DeWitt Student Wins 2020-21 Katherine Franzen Scholarship
JONESBORO – Tiner Gunnell, a sophomore majoring in agricultural systems technology at Arkansas State University, is the recipient of the $1,000 Katherine E. Franzen Memorial Scholarship for 2020-21.
“I chose agricultural systems and technology for my major since I have been around farming all my life,” said Gunnell. “It seems to me this is where the farming industry is going these days. My family on both sides have farmed for as long as I can remember, which started out over 66 years ago with my great grandfather. My dad and grandpa have taught me so much about farming over the years. They have always said that a little hard work never hurt anyone.”
When Gunnell is not attending college or working on his online classes, he works on the family farm, and has done so since he was in the ninth grade.
“It is hard work and not always very fun, especially during these uncertain times we are going through due to the coronavirus,” he continued. “We can’t stop living just because things are different; we have to adjust and keep going, hoping for the best and coping with the rest. I look forward to seeing what the next three years will have in store for me and what my future holds.”
He is a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity at A-State.
Franzen scholarship recipients must be from Arkansas County and a full-time student at Arkansas State majoring in an agriculture-related field. The scholarship was founded to help students advance their agricultural education. Recipients must maintain a minimum 2.25 grade point average and must exhibit leadership qualities.
The Katherine Franzen Memorial Scholarship is privately funded, established in 1992 by her grandson, Tom W. Franzen, to honor his grandmother who lived in Stuttgart. She was an astute farmer and businesswoman whose generosity was far-reaching.
Katherine E. Franzen (1914-2001) was a lifelong resident who contributed to a number of causes in the Stuttgart area. She was especially known for presenting anonymous gifts and sought no personal recognition.
