FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas collected more than $22,500 for scholarships at its 17th Annual Delta Scholarship Golf Classic.

The tournament, run each year by department alumni and friends, was July 15 at The Ridges at Village Creek in Wynne. Since 2000, the tournament has resulted in more than $400,000 used to fund 151 scholarships while building an endowment for future scholarships.

“It’s hard to believe the 2016 Delta Scholarship Golf Classic marked our 17th year,” said tournament director Darrin Malone, a field development technical consultant with DuPont Crop Protection. “From our early beginning at Helena Country Club to our new venue at The Ridges at Village Creek, it’s been an honor to be involved with U of A’s Department of Crop, Soil, and Environment Sciences and its alumni in hosting this tournament. It has given us the opportunity to help students financially majoring in crop and environmental sciences as they begin their career at the University of Arkansas.”

Students selected for 2016-17 Delta Classic Scholarships were: Bodie Cotter of Henderson, Qirui Cui of Mabelvale, Alyssa Ferri of Fayetteville, Kaden Jaco of Stuttgart, Clay Kirkpatrick of Holly Grove, Jaden Lammers of Blytheville, Zane Taillon of Beebe, Jeffery Todd of Jonesboro, Patience Vaught of Mountainburg and Trevor Voison of Mena.

James L. Barrentine Endowed scholarships were awarded to Seth Busby of Paragould and Paul Wolf of White Hall. Barrentine, a former Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department head, organized department alumni and friends who initiated the benefit golf tournament to support scholarships prior to his retirement in 2006.

Tournament winners were the Progeny Ag Products team of Jim Calhoon, Matt Loicano and Kyle Covington of Jonesboro, and Evan Frasier of Brinkley in Flight A; the Gowan USA team of Glenn Kernodle, Kyle Schleinker and Kyle Baskins of Wynne, and Kevin Stewart of Collierville, Tennessee, in Flight B; and the BASF Ag Products team of Wes Spikes and Ryan Bane of Jonesboro, Brad Koen of DeWitt and John Schultz of Sherwood in Flight C.

“This was another successful tournament,” said Robert Bacon, department head. “We are grateful to the participants, and all our alumni and friends for their hard work who make it possible. The scholarship money raised is very important for our program and to the students receiving the much needed help.”

Corporate sponsors included Farm Bureau of Arkansas, Del Monte Foods Inc. and DuPont Pioneer.

DuPont Pioneer donated $3,240 for scholarships as part of its sponsorship program. Pioneer makes contributions to community-based organizations on behalf of the business and employees. Consideration for outreach grants is given to communities where Pioneer sales representatives and Dupont Pioneer employees and customers live and work, and support quality-of-life initiatives to create an improved, sustainable lifestyle for people worldwide. Del Monte donated $3,000, and Farm Bureau provided golf balls, golf towels, tees and bags.

Hole sponsors were Ag Heritage Farm Credit Services, DuPont Pioneer, Farm Credit Midsouth, Producers Rice Mill, Riceland Foods Foundation, Syngenta & NK Seeds, UA Crop, Soil, & Environmental Sciences, UA Entomology, UA Rice Research and Extension Center, and UA Weed Science. 

Team sponsors included Adams Fertilizer Equipment, Ag Council of Arkansas, Alice-Sydney Dryer & Seed Co., Armor Seed, BASF Ag Products, Crop Production Services (Bernie, Mo.), DuPont Crop Protection, Fuller Seed and Supply, Gowan USA, Greenway Equipment, Helena Chemical Co., Hickory Hill Pharmacy, Mid-South Ag Consultants, Mid South Ag Equipment, Progeny Ag Products, RiceTec, Southern Ag Resources, Southern Bancorp and Stanley & Co.

“I personally want to thank all our sponsors who have given their time and money to support the tournament the last 17 years,” said Malone. “In addition, our corporate sponsors make a huge impact on the success of the tournament every year. DuPont Pioneer and Farm Bureau have been long-time corporate sponsors while Del Monte Foods is a new corporate sponsor this year. I also want to give special recognition to Holly Yeatman who does all the little things behind the scenes to keep us moving forward with tournament plans and recruitment efforts. She has been a valuable resource to students and the alumni board. Her help and guidance is greatly appreciated by everyone and we definitely couldn’t do it without her.”

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.