Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts

News Release

SPRINGFIELD, IL, July 30, 2007— During the Education Luncheon on Monday, the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD) announced Jacob Mitchell had been selected as the winner of the George McKibben Scholarship. AISWCD’s 59th Annual Meeting and Illinois Land and Water Resources Conference were held at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield, Illinois.

Mitchell from Colchester, Illinois in McDonough County is currently enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he is majoring in agricultural engineering with an emphasis in soil and water conservation. While in college Mitchell is part of a student research group that is looking for ways to reduce nitrates in water, especially water from tile outlets. This summer he has an internship with Waterborne Environmental Inc.

The McKibben Scholarship was established by the AISWCD to assist outstanding agriculture students in the completion of their education at any Illinois State College. The winner must demonstrate superior agriculture academic achievement, commitment to soil and water conservation and potential for innovation and leadership ability. “The AISWCD is proud to support the development of individuals like Mitchell who want to make a difference and work to preserve agriculture and the environment,” says AISWCD Education Coordinator Stacy Stremsterfer.

###