Student awards donation - (l to r): Jason Sentes, CEO, 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union; Byrne Cook, Lethbridge College School of Agriculture Chair; Cassidy Langridge, Digital Branding Specialist, 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union

By Dori Modney

Credit Union donates to agriculture student awards

Feb 2, 2022 | 3:39 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union is investing in the future of agriculture students with a $55,000 gift to support agricultural student awards. The money will support both Lethbridge College’s Bachelor of Agriculture Science degree and the Agriculture Sciences diploma program.

In 2021, the college launched a new Bachelor of Agriculture Science program to support the province’s agriculture industry by offering opportunities for career development, a path to further education and hands-on research opportunities, while focusing on the science of agriculture.

The well-established Agriculture Science diploma program allows students to split time between classrooms, labs and fields, while choosing from majors in agriculture business, agronomy or animal science.

Based in Lethbridge, the 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union’s leadership works to support the Southern Alberta economy and its agricultural sector. CEO, Jason Sentes, says they believe that to invest in the future, you must also invest in the present.

“These students are the future leaders and innovators of the agriculture industry, and to help them reach their potential, we want them to focus less on their financial worries and more on their studies.”

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The gift from 1st Choice Savings will help create new awards for students in the program, which will directly support the province’s future agriculture leaders.

The College’s Bachelor of Agriculture Science flexible degree program sprouts out of institute’s Agriculture Sciences diploma program. The agricultural degree program is the only one of its kind in southern Alberta and is comparable to Bachelor of Science degree programs offered at the University of Alberta and University of Saskatchewan.

It is also recognized by the Alberta Institute of Agrologists, with students earning a Professional Agrologist designation following graduation.

Byrne Cook Chairs the School of Agriculture and explains the basis for the program came directly from talking to members of Alberta’s agriculture industry and addressing their needs.

“The students in this program are committed to building innovative and sustainable careers in agriculture. The support from 1st Choice Savings helps to relieve the financial burden on students, allowing them to focus on their studies, while preparing them for meaningful careers in agriculture.”

Since the degree program is so new, there are very few established awards for students at this time. The 1st Choice Savings’ gift will help create student awards for the program and the first award recipients will be chosen this summer, based on various criteria.

As well as the diploma and degree programs, there are a variety of agriculture-related applied research opportunities are available through the college’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.