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Department of Communications and Agricultural Education

Nicole Lane Selected to Receive 2015 Forrest Bassford Award

Story by Cassie Wandersee (master’s student)

Nicole Lane, senior ACJ, received the 2015 Livestock Publication Council (LPC) Forrest Bassford Student Award sponsored by Alltech. Lane was presented a $2,000 scholarship and plaque during the Ag Media Summit (AMS) in Scottsdale, Arizona, July 25-29.

Nicole Lane, a senior majoring in agricultural communications and journalism at Kansas State University, was awarded the 2015 Livestock Publications Council (LPC) Forrest Bassford Student Award sponsored by Alltech. Lane was presented a $2,000 scholarship and plaque ­­from Danielle Palmer, North American PR Coordinator.
Nicole Lane, a senior majoring in agricultural communications and journalism at Kansas State University, was awarded the 2015 Livestock Publications Council (LPC) Forrest Bassford Student Award sponsored by Alltech. Lane was presented a $2,000 scholarship and plaque ­­from Danielle Palmer, North American PR Coordinator.

The scholarship has been co-sponsored by Alltech since 2012. Alltech is a leading global biotechnology company whose mission is to improve the health and performance of people, animals and plants through natural nutrition and scientific innovation

“Agriculture has the most incredible stories to tell, and I’m so excited to tell them,” Lane said after accepting the award. “Food is what connects us all. It means so much to me to be recognized by the people I look up to in this field.”

Lane found her own way to agriculture, after insisting on having a sheep at the age of nine. A single sheep became 30 breeding ewes and a passion for 4-H. The daughter of a teacher and a forester in Oregon, Lane made the tough decision to follow her passion for agriculture to Kansas and enroll in the ACJ program at K-State.

“Being a kid from Oregon and going so far to pursue this dream in Kansas, this award really means so much. It’s validating,” Lane says.

At K-State, Lane serves as president for both the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and the professional agricultural sorority Sigma Alpha. Lane works at the Kansas Department of Agriculture on the Marketing and Advocacy team as an intern and as the graphic communications specialist for K-State Research and Extension’s News and Media Team.

“Nicole has worked really hard to develop herself as an agricultural communicator during her time at K-State,” says associate professor and co-adviser of ACT, Jason Ellis. “She has a passion for working in this industry, making her a highly qualified and deserving recipient of the Forrest Bassford Award.”

“K-State has a long history of students being named Forrest Bassford Award and travel scholarship recipients,” says Ellis. This is the 30th year for the Student Award Program, 11 of which have been awarded to students from K-State. “This success is a testament to the quality and motivation of our students; they set out to make a difference, and members of the profession are noticing their efforts.”

The Forrest Bassford Award honors excellence, professionalism and leadership among students. Along with the award, the LPC presents four students with travel scholarships to attend AMS.

“There has never been a better time for young, excited journalists to write about and examine agriculture,” says Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech.” Every day, consumers are trying to better understand where their food is coming from and are interested in the process. There are just so many stories to tell. We certainly need more passionate young people telling those, which is why we are so proud to support this award.”

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