August 19, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:

Holly Martin, director of communications

816-383-5143

hmartin@angus.org

To download photo, click here.

Caption: Maguire Rohr was awarded the inaugural John R. Mrotek Family Technical Education Scholarship at the 2021 National Junior Angus Show. Pictured left to right: John Mrotek, Maguire Rohr and Linda Alexander, Mrotek’s daughter.

Maguire Rohr awarded inaugural trade school scholarship

John R. Mrotek Family Technical Education Scholarship awarded at 2021 NJAS.

John Mrotek, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, founded the John R. Mrotek Family Technical Education Scholarship Endowment Fund in 2020 to provide academic scholarships for students pursuing 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.

— Written by Jessica Wesson, Angus Beef Bulletin

About the Angus Foundation

Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 1980, the Angus Foundation remains focused on its mission to support Angus education, youth and research. The organization has distributed more than $3.5 million in youth scholarships since 1998 and has also invested more than $1.3 million in beef cattle research throughout the past decade.

For more information, contact the Angus Foundation at 816-383-5100 or visit www.angusfoundation.org.

ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association^® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 25,000 members across the United States, Canada and several other countries. It is home to an extensive breed registry that grows by nearly 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.

For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.