Performing Department
College of Agriculture and Food Sciences
Non Technical Summary
In 2019, the United Nations reported that the global population is projected to increase by 2.2 billion in the next 30 years, from 7.7 billion currently to 9.7 billion by 2050 https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/worldpopulationprospects2019.html This means that in order to feed this growing population, the Food and Agricultural Organization projects that agricultural production (food, feed and fiber) will need to increase by 70 percent. Assuming that these predictions are correct, the greatest challenge facing us in the United States of America (USA) will be how to educate the needed labor to replace the aging American agricultural workforce with the skilled workers and scientists needed to support the sustainable growth and efficiency in agricultural production. https://nifa.usda.gov/education More specifically, the critical question facing the food and agricultural sciences industry is "How do we attract more talented young, diverse persons into agricultural jobs?" Indeed, this continues to be the major question that is being asked by faculty and administrators in the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (CAFS) at Florida A&M University (FAMU), http://www.famu.edu/ as it tries to respond to the low, and in some cases, declining enrollment in some of its critical academic programs. With state and federal funding for education on the decline, the student debt burden continues to be high. Thus, funding from this Scholarship Program will provide new scholarships for FTCs to pursue and obtain their baccalaureate degrees in food and agricultural sciences from FAMU in four years, and for qualified, transfer students in two years. This funding will help CAFS cultivate and graduate more diverse leaders, who will be well equipped to address and solve future emerging challenges in food and agricultural sciences.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this 1890 Scholarships Program is to provide scholarships to support the recruiting, engaging, retaining, mentoring, and training of outstanding students as they pursue baccalaureate degrees in the food and agricultural sciences in CAFS at FAMU. The specific objectives are: a) To increase the number of outstanding, diverse students, who are recruited into CAFS, and who will obtain baccalaureate degrees, with technical competencies in the food and agricultural sciences, in two years (for transfer students) or four years (for FTCs), and b) To support the Scholars' intent to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences through a robust student support plan that includes mentoring, tutoring, research opportunities, professional development, and career counseling. c) To assist in supporting rising seniors and juniors financially in order to graduate in a timely manner.
Project Methods
Scholars will be recruited from across the state of Florida and from neighboring states, such as Georgia and Alabama. High achieving students will be invited to apply to the FAMU 1890 Scholarship Program. During the selection process, the Scholarship Selection Committee will meet to review the applications received. In order to be selected, students must meet or exceed the stated criteria for the various scholarships advertised. Scholars will be required to attend the CAFS Welcome and Orientation programs for new students, report weekly to the Program Center; data collection, evaluation and reporting; participate in assessment surveys of the Program several times per semester, to determine program efficiency and effectiveness; attend tutoring and mentoring activities within CAFS, as needed; attend their professional/career development / leadership activities; seek out on- and off-campus internships; and attend campus activities that are recommended by the Scholarship Office.