Multicultural Scholars Program

The purpose of this competitive undergraduate scholarship grant program is to increase the multicultural diversity of the food and agricultural scientific and professional workforce, and advance the educational achievement of all Americans by providing competitive grants to colleges and universities. This program solicits applications to train students in the Emphasis Areas of (1)Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degree in Veterinary Medicine); (2) Agricultural Sciences and Engineering for Bioenergy; (3) Natural Resources Sciences Training; (4) Human Sciences Training; (5) Food Science and Human Nutrition Training; and (6) Agrosecurity Science Training. Applications are sought for student training that: (i) will prepare graduates to meet the demand for highly qualified personnel entering the workforce in the food and agricultural sciences domain; (ii) will pipeline more undergraduates into graduate education in the food and agricultural sciences; (iii) will address the substantial gap between White, Latino and African American populations entering graduate schools to enable the American system of higher education to remain competitive with the rest of the world; (iv) will promote students’ success in food and agricultural science disciplines at the undergraduate/DVM level; and (v) will focus on student learning, e.g., academic preparation, social support structure (tutoring, mentoring, experiential opportunities in research and study abroad), and professional mentoring to ensure matriculation and entry into food and agricultural sciences areas of graduate education or the workforce. Also, Special Experiential Learning (SEL) opportunities to support eligible USDA Multicultural Scholars to conduct research or to undertake studies at sites within or outside of the United States. SEL awards for eligible USDA Multicultural Scholars will only be available as provided for within this announcement.