July 20: The CLAAS Foundation is commemorating the 100th birthday of its namesake, Helmut Claas, with two significant initiatives to support University of Nebraska–Lincoln students: the Helmut Claas Scholarship and the CLAAS Foundation Study Abroad Fund.
Helmut Claas, born July 16, 1926, shaped the CLAAS company for decades as a visionary entrepreneur and passionate supporter of the next generation of agricultural engineers. The international Helmut Claas Scholarship was the CLAAS Foundation’s first initiative - a program that Claas personally launched and to which he always attached significant importance. His objective was to inspire young talent to pursue careers in agricultural technology and pave the way for them to enter the industry. Claas died in 2021.
“Agricultural technology needs the best minds in the world - and the best minds in the world need an opportunity,” Claas once said. “Supporting the next generation is not an option; it is our responsibility toward the future of agriculture.”
Much of CLAAS’ long-term commitment to North America was shaped during Claas’ leadership. Building on a presence that dates back more than six decades, the company has steadily expanded its operations in the region. Today, its North American headquarters in Omaha is also home to LEXION combine assembly and engineering teams developing the next generation of harvesting technology.
Helmut Claas Scholarship
In cooperation with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, a top-ranked university for agricultural engineering in the United States, the CLAAS Foundation, based in Harsewinkel, Germany, will launch the Helmut Claas Scholarship to support undergraduate students majoring in agricultural engineering or agricultural systems technology at the university. Four scholarships, which may be renewed annually for four years, will be offered to students who are beginning their studies.
The new scholarship, created through the University of Nebraska Foundation, builds on the CLAAS Foundation’s longstanding international focus and sends a strong signal in support of cross-border cooperation in agricultural engineering education.
The partnership with the university represents more than just an institutional collaboration; it brings together two traditions of excellence in agricultural engineering — European and North American.
CLAAS Foundation Study Abroad Fund
In addition, the CLAAS Foundation has established a fund to support students in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering participating in a short-term study abroad program offered in collaboration with the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences in Germany.
The study abroad program underscores the CLAAS Foundation’s appreciation for academic achievement even in the early stages of a student’s studies and enhances the appeal of a career in agricultural engineering.
“We are tremendously grateful to the CLAAS Foundation for its generous support of our students,” said Joe Luck, interim head of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. “This gift highlights our strong partnership with the CLAAS Foundation. We share a common goal to support students who are pursuing their dream of a career in agricultural engineering, serving the well-being of Nebraska and the global community.”
The CLAAS Foundation’s generosity supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic effort to raise $3 billion from 150,000 unique benefactors to support the University of Nebraska. The campaign’s top priority is student access and success.
