To encourage young people to enter the field of agricultural education, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumnus Zack Ladd and his wife, Mary Brewer Ladd, have established the Zack and Mary Ladd Scholarship Endowment in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc., N.C. State University.

The Ladds of Yadkinville created the endowment to provide merit-based scholarships to students majoring in agricultural education in the College’s Department of Agricultural and Extension Education (AEE), with a preference for those from Yadkin County. Zack Ladd holds a 1958 bachelor of science degree in agricultural education from the department. To ensure the awarding of the scholarship each year, the Ladds have opened it to any two- or four-year traditional agriculture student form North Carolina, if there are no AEE majors available.

Dr. Johnny Wynne, interim dean of the College, hosted the endowment signing ceremonies at Patterson Hall May 30. Wynne noted Zack Ladd’s successful career with the N.C. Farm Bureau and his activities as past president of the Alumni and Friends Society in the College, as well as Mary Ladd’s extensive efforts with both hospice and cancer services that earned her two Governor’s Awards for Outstanding Volunteer.

“ This is an outstanding couple who are giving back to N.C. State,” Wynne said.

Dr. Jim Flowers, head of the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, described Zack Ladd as “not only a scholar, but someone who worked his way through school, and therefore someone who understands the needs of our students as tuition costs increase.”

Added Dr. John Cornwell, director of the College’s Agricultural Institute, “I was glad to see that Ag Institute students could be considered for this scholarship, particularly those students from Yadkin County. This will mean a lot for our students.”

N.C. Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten, a 1973 graduate of the College, said, “The word that best describes Zack Ladd is ‘loyalty.’” He then told Ladd, “I want to thank you for your loyalty to the Farm Bureau and to N.C. State and for your generosity. I know the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is better because you’ve been a part of it.”

In response, Zack Ladd said, “I am a blessed man. And you can keep only what you give away. This was motivated by a love for this university, a love for life and a love for people.”

— Terri Leith