Michigan Corn Frank Lipinski Scholarship
Offered by Michigan Corn Growers Association
About This Scholarship
The Frank Lipinski Scholarship is a single award of up to $2,000 from the Michigan Corn Growers Association for agriculture students who did not grow up on a farm. The MCGA board created it in memory of former board member Frank Lipinski, who wanted to help people from non-agriculture backgrounds find their way into the industry.
That focus makes it one of the few ag scholarships that actively favors outsiders. Applicants must be full-time post-secondary students pursuing an agricultural degree and must come from a non-agriculture, non-farm background; students from a family farm are not eligible. Participation in FFA, 4-H, or similar youth groups does not disqualify an applicant, so a suburban student who discovered agriculture through FFA can still apply.
The application is a downloadable form emailed directly to the Michigan Corn office rather than submitted through the national corn growers' portal. It must arrive by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 2026, which makes this one of the earliest ag scholarship deadlines of the season.
Eligibility
- Full-time post-secondary student pursuing an agricultural degree
- Must come from a non-agriculture/non-farm background; students from a family farm are not eligible
- FFA, 4-H, or similar youth organization membership does not disqualify an applicant
- No MCGA membership requirement stated
How To Apply
- Download the Frank Lipinski Scholarship application form from the Michigan Corn scholarship page
- Complete the form and gather any requested supporting materials
- Email the application to [email protected]
- Make sure it is received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
I was in FFA but my family doesn't farm. Can I apply?
Yes. Michigan Corn says FFA, 4-H, or similar membership does not disqualify you. The rule is that you cannot come from a family farm or an agriculture background.
Do I need to be a Michigan Corn member?
The Lipinski page does not list a membership requirement, unlike the separate MCGA member scholarships.