Feb. 28 later deadline for USDA/1890 National Scholars Program

The three newest UAPB USDA/1890 National Scholars are (left-right) Elijah Muhammad, agriculture major, Chicago; Matthew Dismuke, plant science major, Camden, Ark.; and Michael Jones, (extreme right), regulatory sciences/environmental sciences major, Monticello, Ark.; with George Richardson, USDA/1890 program liaison. (UAPB image)

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – As high school students weigh their options fully cognizant of potential student loan debt, they would be wise to consider being named a USDA/1890 National Scholar, says George Richardson, USDA 1890 program liaison. Scholars graduate debt free with a professional position available to them upon graduation.

Traditionally, the deadline has been Feb. 1, but this year applications must be postmarked no later than Feb. 28. Students will be notified by April 30.

Only a select few are accepted into the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the eighteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities. Launched in 1992, the program awards scholarships to students attending 1890 Historically and Black Land-Grant Universities and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or related academic disciplines.

When the program began, applicants had to be incoming freshmen, but now the program is open to entering sophomores or juniors exhibiting leadership and community service and junior college or second-year college students transferring to a four-year institution, says Richardson.

Scholars receive tuition, room and board, fees, books, use of a laptop and software while on scholarship. As long as normal progress is made toward a bachelor’s degree, the scholarship continues for up to four years. Another plus, says Richardson, is employment. Students have a job with employee benefits with USDA during the summers while in college and a professional position available through www.usajobs.gov upon graduation.

Recipients are not selected by the 1890 institutions. Recipients apply to the 1890 institution of their choice and then submit a scholar’s program packet. Each 1890 institution can submit up to 10 packets of qualified candidates to the USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach, which contacts the USDA agencies who make the final selections.

Students are not restricted to applying to only one institution; they can apply to multiple institutions, but each packet submitted must contain original signatures and transcripts or it will be disqualified.

Standards are high, and the competition is stiff, says Richardson, but the stakes are also high. For the past five years, fewer than 30 scholarships were awarded per year.

Twenty-two national scholars have graduated from UAPB, which has four national scholars on campus this year. Three are new -- Michael Jones, a regulatory sciences/environmental sciences major from Monticello, Ark.; Elijah Muhammad, agriculture major from Chicago; Matthew Dismuke, a plant science major from Camden, Ark; and returning scholar Daniel Perry, an agricultural economics major from Marianna, Ark.

Application packets are posted on the web at www.outreach.usda.gov/education/1890 Richardson and some high school counselors will also have packets. For more information or help with the application process, contact Richardson at (870) 575-7241; (870) 541-0047 or richardsong@uapb.edu orGeorge.richardson@osec.usda.gov.

January 31, 2014

By Carol Sanders
Writer/editor
UAPB School of Agriculture
Fisheries and Human Sciences
(870) 575-7238
sandersc@uapb.edu