Beef Industry Scholarship
Sponsored by

 CME Group
& the National Cattlemen's Foundation

2010-2011 Scholarship Application
(Application Deadline: All submissions must be postmarked or received by December 1, 2009).

Scholarship Overview
Ten scholarships of $1,500 will be awarded to outstanding students who are pursuing careers in the beef industry. Fields of study may include: education, communications, production, research or any other area involved with the beef industry. The purpose of this program is to identify and encourage talented and thoughtful students who will emerge as industry leaders.

Conditions of Eligibility
Applicants must be a graduating high school senior or full-time undergraduate student enrolled at a two or four-year institution for the 2010-2011 school year. 

Graduating high school seniors who have not been accepted to a two or four-year institution must list the school in which the student plans to attend, or has applied to, on the Cover Page.  Multiple schools may be listed.

Applicants must have demonstrated a commitment to a career in the beef industry through classes, internships or life experiences.

Previous scholarship winners are eligible to apply in subsequent years.

Judging Process
The National Cattlemen’s Foundation will administer the program and choose a panel of judges to read the essays and select the winners. Essays will be judged on the basis of originality, grammar, clarity of expression, accuracy, relevance of topic and the solutions offered. Judges decisions are final. The CME Group and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation reserve the right to publish all or any or parts of the essays submitted.

The following percentages of the total score will be used to evaluate application:

  • Essay – 70%
  • Letter of intent – 20%
  • References – 10%

Application Requirements

  1. You must be enrolled as an undergraduate student in a two or four-year institution of higher education for the entire 2010-2011 academic year. Proof of enrollment as a full-time student will be required to receive the scholarship money.
  2. Write a one page letter expressing/indicating your future career goals related to the beef industry.
  3. Write an essay of 750 words or less describing an issue confronting the beef industry and offer your solution.
  4. Obtain two letters of reference from current or former instructors or industry professionals.
  5. Applications must contain the Beef Industry Scholarship cover page (first page of application).
  6. Enclose the above items in a single envelope and submit to: National Cattlemen’s Foundation, 9110 East Nichols Ave., Suite 300, Centennial, CO 80112.

For additional information, please call 303-694-0305 or email at ncf@beef.org.

The Beef Industry Scholarship was introduced in 1989 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Live Cattle Futures Contract on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  The CME Group and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation are committed to the future of the cattle industry and continue to recognize and support outstanding youth in the beef community.

The National Cattlemen's Foundation advances the future of the beef industry with passion and urgency.

CME Group is a combined entity formed by the 2007 merger of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT).  With the widest range of benchmark products available on any exchange and covering all major asset classes, CME Group offers futures and options based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchangem commodities, energy, and alternative investment products such as weather and real estate.