Mountaire awards scholarships to 11 children of employees

Mountaire Farms allocates thousands of dollars every year for scholarship funds, and is giving 11 Delaware students $2,500 this year for college.

The fourth-largest chicken producer in the U.S. is headquartered in Millsboro, and it’s giving Delawareans financial help for college. 

Mountaire Farms has announced an $80,000 allocation to 32 children of employees, growers and grain producers in Delaware, Maryland and North Carolina.

Phillip Plylar, president and chief executive officer of Mountaire Farms, said in a statement that the company is proud of the program and embraces the people it cares about.

“These students have all demonstrated a commitment to their education, and to their communities, which we believe should be celebrated,” he said.

The company’s latest round of scholarships includes $27,500 for 11 students in the First State. Last year, Mountaire awarded seven of the 32 scholarships to employees’ children in Delaware.

RELATED: 7 Delaware students receive $2,500 Mountaire scholarships

Here are this year’s recipients in Delaware: 

1. Kiersten Anderson from Millsboro to attend Delaware Technical and Community College to study nursing. She is the daughter of Roland West, a grain producer.
2. Camille Bello from Millsboro is a junior at the University of Delaware, majoring in health behavior science. She is the daughter of Lily Bello who works in purchasing.
3. Mindy Blevins from Selbyville is a junior attending Wilmington University studying organizational leadership. Her father Charles Blevins is a feed mill superintendent.
4. Raegan Kansak from Frankford plans to attend the University of Delaware to study elementary education. Her parents are broiler growers.
5. Chase Murray from Georgetown plans to attend Del Tech to study business. His family grows broilers.
6. Brock O’Day from Seaford plans to attend the University of Kentucky to study agri-business management. His father William O’Day is a grain producer.
7. Eunsol Park recently immigrated from South Korea and plans to attend Wor-Wic Community College to take STEM classes and eventually pursue a degree in biochemistry. Her mother Kim Miri works at the Selbyville processing plant.
8. Ethan Patey from Delmar is graduating from Del Tech with an associates degree in agri-business management. He plans to attend Salisbury University in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business. His grandfather Howard Webb is a grain producer.
9. Tyler Patey from Delmar plans to attend Del Tech to study agri-business management. His grandfather Howard Webb is a grain producer..
10. Estrella Ramos from Selbyville is a sophomore at Bridgewater College studying music education. Her mother Julie Ramos is a processing plant worker.
11. Cade Vanderslice from Laurel is a sophomore at Regent University and plans to pursue a career in agri-business. His father Patrick Vanderslice works for the grow out team in Selbyville.

Jarek Rutz

Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.

Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz