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Decatur County Farm Bureau member Taylor Strickland has been selected to receive a scholarship from the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. Strickland is one of three recipients statewide to earn the foundation’s $2,000 UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Scholarship.

This scholarship is offered to students at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) who plan to offer veterinary services to horses, livestock, poultry and other food animals. Strickland is a rising senior in the UGA CVM.

“Agriculture is Georgia’s leading economic sector. The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture would like to keep it that way, which is why it continues to invest in the bright minds that will power our industry in the future,” said Lily Baucom, executive director of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA).

Strickland, the daughter of Ben and Debbie Strickland of Attapulgus, graduated from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) with a degree in animal science in 2017. As a CAES undergraduate, Strickland was a member and officer in the CAES Cattlemen’s Association Club, Dairy Science Club and Block & Bridle.

As a CVM student, Strickland is a member of the Omega Tau Sigma Professional Veterinary Fraternity for which she served as recruitment chair for the 2018-19 school year and as vice president for the 2019-20 school year. Strickland is historian of the UGA CVM Class of 2021, a role she began serving in 2017, the class’ first year. She is a member of the CVM Theriogenology Club for which she was president-elect for 2018-19 and served as president 2019-20.

Strickland grew up on  her family’s beef farm. She developed an interest in veterinary medicine while showing beef cattle (for nine years),  swine and dairy cattle (two years each).

As a  future large animal veterinarian, Strickland says, “I enjoyed helping my local veterinarian perform physicals and create treatment plans for my show animals and our herd at home. These interactions  and experiences were part of what inspired me to take on the challenge of  becoming a veterinarian. In my future career,  I  hope I can foster that same enthusiasm in other young people from small, rural communities.”

Strickland is a member of the Bainbridge  First United Methodist Church  where she is a  music worship leader. She has served as a  student dean  and  instructor at the Florida United Methodist Music  & Worship Arts Workshop since 2013.

The GFA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to advancing Georgia agriculture and creating healthy communities. The GFA works with Georgia Farm Bureau and other agricultural and educational organizations throughout Georgia to achieve its mission. The foundation is governed by a board of directors comprised of farmers, educators and Georgia agricultural leaders.