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Students Receive Agricultural Scholarships

By Kendra Knutson
UWRF University Communications

NOV. 10, 2006--Four students from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls have received U.S. Department of Agriculture Multicultural Scholars Grants to major in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.  

The students include: Ted Cannady, a freshman from River Falls majoring in agricultural business; Lakiesha Townsell, a freshman from Milwaukee majoring in agricultural business; Howard Anderson, a freshman from Milwaukee majoring in marketing communications with an agriculture emphasis; and Sarah Nielsen, a freshman from Maplewood, Minn., majoring in biotechnology.

All the students graduated from Milwaukee Vincent High School, except Nielsen who received her diploma from the Agriculture and Food Science Academy in St. Paul.     

The students from Vincent High School were introduced to UWRF while still in high school because of a partnership and pre-college program that exists between the high school and UWRF, said Donovan Taylor, a professor in the UWRF plant and earth science department, who founded the program. Taylor will serve as a faculty mentor for the scholarship recipients.

Started in 2000 by CAFES, Vincent High School and the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County, this partnership brought high school students to the campus for week-long programs exploring agriculture and environmental sciences during the summer.

One scholarship recipient is very excited about stepping foot in the agriculture world. "I would like to understand more about agriculture and work outside," said Anderson. His dream, he says, is to become a sportscaster as well as educate others on the importance of agriculture.  

   Five students were initially selected to receive the scholarship, however, only four students enrolled at UWRF. One of the agreements of the program is to act as an ambassador for UWRF, said Taylor. Recipients must make a yearly trip back to their former high school to discuss their progress with prospective students. The scholarship program also helps them find internships in agriculture related companies when they reach the junior or senior rank.

This is the first year of the scholarships. "We hope to find sources to continue [the scholarship program]," said Taylor. Students will receive $6,000 per year for four years as long as they meet a grade-point requirement and fulfill outreach efforts. The USDA funds $4,500 of the scholarship, while UWRF provides the remaining $1,500.  

This scholarship will allow me to "keep up my grades and stay in school," said Anderson.

Said Taylor, "We are excited--agriculture majors have typically not been very diverse, but now with the scholarship we are open to more diverse population of students."

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