Education is one of the key foundations of the SEPC’s mission. Recipients of the SEPC Member Scholarship will each receive $1,500 towards their educational goals for the upcoming school year. Qualified applicants are required to have a parent or grandparent who is a corporate member of the SEPC and is in good standing as of May 1st of the current year. Good standing status includes members that have been on the SEPC membership roster for at least 12 months and has personally attended at least one SEPC event (Southern Exposure and/or Southern Innovations) in the last 12 months. Immediate family members may apply if the active member is part of a corporate membership. Members who have indivudal memberships are not eligible. Qualified applicants must also be enrolled with at least twelve credit hours.
The application can only be submitted online through the link below. The application deadline is April 26, 2024 by 5:00 pm EST.
The following is required to complete the application:
- College or high school transcripts
- SEPC Member Name & Membership Number
- College/University Student ID Number, current major, & GPA (minimum 3.0 required)
- College/University Address where the scholarship funds should be sent
- SAT and/or ACT scores
- Enrollment verification from College/University
- Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
- Community Involvement description (6 hours of community service completed within the last 12 months)
- 500–1000-word essay on the following topic:
- This year SEPC is celebrating The Unseen Heroes – the men and women who serve our industry by plowing fields, harvesting crops, sorting produce, loading trucks, stocking shelves, and prepping meals. Some heroes wear camouflage, but within our industry they wear coveralls, work boots, gloves, aprons, hairnets, chef coats, safety glasses, and wide-brimmed hats. In your experience, how have you witnessed the unseen side of the produce industry? Also, what lessons have you learned from these unseen heroes, and how can you apply these life lessons to your own life?
*Note: Although the essay topic is similar, former Vorhees Vision Scholarship applicants must submit a different essay when applying for the SEPC Member scholarship. Use of AI tools or services to generate the content of essays is strictly prohibited. Essays submitted using AI formatting will be disqualified.
This form must be completed at time of submission; it cannot be saved and returned to later. For questions, please contact the SEPC office at scholarships@
About Southeast Produce Council
The Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) sprouted in 1999 when a shared vision for cultivating a nonprofit Southeastern-based produce organization was planted. From the first formal meeting of the SEPC where 100 agriculture, retail, and foodservice professionals gathered, we’ve flourished into a vibrant and innovative organization of over 4,000 industry professionals who reap the benefits of harvesting quality experiences guaranteed to increase the value of their membership. As with farmland, a well-cultivated industry can last for generations, and today, we continue to grow at a steady pace thanks to a broad range of backgrounds and expertise from people like you, creating a more bountiful tomorrow.
Learn the benefits of SEPC membership at seproducecouncil.com.
