Funding comes from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Thursday, April 23, 2020
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will offer a new scholarship program this fall specifically for first-time and transfer students who choose to major in food and agricultural sciences.
It will be funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a federal agency that today announced it is awarding $14 million to 19 historically black colleges and universities known as land-grant institutions. UMES will receive $752,632 from that allocation that was included in the 2018 Farm Bill championed by Congressman David Scott, a Georgia Democrat.
In its application to the agency administering the grants, UMES said its “project will support students majoring in agriculture, agribusiness, human ecology, and environmental sciences.”
Those students, UMES said, “will receive special support and mentoring to ensure they complete their degrees in a timely manner and are well- prepared for careers in the food and agricultural sciences.”
“The goal … is to address the national shortfall in the number of trained graduates available to fill positions in the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources or the environment sectors,” UMES’ grant application said.
Four years after it was founded in 1886, UMES – known as Princess Anne Academy at the time – became part of a group of historically black schools that offered agriculture and related studies included in a federal law that today continues to provide federal funding to those institutions.
“Today’s announcement signifies our continuing partnership with the 1890 land-grant universities to ensure the sustainability of our country’s agricultural future,” said J. Scott Angle, director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. “We are pleased to support these important institutions as they develop the next generation of agricultural leaders.”
By developing a highly skilled workforce, the federally-funded scholarship program aims to promote rural prosperity and economic development aligning with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s strategic goals.
Four programs across three academic departments – agriculture, food and resource sciences, human ecology and natural sciences – within the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences make up the UMES program. Students may choose agribusiness management, general agriculture, human ecology or environmental science as their major course of study, with several of the majors offering up to four concentrations.
Along with citizenship, admission to UMES and a minimum cumulative 3.0 grade point average at the time of application, students considering entrance into the program must meet a select number of criteria. Above all, there must be an intent to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences.
First-year students will receive awards for four years and transfer students for two years as long as all requirements are met. Research, internships and volunteerism opportunities will round out the Program along with a wide range of additional co-curricular activities.
For information about the UMES 1890 Scholarship Program or to apply, visit www.umes.edu/1890scholarship. More about the National Institute’s impact on agricultural science is found at https://nifa.usda.gov/impacts.
