Cassandra “Cassie” Kniebel of White City, Kan., received the prestigious Roy A. Wallace Memorial Scholarship during the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) research seminar and annual meeting in Bozeman, Mont., June 1-5.

Kniebel is first vice president of the Red Angus Junior Association of America and is majoring in Animal Science at Kansas State University.

The Roy A. Wallace BIF Memorial Fund was established to honor the life and career of Roy A. Wallace. Wallace worked for Select Sires for 40 years, serving as vice president of beef programs.

He devoted his life to beef cattle improvement and became involved with BIF in its infancy. He was the only person to attend each of the first 40 BIF conventions. He loved what BIF stood for – an organization that brings together purebred and commercial cattle breeders, academia and breed associations, all committed to improving beef cattle.

Wallace was honored with both the BIF Pioneer Award and BIF Continuing Service Award. He also co-authored the BIF 25-year history, Ideas into Action.

BIF established the scholarship named in Wallace’s honor to encourage young men and women to pursue beef cattle improvement with the dedication and passion that Wallace exhibited.

BIF awards the Roy A. Wallace Memorial Scholarships to graduate and undergraduate students currently enrolled as fulltime students pursuing a degree related to the beef cattle industry.

The selection committee considers applicants who demonstrate a commitment and service to the beef cattle industry. They give preference to students who have demonstrated a passion for beef breeding, genetics and reproduction. They also judge academic performance, personal character and service to the beef cattle industry.

This year, BIF awarded two $1,250 scholarships. Kniebel received the scholarship designated for undergraduates, and Jessica Bussard of the University of Kentucky received the graduate scholarship.