FEW Scholarships

2025 FEW Kathy Bryan Memorial Scholarship

Educational scholarships will again be offered this year for people planning a course of study that might lead to a career in the ethanol industry and broader (environmental science, sustainability, renewable energy, energy efficiency, reduced global carbon emissions, and a cleaner, greener world). The scholarship program honors Kathy Bryan, co-founder of the FEW and former president of BBI International. Kathy was a known champion for ethanol since the 1980s and held a positive vision for stronger rural communities, a prosperous agriculture and environmental stewardship.

In light of Kathy’s vision, two, $2,000 scholarships will be made specifically available to employees of any ethanol plant in the U. S. or Canada or a member of the employee’s immediate family. An online application form and letters of recommendation must be submitted. A team of industry professionals will select winners. Scholarship awards will be paid directly to the admissions office of the winner’s designated college, university or technical school for Fall 2025. Monies will remain at that institution if a recipient makes any changes after the school term begins.

Apply Online or by PDF Application

PDF Application: Use Internet Explorer for best results. If you choose to use this PDF application, email to tbryan@bbiinternational.com when complete. Include 2 letters of recommendation.

Deadline for Applications: May 12th, 2025 at 11:45 pm CST
Winners will be notified by May 23rd, 2025
Note: Photos and names of winners will be projected on screen during the General Session of the FEW

View FEW Scholarship History

In the early 2000s, BBI International began an effort to direct attention to the ethanol industry and rural community development by providing scholarship money to individuals interested in possibly working in the ethanol industry. By 2005, the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW) was awarding $500 scholarships to as many as five students. The FEW Scholarship program has taken different shapes since but with the end result always being to fund monies to at least a couple students each year heading to college or a technical school. The tradition continues this year at the FEW with special recognition and memory of Kathy Bryan, former President of BBI International and Co-founder of the FEW.

	2024 Winners Peyton Graves – Decatur, IL Peyton's dad is Colin Graves, VP of Innovation at Archer Daniels Midland in Decatur, IL Cali Gutz – Plainview, NE Cali's mother is Melanie Gutz, Assistant Controller at the Husker Ag plant in Plainview, NE
	2023 Winners Tori Eckard – Ansgar, IA Tori's dad is a supervisor at Absolute Energy in Ansgar, Iowa Colton Madden – Lyons, KS Colton's dad is a maintenance manager at Kansas Ethanol in Lyons, Kansas
	2022 Winners John Aurandt IV – Hennepin, IL John's mother is Jennifer Aurandt-Pilgrim, Director of Innovation and Market Development at Marquis Management Mallory Kohl – Watertown, SD Mallory's mother is Marcy Kohl, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Glacial Lakes Energy
	2021 Winners Charles Overheul – Wichita, KS Charle's mother, Rachel Overheul, is the Director of Engineering at White Energy Corp. Megan Vincent – Lyons, KS Megan is the Chief Financial Officer and Kansas Ethanol, LLC, Kansas Protein Foods, LLC and KE Feeds, LLC.
	2020 Winners Morgan Kohl – Watertown, SD Morgan's mother works at Glacial Lakes Energy, LLC Pierce Harrington – Mineola, IA Pierce's mother works at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
	2019 Winners Jennifer Gruebele – Underwood, North Dakota Human Resources - Midwest AgEnergy Drake Harrington – Council Bluffs, Iowa Drake’s mother is Kristi Harrington, Grain Accountant at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
	2018 Winners Lee Evans – Marion, Indiana Shift Supervisor - Central Indiana Ethanol Patrick Kuper – Ames, Iowa Patrick’s dad, Ryan Kuper, is DCS Administrator & Controls System Specialist Flint Hills Resources
	2017 Winners Blake Baron – Morris, MN HS Manager at Denco II Cassandra Schneider – Lyons, KS Cassie is a Lab Manager at Kansas Ethanol
	2016 Winners Patrick Thimes – North Platte, NE Patrick’s dad is Safety Manager at Mid America Agri Products, Madrid, NE Don Jackson – Fountain City, IN Don is a Shift Supervisor at Cardinal Ethanol, Union City, IN
	2015 Winners Jacqueline Peel – Little York, IL Jackie’s dad is Plant Manager at Big River Resources Galva, Illinois Kole Ruml – Lake Park, IA Kole’s dad is Ethanol Cook/Operator at Green Plains Renewable Energy Superior, IA
	2014 Winners Rebecca Woller – Financial Accountant Homeland Energy Solutions LLC Colby Cook – Process Engineer Permolex
	2013 Winners Rachel Hayes – Wichita, KS. 2013 Graduate - Maize South High School Rachel's dad is GM, Green Plains Obion Bryan Bush – Marcus, IA. Safety Coordinator/Utility Operator Little Sioux Corn Processors
	2012 Winners Hillary Kletscher – Lamberton, MN. Attending: Iowa State University Affiliated Ethanol Plant: Highwater Ethanol LLC…Hillary’s dad is the CEO at Highwater Ethanol Jason Croat – Rushmore, MN. Attending: South Dakota State University Affilitated Ethanol Plant: Poet Research … Jason worked at Poet Research for the last 3 summers
	2011 Winners Bailee McClellan – Dyersville, Iowa Bailee is the daughter of an employee at Big River United Energy Marh Schrock – Mount Vernon, Indiana Mary is an employee of Abengoa Bioenergy of Indiana
	2010 Winners Mary Krull – Spencer, Iowa Mary’s dad is Plant Manager for Valero Renewables-Albert City Nicholas Ballard – Galva, Illinois Nicholas’ dad is Process Operator for Big River Resources LLC
	2009 Winners Kevin Potas – Plymouth, MN Laura Koenig – Butterfield, MN
	2008 Winners Hugh Howe – Chariton, IA Nancy Bawa – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Colin Sorenson – Missoula, MT American Stainless & Supply sponsored the 2008 scholarship American Stainless representatives stand on two ends
	2007 Winners Christopher Simmons – Davis, CA Rachel Campbell – Guelph, Ontario Dawn Anderson – Granite Falls, MN American Stainless & Supply sponsored the 2007 scholarship American Stainless representatives stand on two ends
	2006 Winners Nicholas Bowdish – Monroe, WI Jessica Morgan– Fairmont, MN Tony Malmquist – Granite Falls, MN Shannon Mulder – Granite Falls, MN Eric Farrow – Cape Girardeau, MO
	2005 Winners Darrel Ocrane - University of Saskatoon – “Academic Scholarship” Kevin Theiler - Fridley, MN – “Operations Scholarship” John Mack - Univ of CA, Davis – “Academic Scholarship”