John Mullin $1,000 Scholarship

North American Gamebird Foundation Scholarships Awarded

The NAGF Scholarship Committee has announced the latest recipients of the North American Gamebird Foundation’s John Mullin Scholarship. They are Austin Teeter, Troy Ahlers, Jacob Tiernan, Kaden Beavers and Nathan Searles.

Each year, NAGF awards up to five $1,000 post-high school scholarships. Any NAGA member, or child or grandchild of an NAGA member, is eligible to apply.

Application forms for the 2018 scholarships are available in the annual NAGA Membership Directory and online HERE.

The deadline for application is August 15th each year. Bios for the recipients are as follows.

Troy Ahlers
I was born and raised in Lewiston, Idaho. I graduated from Lewiston High School as a valedictorian while playing football, basketball, track and field, and tennis with a total of nine varsity seasons. I also love hunting at my grandpa’s ranch, Little Canyon Shooting. I’m currently enrolled at the University of Idaho and my major is mechanical engineering. One day I want to become an aerospace engineer!

Kaden Beavers
I am the son of Scott and Kriste Beavers, and am attending Montana State University – Bozeman, where I am studying Environmental Science: Biology. I plan on using degree to open a wildlife and hunting reserve along with my dad and brother after graduation.

My first experience with pheasant hunting came when I was 6 years old and won an auction at a Ducks Unlimited event for a guided pheasant hunt with Ben Butler of Lonestar Outfitters in Perryton Texas. From that point on, every year my brother and I had an annual pheasant hunt for our birthdays at Lonestar Outfitters and we would invite friends with their dads to join us.

We started off walking the fields behind Copper (Ben’s trusty bird dog) carrying our Daisy Red Riders and eventual we moved up to our first youth model 870 20ga shotguns when we were about 10 years old. Shooting sporting clay, trap and skeet has always been a part of my life with bird hunt.

Nathan Searles
I grew up in the rural town of Stayton, Oregon, where I attended St. Mary’s Elementary and Regis High School. At a young age my grandfather, Gary Bochsler, started raising pheasants, and built a business out of his barn a few dozen acres of cow pasture. Being the eager kid I was, and looking to make a couple bucks for the savings account, I started helping around the farm.

Working at Queener Ridge Pheasants gave me a huge set of skills that I will carry with me for a long time to come. And now, as I move on from high school to Oregon State University to study electrical engineering, I have no doubt that the attributes and work ethic I built and learned at the farm will help me in whatever path my life leads me on. Thank you so much for granting me the John Mullin scholarship.

Austin Teeter
I am currently a freshman at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, majoring in Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management. I have lived in Kansas my entire life—from the college-focused town of Manhattan, to the diversity of Garden City, to the small, rural town of Ingalls where I graduated high school.

When I was 16, I began working at Beaver Game Farms in Pierceville, and what started as a summer job completely established my future career path. The Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at KSU will provide me with the knowledge, experience and networking opportunities to reach my ultimate goal: to own and manage a hunting and fishing lodge.

I have told my parents many times that I want a career that pays me to share my love for hunting and fishing with other people. Thank you for selecting me for the John Mullin Scholarship. With the funds from this scholarship, I am one step closer to reaching that goal.

Jacob Tiernan
I am currently a sophomore at McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas. I am majoring in Business Finance, Marketing, and Management while also playing football. In my spare time I enjoy hunting all kinds of game and preparing for the next coming season all year round.

From seventh grade to my senior year of high school, I worked at Bluehill Gamebirds picking up eggs, feeding and watering old and young birds, sexing birds, and doing a little of everything in-between. I am thankful for my years at Bluehill Gamebirds and for everything I learned. Thank you very much for this scholarship.

The North American Gamebird Foundation offers five $1,000 post-high school scholarship annually in the name of the late John Mullin. Any NAGA member or child/grandchild of an NAGA member is eligible to apply. The deadline for application is August 15th each year. You can access the form clicking the following link.

North American Gamebird Foundation Scholarship Application

All applications submitted by August 15th will be reviewed by the NAGF Scholarship Committee. Successful applicants will be notified shortly thereafter. Funds will be sent directly to the Learning Institute of the recipients.

Complete the form and submit it with required documentation to:

Scholarship Committee
North American Gamebird Foundation
01406 E US Hwy 50
Piercevillle, KS 67868