The Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) has named this year’s Vorhees Vision Scholarship recipients.
The Vorhees Vision Scholarship was created to reward the achievements of young individuals who demonstrate a true entrepreneurial spirit in their lives as they pursue their educational goals. This scholarship is named in honor of the late Terry L. Vorhees, founder and first executive director of the SEPC. Because of his vision and efforts, the SEPC became and remains one of the best resources in the produce industry.
All SEPC scholarships are awarded to applicants who meet the application criteria of having a parent or grandparent who is a corporate member in good standing with the SEPC, which means they have been on the membership roster for at least 12 months and have personally attended at least one SEPC event within the last 12 months.
SEPC’s Vorhees Vision Scholarship first-place recipient will receive a one-time scholarship of $10,000 to his or her enrolling college/university. The second-place recipient will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the third-place recipient will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
The 2025 Vorhees Vision Scholarship recipients are:
- First place – Isabella Lott, daughter of Sloan Lott | Bland Farms;
- Second place – Luka Rose, son of Brian Rose | Flavor 1st Growers and Packers; and
- Third place – Amelia Lott, daughter of Sloan Lott | Bland Farms.
Applicants must be either graduating high school seniors or enrolled as college freshmen, sophomores, juniors or seniors and must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Other selection factors include letters of recommendation from high school and/or college staff, clergy, community leaders, etc., SAT or ACT scores, leadership and community service involvement and the quality of their essay.
The 2025 essay topic was “Share why family meals are meaningful to you and how they can promote healthy eating habits. Describe how implementing these meals can help grow and strengthen generational bonds, including a personal experience you’ve witnessed.”