The endowment agreement between Matthew Wommack, representative of the Agriculture Alumni Association, and the Missouri State University Foundation was signed this fall for the creation of the Wayne Schnelle Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was created to memorialize Wayne Schnelle and his contribution to the College of Agriculture and the Missouri agricultural industry.

Wayne Schnelle was a prominent figure in agriculture, serving as the co-founder of S&H Farm Supply. Growing up in Lockwood, Missouri, he planted his roots through his involvement in the Missouri FFA Association. He served as the state president his senior year of high school and worked alongside his father, who was also known as a leader in agriculture. Schnelle was devoted to improving agriculture in Southwest Missouri. In 1969, he and his brother-in-law, Erwin Hedeman, co-founded S&H Farm Supply in Lockwood, Missouri. Approximately 53 years later, the business now has five locations with 190 employees, employing many students and alumni of the Darr College of Agriculture.

Schnelle was a dedicated supporter of Missouri State University and the College of Agriculture. After the establishment of the Missouri State Ag Advisory Council, where industry professionals weigh in on academic matters, Dr. Anson Elliott, former director of the College of Agriculture, advised Schnelle to become a member. Elliott leaned on Schnelle for advice and he played a large role in establishing the Journagan Ranch at Missouri State University. S & H Farm Supply continues to support College of Agriculture students through donations to the Ag Celebration with Alumni and Friends event, scholarship funds, and industry insight. 

Schnelle’s passion for pairing agriculture with education will continue to live on through the memorial scholarship established by the partnership of the Ag Alumni Association and the Darr College of Agriculture. The alumni association has pledged to continue to fund the scholarship with a $5,000 annual gift for the next four years. 

To be considered for the scholarship, the recipient of the award must be an undergraduate student majoring in agriculture and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester at Missouri State University. Additionally, the recipient must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and will need to have completed one year of college. Applicants who work in addition to going to school and demonstrate financial need are preferred. 

Interested in completing the scholarship application? Visit my.missouristate.edu and complete the application through the MSU Foundation Annual Scholarship Application tab.