrotek, of Fredericksburg, Virgina, founded the John R. Mrotek Family Technical Education Scholarship Endowment Fund in 2020 to provide academic scholarships for students pursing education in career and technical programs. This scholarship is the first of its kind for the Angus Foundation, as it specifically targets youth in trade schools and supports vocational careers. For the first time the John R. Mrotek Family Technical Education Scholarship was awarded to Maguire Rohr of Elbert, Colorado.
“The student should be pursuing a degree that is terminal in nature,” said Thomas Marten, Executive Director of the Angus Foundation. “Their degrees equip them with life skills that they will be able to immediately apply in their career field.”
Maguire Rohr, a rising sophomore at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas, is the first student to receive this new scholarship. It was presented to him by the Mrotek family at the 2021 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) in Grand Island, Nebraska.
“It’s been really neat to be the first person ever to get this scholarship,” Rohr said. “I know there will be more people who receive this scholarship down the road, so it’s been really cool to be the first.”
Rohr’s degree in farm and ranch management is a prime example of a typical career and technical education program.
“My program allows me to get all kinds of certifications and skills that will help me back on the farm,” Rohr said. “I can get an AI (Artificial Insemination) certification, a pesticide application certification and a CDL. There are also more specific classes that teach farming and ranching skills.”
The classroom knowledge and skills are not the only reason Rohr values his technical education.
“I get to meet a lot of people that are in the same industry doing the same things I am,” Rohr said. “I have those friendships now, and when I come back to the farm, I know I’ll have those connections if I ever need them.”
One of the appeals of pursuing a trade school degree for Rohr was time efficiency.
“It gets kids through school faster,” Rohr said. “I think it’s nice for kids to get through school in two years, get what they need and go start building their career.”
The John R. Mrotek Family Technical Education Scholarship made a significant difference in Rohr’s educational situation.
“It has been nice to not have the financial responsibility for myself or my parents,” Rohr said. “My twin sister is a student at Kansas State, so this scholarship has made it easier for my parents.”
For more information on this scholarship visit AngusFoundation.org.
— Jessica Wesson, Angus Beef Bulletin, American Angus Association
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