October 14 – This school year, the United States Department of Agriculture has selected a new team of Prairie View A&M University students to the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program.

Traditionally, all scholars selected to the program from PVAMU have been College of Agriculture and Human Sciences students. But this year, not only were four CAHS students chosen, but also, two College of Business students. The four new CAHS students to join this elite program are Leigh Adams, Kira Christian, and Bryan Robinson, who are all Agriculture majors with a concentration in Animal and Food Science, and Zulfa Eisa, who is an Agriculture major with a concentration in Plant and Soil Science. Kaitlyn Hampton and Madison Woods are both Business Management majors.

Admittance into the program provides USDA Scholars with a temporary appointment to the agency in one of their branches of service. Adams, Christian, and Eisa will all participate in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), while Robinson will complete his program in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Business Management majors Hampton and Woods will go through the program in the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

These students will join current scholars Kristina Edwards, Dora Marin-Gonzales, Kyla Peer, and Russell Thomas. With the addition of the new scholars, PVAMU now has ten USDA/1890 National Scholars representing the university.

The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program provides scholarships to students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in any field concerning agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and other related entities at any of the 19 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions. The scholarship, which is available to high school and college students, provides full tuition, books, a summer internship, including room and board, for up to four years.

The 2020 USDA/1890 National Scholars Program application is now available and has a deadline of January 31, 2020. To learn more about the program and apply, visit their website at https://www.outreach.usda.gov/education/1890/. Contact PVAMU USDA Liaison Horace Hodge with any questions.

 Congratulations to these students for this outstanding accomplishment!

This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 1890 Extension Formula Program projects under Section 1444.

By: Taelor Smith

Horace Hodge

 

Horace Hodge
USDA/ 1890 Program Liaison
hdhodge@pvamu.edu
(936) 261-2521