Six student members were recently awarded a total of $8,625 in scholarship funds by the Alpha Zeta Foundation, Inc. for use during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Scholarships were awarded on the bases of scholastic achievement, leadership abilities, character, community service, and financial need. Applications were evaluated by an independent committee composed of former High Council members.
Student members who were active during the 2024-2025 academic year were eligible to apply.
“Megan exemplifies the qualities of leadership that truly make an impact – vision, compassion for others, and the ability to inspire and empower others.” That’s how Elijah J. Kosse, one of the South Dakota Chapter’s advisors, describes Megan Van Dem Hemel. When she joined AZ in the fall of 2023, Megan became a member of her Chapter’s Service Committee where she enjoyed planning and executing projects with the local food pantry and Rotary Club. She was elected Chancellor of her Chapter the following year. Her term as Chancellor has been marked by “serving the needs of the people she is leading, not with ambition for ambition’s sake,” according to Kosse. In addition to AZ, Megan is a member of the Dairy, Pre-Vet, and Meat Science Clubs at SDSU while maintaining an “A” average and appearing on the Dean’s Honor Roll for all six of her semesters at SDSU. She also works as a Resident Assistant for SDSU Housing and was named Resident Assistant of the Year for the 2023-2024 academic year. Megan recently completed a paid internship at a veterinary clinic in her hometown and aspires to earn her DVM and own a mixed (large and small) animal veterinary clinic of her own.
FFA has been a defining force in Gavin Eastep’s life. As a high school student, he was involved in numerous FFA activities ranging from livestock judging to parliamentary procedure. He also served as his FFA chapter’s treasurer and its delegate to the Ohio FFA State Convention. Thus, it comes as no surprise that he aspires to become a high school agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. Gavin has put the skills that he learned in FFA to good use for Alpha Zeta. Shortly after joining the Townshend Chapter at Ohio State University, he was elected Chancellor of the Chapter. While serving as Chancellor, he also headed up the Chapter Recruitment Committee and produced the largest new member class in six years. Aside from his AZ activities, Gavin is a member of the OSU Agriculture Education Society and a volunteer with the Buckeye Food Alliance (a student-run food pantry for OSU students). Gavin maintains an “A” average and is conducting an undergraduate research project comparing online and in-person agricultural safety education for adolescents. Gavin is also a bicycle enthusiast who works as a mechanic at his hometown bicycle shop and at the OSU Bike Hub.
“Skylar is driven, organized, and passionate,” says Jeffrey J. Allen, an advisor to the Cornell Chapter. “More importantly,” he continues, “she is even-keeled, responsible, and very honest.” Dr. Allen should know as he’s taught Skylar Cooper in three courses, supervised her work as an undergraduate teaching assistant, and worked closely with her on Alpha Zeta activities. Skylar was elected Chancellor of the Cornell Chapter as a sophomore and has served in that post for two years. Her Chapter leadership was recognized at the 2024 AZ Summit with the Outstanding Chancellor of the Year Award. In addition to her leadership of the Cornell Chapter, Skylar was highly involved in the planning of the recent 2025 AZ Summit. She helped negotiate hotel and food contracts, arranged for farm and agribusiness tours, and assembled a panel of Cornell Chapter alumni to discuss agricultural careers. Skylar is a member of the Cornell Western Equestrian team and has served as both team captain and treasurer. Her work experience includes part-time employment at a horse boarding stable and full-time summer employment at a veterinary hospital. Her career goal is to earn her DVM and have an ambulatory veterinary practice that permits her to “go to farms and take a holistic approach to herd health and management.”
Jamie Beach has a passion for insects. In particular, she has a passion for how insects can support organic and sustainable crop production. “I intend to pursue a career in insect taxonomy, with an emphasis in parasitoid wasps of agricultural significance, especially biological control agents,” she writes in her application. She is well on her way having already conducted significant undergraduate research, being admitted to the University of Florida’s Undergraduate Scholars Program, and earning second place in the 2024 Entomological Society of America’s Student Poster Section competition. In addition to her academic pursuits, Jamie has made significant contributions to the Florida Chapter of Alpha Zeta. As Chronicler, she revitalized the Chapter’s Instagram social media page to triple page impressions and used the page to help recruit the two largest new member classes in recent memory. Alongside AZ, Jamie is a member of UF’s Undergraduate Entomology Club, Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Club, and Horticulture Science Club. Jamie’s employment experiences include paid internships with two academic research labs and one USDA Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates fellowship.
Community service is important to Isabella Byrd. Throughout her undergraduate studies at Ohio State University, she has sought out opportunities to serve others. As a student in OSU’s School of Environment and Natural Resources, Isabella serves as an SENR Career Ambassador. In that role she shares her experiences in experiential learning opportunities such as internships, research, and service with other students and encourages them to pursue similar opportunities. Isabella also has participated in two Buck-I-SERV (OSU’s alternative spring break service program) trips to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma and the Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserve. As the Townshend Chapter Chronicler, she has worked to keep the Chapter’s Instagram social media page updated and to correct dated information about the Chapter on OSU’s website. Her employment experiences include work with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service as a soil drainage research assistant and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency as a surface water modeling intern. She plans on a career in natural resource management and environmental conservation.
When Madeline Milton was elected Chancellor of the Louisiana Gamma Chapter at Louisiana Tech University, she inherited a crisis. The Chapter only had six members – not enough to be considered an active student organization on campus. Maddy acted quickly and decisively by recruiting a Fall semester new member class (previously, new member classes were only recruited during the Spring) and initiated 16 new members into the Fraternity. She then led the newly-revitalized Chapter in raising funds for and conducting the university’s South Campus Homecoming Games – an activity traditionally led by AZ. In addition to revitalizing the Louisianna Gamma Chapter, Maddy devoted significant time and attention to her studies. She appeared on either the Dean’s List or the President’s List for all eight semesters of her undergraduate work. She graduated in May of 2025 with a B.S. degree in Animal Sciences. She has been accepted to the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and will begin studying for DVM in the Fall semester of 2025. In addition to starting her own business as a soccer instructor for girls, Maddy has worked at two veterinary facilities. She aspires to own and operate a mixed animal veterinary clinic.
About the Scholarships
The $2,300.00 Burkett-Cunningham-Dennis Scholarship is the top scholarship awarded by the Foundation. It is named in memory of three important, early members of the Fraternity. Charles William Burkett and John Ferguson Cunningham founded Alpha Zeta on November 4, 1897, at Ohio State University. Lindley Hoag Dennis served on the High Council in various positions for 42 years, serving as High Chancellor from 1925 to 1936.
Clifford L. and Linda B. Bampton ScholarshipThe $1,725 is the newest award. This scholarship was endowed by Connecticut Chapter alumnus Clifford L. Bampton and his wife Linda B. Bampton through a generous gift to the AZ Foundation.
G.W. Roach ScholarshipThe $1,150.00 is named for G. William Roach. Brother Roach was the first, full-time executive director of the Fraternity. An alumnus of the Purdue Chapter, he served as the chapter's chancellor in 1954-55. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Purdue University.
Centennial ScholarshipThe $1,150.00 is awarded in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Fraternity's founding on November 4, 1897.
The remaining three Alpha Zeta Foundation Scholarships are valued at $1,150.00 each.