Today@Dal

Ellen Crane wasn't sure if what she had read was real. It all seemed very much like a dream - her dream.

A masters student at Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture, Crane was selected in the spring as one of 16 post-secondary students from across Canada to participate in the Cattleman's Young Leaders mentorship program.

The annual program is offered to beef enthusiasts, ages 18 to 35, with an extensive background in the beef industry who are interested in learning more. Selected candidates are paired with leaders within the beef industry from all across Canada to act as mentors. Mentees are also awarded a $2,000 bursary for travel expenses to industry and program related events.

"My mentor could be someone such as a researcher or a producer that is currently involved in the industry," Crane said. "With my mentor we'll make goals together as to what we would like the mentorship to look like. I would like to work on networking and improving the communication of research in the beef industry to the producers that can make use of it."

In addition to the mentorship program, Crane was also selected as a recipient for the Keith Gilmore Prize for Beef Innovation. While she is the first recipient of the award, the Keith Gilmore Foundation (KGF) will award this scholarship annually to post-graduate youth based on academic excellence and leadership in the beef industry. Through this award, Crane will receive $10,000 towards completing her master's degree focusing on feed efficiency in beef cattle.

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