Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
U.S. college students will find good employment opportunities if they have expertise in food, agriculture, renewable naturalresources or the environment per report of Purdue University and USDA, 2020. With an expectation of 59,400 jobs annually,great career opportunities awaits those with a bachelor or higher degree in the aforementioned disciplines. The 1890Scholarships Program will significantly support and impact student scholars seeking a career in the food and agriculturalsciences. One hundred plus students will directly benefit from the 1890 Scholarships Program. Full four-year, two-year and oneyear scholarships and eighty-eight partial scholarship or more will be awarded. Graduates will be tracked and engaged with theCOA assist in various capacities post-graduation. We recognize the significance of this program and the investment made byNIFA, university and college in these young people. Further, it is our intent to maximize the impact of program and experiencefor the students and all involved.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The 1890 Scholarships Program will significantly support and impact student scholars seeking a career in the food andagricultural sciences. The immediate impact/support of this program will be felt via:1. Increased availability of dedicated scholarship dollars for aspiring food and agricultural sciences (food/ag) majors;2. Increased number of high caliber undergraduate scholars pursuing Bachelor of Science degree in the fields of Agriculture,Family and Consumer Science and Hospitality Management;3. Reduction in the amount college loans and student debt accumulated by food/ag majors;4. Increased retention and six-year graduation rates for food/ag majors;5. Increased number of food/ag majors pursuing graduate and professional education degree.
Project Methods
We will focus our attentions and efforts on those potential scholars who have made early application for admission and haveexpressed an interest in food and agricultural sciences. Scholars will be mentored at two levels - Academic Center forExcellence (ACE) and Department. All first-year students are advised in and supported through both the Center and theirrespective academic department during their first and second semester. The goal of ACE is to support students in identifyingand clarifying their academic direction and educational goals and to help students to develop and maintain effective educationalplans and strategies for continued success. Scholars will have opportunities for broad exposure to career development duringtheir matriculation at VSU. The university Career Services office partners with faculty, staff, student organizations and Universitydepartments in providing career programs to help students obtain experiential learning and employment opportunities related totheir major. Scholars will be monitored by both the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and their academic department.Again, ACE co-advises first-year students, along with their academic department during their first and second semesters ofattendance; helping to support students in identifying and clarifying their academic direction and educational goals and to helpstudents to develop and maintain effective educational plans and strategies for continued success. Academic departmentsco-advise and take over advising full-time in their second-third semester of attendance; further strengthening the scholarshiprecipients' educational planning/advisement, mentoring/mentorship, personal/career development and overall academicsuccess. The Executive Director of Academic Innovation, Integration, and Student Success will serve as their pointof contact and assist students with challenges.