Scholarship Recipient Katelyn Collins is an Undergraduate Equine Science Student at Texas Tech, Collegiate Rodeo Athlete, and 2024 Miss Rodeo Texas Teen
Nelsonville, OH (August 15, 2024) – Honoring the spirit of the American cowgirl, Durango® Boots created a $30,000 undergraduate scholarship to be awarded to a young woman pursuing a degree in the Western industry. The scholarship, executed in partnership with the Dude Ranch Foundation, is unveiled annually on September 15th in commemoration of the National Day of the Cowgirl. Today, Durango® is happy to announce the 2024 scholarship award winner, Katelyn Collins. Applications for the 2025 scholarship will be open September 15 through December 31, 2024. For more information or to apply for the scholarship, visit https://nationaldayofthecowgirl.com.
“We are thrilled at the response of our first annual scholarship celebrating cowgirls across our country,” said Erin DeLong, marketing manager at Durango® Boots. “It was a very difficult decision as we had so many wonderful candidates. After an extensive review period, we found Katelyn to be the most qualified for this year’s scholarship, and we will look to Katelyn to encourage even more young ladies to apply this year.”
Inaugural scholarship recipient Katelyn Collins is currently an undergraduate student at Texas Tech University where she studies equine science. Additionally, Katelyn is part of the Texas Tech rodeo team and was recently crowned with the prestigious 2024 Miss Rodeo Texas Teen title. All of these accomplishments didn’t come easily to Katelyn but required enduring dedication as she overcame personal hurdles.
“When I first went to horse camp, I fell in love with the equine industry, riding and barrel racing,” Collins shared. “If you are a cowgirl like me and a freshman in college, I highly recommend that you apply for the National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship and see what opportunities it may hold for you.”
The National Day of the Cowgirl scholarship, presented by Durango® Boots, will be awarded in the amount of $30,000 distributed over three years of continued education. Each year, the scholarship will be awarded to one undergraduate female student currently in their first year of college who aspires to contribute to the western way of life through the passionate pursuit of a career within the western, agriculture, farm and ranch, equine, or western sports industries.
“It is so amazing to know that my hard work is being recognized in ways I had never imagined,” Collins continued. “Thank you to Durango Boots for this opportunity, and for the opportunities you are giving to other young women in the industry.”
“This scholarship is a way for Durango® to give back to hard-working women who want to have an impact on the western industry through their education and career,” DeLong commented.
Read more about Katelyn’s story and the National Day of the Cowgirl scholarship at https://www.durangoboots.com/blog/national-day-of-the-cowgirl-scholarship-winner-katelyn-collins.
About Durango®
Founded in 1966, Durango® Boots manufactures and markets quality-crafted western and fashion footwear for men, women, and children. It is a division of Rocky Brands™, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ® under the symbol: RCKY. For more information visit www.durangoboots.com.
About the Dude Ranch Foundation
The Mission and Purpose of the Dude Ranch Foundation is to preserve history and expand knowledge of America’s dude ranching industry through a Western Museum, research archives, educational programs, land conservation, and workforce development. The Dude Ranch Foundation is a duly incorporated nonprofit corporation under the Internal Revenue Service code 501(c)(3).
Media Contact: Emily Snayd, HFS Communications, [email protected]
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