The Keath Killebrew Charisma Scholarship
The Keath Killebrew Charisma Scholarship was established in 2022 to honor the life and legacy of Keath Killebrew, Sr. who tragically died trying to accomplish a new dream of teaching farming in Paraguay. His memory lives on through his family and friends, and their vow to continue his life’s work to teach and train the next generation of Mississippi farmers.
This scholarship will be given to individuals who are passionate about agriculture and serving people throughout their career. See More about Keath.
This scholarship invites applicants who reside in Mississippi and are currently high school seniors or an individual pursuing post-secondary training, education or certification who has a proven work history, is passionate about agriculture and helping others, and who will be studying agriculture or a related field. The minimum award will be $2,000 per recipient. Multiple awards may be given.
2026 Scholarship Recipients
Dalton Whitt
Dalton is a Ph.D. student in Weed Science at Mississippi State University, based at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Mississippi. His research focuses on the management of Italian ryegrass, Mississippi’s most problematic winter weed. After graduation, Dalton hopes to work directly with Mississippi farmers, helping address production challenges by providing practical, research-based solutions. He is grateful for the support of the Killebrew Ag Foundation, which allows him to remain fully focused on his research without the added burden of financial stress.
Collin Russell
My name is Collin Russell and I am a senior at Mississippi State majoring in Agribusiness. I grew up on a 3rd generation family farm working with my father. I chose to major in Agribusiness due to my passion for agriculture with hopes to obtain a job in farm credit so that I can help farmers, ranchers, and land owners achieve their dreams. I am currently serving as a College of Ag and Life Sciences ambassador along with being a part of the ag econ club at Mississippi State University. I also just completed a summer Internship with Mississippi Land Bank.
Emily Hood
My name is Emily “Hanna” Hood and I am from Lexington, Mississippi. I have grown up around farming and livestock my entire life and have been involved in 4-H showing swine for the past 11 years. I enjoy helping on my family’s farm during the summers and have developed a strong passion for agriculture. I plan to attend Holmes Community College before transferring to Mississippi State University to earn a degree in Agricultural Business with a minor in Agronomy.