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Business Wire
04-08-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Tractor Supply Launches Next Phase of $5 Million Scholarship Fund to Empower Future Rural Leaders
BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, announced today the third class of FFA Future Leaders Scholarship recipients in conjunction with the kickoff of the 2025 FFA Future Leaders Scholarship Fundraiser. The 2025-26 scholarship class includes a total of 146 students from 38 states with intended majors such as agribusiness, welding, agricultural communications, construction, fire sciences and more. The FFA Future Leaders Scholarship Fund—the largest of its kind—awards $5,000 scholarships to students attending a two-year program or trade school, and $10,000 scholarships to students pursuing agriculture-related studies in four-year programs. In rural communities across the country, students often face limited access to financial aid, career resources and exposure to emerging agricultural technologies or skilled trades. While the overall educational attainment of rural residents has increased significantly over the last 60 years, it remains behind that of urban residents. In 2023, 21.4% of the rural population earned a bachelor's degree or higher compared with 36.4% for the non-rural population. The Future Leaders Scholarship Fund is specifically designed to address these gaps by investing in high-potential students who will shape the future of rural America. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, among STEM graduates, rural students (29.1%) and their suburban counterparts (24.0%) were most likely to major in biological and agricultural sciences. 'We are thrilled to announce this year's scholarship recipients simultaneously with the kick-off of our next fundraiser, as there is no greater motivation than seeing the impact of these dollars in real time,' said Marti Skold-Jordan, Executive Director of the Tractor Supply Foundation and National FFA Foundation Sponsors' Board member. 'This class of Future Leaders further raises the bar with their unique interests, impressive goals and exceptional academic records. What hasn't changed, though, is that financial challenges remain a hurdle to achieving their dreams Out Here. For the last three years, we have delivered on our goal of raising at least $1 million to break down those barriers, and we hope to keep that streak going this year.' Beginning today and extending through August 16, customers can donate at checkout in Tractor Supply stores or online at to support the 2026-27 class of scholarship recipients. The Tractor Supply Foundation, in partnership with the National FFA Organization, established the Future Leaders Scholarship in 2022 with a $5 million commitment over five years, making it the largest agriculture scholarship fund of its kind and awarding 435 scholarships to date. The 2024 fundraiser generated more than $1 million to support the current class of scholarship recipients, which includes Kaylee Jones from Sandy, Oregon. Kaylee will attend Oklahoma State University in the fall to study agribusiness. She hopes to pursue a career in agricultural law. Throughout high school, Kaylee worked full time to help support her family. Her $10,000 Future Leaders Scholarship will help relieve some of the financial burden of attending college. 'With your help, I am a step closer to my goal of affording college debt-free and being able to pursue both agriculture and law worry-free,' she said. Wiley Proctor from Aldrich, Missouri, is another 2025-26 scholarship recipient. He will attend Lindenwood University at Ozark Technical Community College–Springfield to study fire science. 'This scholarship will help me achieve my goal of graduating from college with zero debt….and is going to help me in pursuing my dreams of becoming a firefighter,' he said. Additional $5,000 scholarship recipients include: Preston Gant from Fayette, Alabama. He will attend Bevill State Community College to study Diesel Mechanics and hopes to work in Hydraulic Mechanics. Joe Horn from Mount Solon, Virginia. He will attend a two-year program at the University of Northwestern Ohio to study agricultural engineering. He hopes to focus on agricultural equipment technology to pursue a career in that field. Carter Smith, from Middleburg, Pennsylvania. Carter will attend the Pennsylvania College of Technology to study civil engineering. He plans to work as a ready-mix concrete field technician. Hallie Southards from Wray, Colorado. She will attend Western Nebraska Community College-Sidney Campus to study avionics. Hallie hopes to pursue a career as an aviation mechanic. The third class of FFA Future Leaders also includes 54 students who received $10,000 scholarships to pursue agriculture-related four-year majors, including: Elleigh Fisher from North Platte , Nebraska. She will be a senior at Chadron State College where she is studying biology and plant and soil science. She plans to pursue a career in agronomy. Grant Frierson from Paris, Texas. In the fall, he will be a freshman at Texas A & M University studying agribusiness. He hopes to pursue a career in commodity trading. Lillian Morgan from Afton, Virginia. She is a rising sophomore at Oklahoma State University where she is studying agricultural business. Her goal is to use her education to start her own successful business. Kaden Pham, from Monett, Missouri. He will attend Missouri State University to study agricultural management and hopes to work in agri-business and supply chain management. Scholarship recipients will also have the opportunity to interview for career opportunities at Tractor Supply stores or distribution centers while pursuing their education. Additionally, Tractor Supply has earmarked internships at its Store Support Center in Brentwood, Tennessee, and Distribution Centers around the country, for scholarship recipients. 'The National FFA Organization is deeply grateful for our scholarship partners like Tractor Supply Company for their continued commitment to cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders,' said Jim Williams, Executive Director of Development at the National FFA Foundation. 'By providing financial assistance to individual FFA members, we can help alleviate some of the financial burdens those FFA members may face as they explore opportunities beyond high school that will give them the tools to make a lasting impact on their local communities.' For more information on the 2026-27 FFA Future Leaders Scholarship, visit $10,000 Scholarship Winners (Four-Year Majors) $5,000 Scholarship Winners (Trade Schools/Two-Year Programs) About Tractor Supply Company For more than 85 years, Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO) has been passionate about serving the needs of recreational farmers, ranchers, homeowners, gardeners, pet enthusiasts and all those who enjoy living Life Out Here. Tractor Supply is the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S., ranking 296 on the Fortune 500. The Company's more than 52,000 Team Members are known for delivering legendary service and helping customers pursue their passions, whether that means being closer to the land, taking care of animals or living a hands-on, DIY lifestyle. In store and online, Tractor Supply provides what customers need – anytime, anywhere, any way they choose at the low prices they deserve. As part of the Company's commitment to caring for animals of all kinds, Tractor Supply is proud to include Petsense by Tractor Supply, a pet specialty retailer, and Allivet, a leading online pet pharmacy, in its family of brands. Together, Tractor Supply is able to provide comprehensive solutions for pet care, livestock wellness and rural living, ensuring customers and their animals thrive. From its stores to the customer's doorstep, Tractor Supply is here to serve and support Life Out Here. As of June 28, 2025, the Company operated 2,335 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and 207 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores in 23 states. For more information, visit and
Muscat Daily
24-07-2025
- Muscat Daily
Lingo bingo
If you are an expatriate living in Oman who cannot yet speak basic Arabic, it might be high time to sign up for an easy language learning course. Luckily, Arabic learning centres across Muscat are more than willing to help, to enable expatriates avoid making conversations a 'game of chance' …………………. A heated argument between a local cabbie and an Indian expatriate at Ruwi recently proved quite amusing for a group of onlookers – while the cabbie humbly demanded his legal fare, the expatriate was vocal about being duped and kept insisting on paying him more! Conversations between Omanis and non-Arabic speaking expatriates in Muscat as well as other parts of the sultanate often take a hilarious tone as language barriers pose many a dilemma. While learning Arabic is not mandatory, most expatriates rely on English and Hindi to express themselves – thankfully enough, Omanis willingly oblige without a qualm. The moot issue here is about expatriates not learning to converse in Arabic, though many have stayed on for decades on end. On the other hand, there are one too many language learning centres that offer classes at convenient hours, but witness only a trickle of students. Expatriates like Kaylee Jones, an English translator and student of Noor Majan institute's summer programme, says, 'When I moved to Muscat, many suggested that I learn Arabic if I intended staying for a long time. Now, as I often struggle to strike up conversations with a friendly Omani cop who doesn't speak English, I realise that I should've listened to them a long time ago.' There are scores of expatriates of varied nationalities, like Kaylee, who want to learn the language in a slightly more formal learning environment. Eagerly enrolling themselves to institutions like Noor Majan's Muscat campus, they seek to gain a deeper understanding of the Arabic language. A former alumnus of Noor Majan Arabic Institute, Robert Rodriguez said, 'I learnt Arabic here several years ago to speak the language fluently enough with locals in Oman. As an intelligence officer in the US Army that visits Muscat occasionally, I find it easier to navigate around the city and have managed to gain and maintain close friendships with the people here because of my knowledge of the language and my adoration of the Omani culture.' Shreya Gupta, a current student in the institute's summer programme, said, 'Since I have recently graduated from Georgetown university with a minor in Arabic and Islamic studies, I fell in love with Islamic and Muslim cultures and wanted to expand on this knowledge I have received by learning the language thoroughly this time.' Why expatriates don't learn Arabic This excitement to learn the language, however, doesn't seem to be conveyed by non-Arab locals within the area. As a (part-time) instructor at Noor Majan Arabic Institute, Ahmed al Balushi elaborates, 'We typically get a lot of foreign students who come to Muscat for an internship or a graduate job. For our summer programmes that go on till August, we typically get at least six to ten students per class. I guess a reason for this slow intake is partially because most non-arab speakers do not have the time to commit to our lectures, and partially because most of them simply believe that they can learn bits of it on their own as some words are similar to other languages they speak, like Hindi.' Arabic tutor Fatima al Wahaibi, who conducts Arabic classes online and in-person in the Saud Bhawan Residency 1 building at Al-Khuwair, explains, 'As I'm a private instructor who only charges RO1 per class and conducts classes at timings and venues convenient for people who don't speak Arabic, I tend to get a lot more residents within the area to attend my online and offline classes. So, in my perspective, I think, the biggest factor that affects those who learn to speak Arabic is cost and convenience.' Mahi Chaudhary, a student at Fatima's sessions, confirms this suggestion saying, 'As a housewife who lives next to the Saud Bhawan Residency buildings, I find it easier to attend Ms Fatima's evening classes because of its location. Typically, these classes would comprise me and three other students, all of whom have jobs that prevent them from taking upoing for longer classes that go on throughout the day. But I personally don't mind the smaller structure because of how much more time I get to spend with everyone else as we learn the language together. For me, it's easier for me to learn Arabic here rather than in a bigger and noisier classroom.' Another student of Fatima's in-person session, Omar Sheikh explains the key differences between both the learning formats. 'I used to attend classes offered by the Sultan Qaboos Institute for non-native speakers. However, I found that the classes were too expensive for me and it became too stressful to balance coursework with my office work throughout the day. That's why I prefer learning here. But, I also understand that if I had properly applied myself to those classes, I would have learnt more Arabic than the typical conversational phrases we learn in Ms Fatima's classes.' Despite these differences in class structures and core curriculum, students and staff from both organisations highlight the importance of learning Arabic in a class environment. As a student of Noor Majan Arabic Institute, Nikhil Sharma puts it, 'Everyone has their own style of learning a new language. However, expecting most non-Arabic speakers to learn the language entirely on their own is a bit unrealistic. I think it is important for people planning to work and live here for many years to learn the language. It is equally important to make learning accessible to the general public because it helps us learn and adapt to a new and distinct culture.' (Contributed by: Ishita Shetty)
