Cleveland State Community College student Brandon Conley received a $2,500 Tennessee Poultry Association Career Track Scholarship and was honored at the TPA annual awards banquet on Aug. 5 at the Sheraton Nashville.
TPA serves as the collective voice for the Tennessee commercial poultry sector in support of promoting education, policy and public relations for the sustainment of the industry. The TPA works in partnership with the broiler and primary breeder poultry companies, growers, universities, UT Extension, TN Department of Agriculture and the associated agribusinesses to promote, protect, and enhance the commercial poultry industry in the state.
“This is the second year I have received a scholarship from TPA,” said Mr. Conley. “I’m very appreciative to them. It feels really good to win. This money helps a lot.”
Mr. Conley is a student in CSCC’s new agribusiness program at CSCC’s Athens Center. His plan is to pursue his association of applied science in agribusiness, then transfer to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville to complete his bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics.
Agriculture Instructor Mitch Ingram stated, “Brandon is the epitome of dedication and hard work. not only for his personal education in agribusiness, but he is also a tremendous leader in the poultry industry and our community, as well.”
Mr. Conley said, “I was already enrolled at CSCC in animal science because that was the closest thing to what I wanted to go into, but when they started this degree, I decided to switch. I’m really excited about this major because this was what I wanted to begin with. I’d like to get a job in agribusiness and continue my family’s farm.”
Mr. Conley is also excited that he was chosen to serve as president of the new club at CSCC, the Future Farmers of America, FFA, a position he held for two years at Bradley Central High School.
“Mr. Ingram asked me if I would be interested in serving in this role, and I said yes because I was president of that club in high school, and I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s a good opportunity to get out and do some good for the community. I want it to be a success, and I think it will be. A lot of the people I was in FFA with in high school are now at CSCC, so I’m hoping they will join, as well. Even if people aren’t interested in the ag aspect, they may still want to become involved because of the community aspect.”
Mr. Conley is a 2016 graduate of Bradley Central High School. He is the son of LeBron and Karen Conley of Cleveland. For more information on the agribusiness program at CSCC, contact Ingram at 423-472-7141, ext. 766 or email him at ringram01@clevelandstatecc.edu.