2010 scholarships for agriculture and closely related majors
It’s kickoff time for the 2010 scholarship season, and college-bound San Diego County high school and college students planning to pursue a career in agriculture or a closely related field should start formulating their game plan now to take advantage of the many scholarship programs available. Here are a handful of popular scholarship programs offered to ag-minded students with contact information to get your student started in the right direction:
San Diego County Farm Bureau
Scholarship amount: Ranges from $500 to $3,000
Application deadline: April 12, 2010
Contact: (760) 745-3023
2010 Scholarship Application
The Farm Bureau of San Diego County, through the generosity of San Diego County farmers, ranchers, and nursery operators has awarded scholarships to deserving students since the program's inception in 1999. A total of $135,000 has been awarded to 115 students in the past nine years.
Each year the San Diego County Farm Bureau Scholarship Committee selects several students who are enrolled or entering college as scholarship recipients. Students entering or attending a two-year or four-year college or university are eligible. Applicants must be pursuing a course of study in agriculture or a closely related field, and they must have a permanent residence in San Diego County. Membership in the Farm Bureau is not required. Past scholarship award amounts have ranged from $500 to $2500. Funds awarded in 2009 must be applied to the 2009-2010 academic year.
The primary criteria for an SDCFB scholarship include academic achievement, career goals and a commitment to study agriculture. Secondary criteria include extracurricular activities, financial need and written expression. Applications must include transcripts as well as recommendations from a teacher and a current or former employer or community service organization. Applicants must be permanent residents of San Diego County and entering or attending a two- or four-year college or university. Applications and recommendation forms are available at the Farm Bureau office and on the Farm Bureau Web site at www.sdfarmbureau.org.
California Farm Bureau Federation
Scholarship amount: Ranges from $1,800 to $2,750
Application deadline: March 1, 2010
Contact: Darlene Licciardo at (916) 561-5500
Web site: http://cfbf.com
Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, career goals, extracurricular activities, determination and demonstration of leadership skills. Applicants must be Farm Bureau membership is not required. Detailed information and applications are available at online
4-H Scholarships for Higher Education
Scholarship amount: $1,000
Application postmarked by: April 30, 2010
Contact: 530-754-8518
Website
The California 4-H Youth Development Program is committed to promoting higher education, in part through offering financial assistance in the form of scholarships. Statewide scholarships are available, with help from donors, for graduating high school and college-attending students. Candidates were 4-H members in high school, and may now apply for funds to cover educational expenses such as tuition, books, room and board, and other educational expenses.
California Strawberry Commission
Scholarship amount: Ranges from $200 and up
Contact: Diana at (831) 724-1301 or email dgarcia@calstrawberry.org
Website: www.calstrawberry.com
The California Strawberry Growers’ Scholarship Program is focused on high school seniors who are children of strawberry field workers who are currently employed and have been employed at least two consecutive seasons in the California strawberry harvest at one California’s major strawberry growing regions of Watsonville/Salinas, Santa Maria, Oxnard, Orange County/San Diego and Fresno. The one-year scholarship allocations will be awarded based on merit and applied toward full-time status at a four-year college/university, junior college or accredited trade school. Farmers and their families, permanent staff and members of the California Strawberry Commission or their families are not eligible. Applicants must be sponsored by a legitimate California strawberry grower for verification of eligibility in the program. Instructions and application forms are available from the student’s high school academic advisor, by calling the California Strawberry Commission, or on www.calstrawberry.com.
San Diego Flower & Plant Association
Scholarship amount: Variable
Application deadline: April 30, 2010
Contact: Jan Berry (760) 431-2572 or email info@flowerandplant.org
Students who are permanent San Diego County residents and specializing in horticulture at accredited two or four-year schools are eligible. Applications are available from Jan Berry at the San Diego Flower & Plant Association or on their Web site at www.flowerandplant.org.
2010 Application
Cal Poly
Applicants must visit the Cal Poly Financial Aid Web Page where all the Cal Poly scholarships are listed and an online application form is available.
Joseph Shinoda Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship amount: Varies
Application deadline: March 30, 2010
Contact/Web site: www.shinodascholarship.org
Eligible applicants are undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. who are majoring in a degree program specializing in some phase of floriculture and intend to work in some phase of commercial floriculture in the United States after graduation. Since specialization might not occur until later in four-year schools, preferences will be given to upper division applicants. Visit www.shinodascholarship.org to obtain complete application information and download the scholarship application.
Don Diego Scholarship
Scholarship amount: $5,000 each
Application deadline: April 2, 2010
Contact: Jane Spivey at (858) 755-1161, ext. 2401 or
Email: jspivey@sdfair.com
Web site: Don Diego Scholarship Information
The Don Diego Fund provides scholarships for outstanding high school seniors who participate in the San Diego County Fair. In 2010, The Don Diego Fund will award four $5,000 scholarships. One scholarship will be awarded in each of the following categories: 1) 4-H student; 2) Future Farmers of America (FFA) student; 3) student employee at the Fair, Racetrack or Fairgrounds; and 4) student exhibitor at the Fair. Applicants are eligible for one scholarship category. Applications and complete eligibility information are available at the Web site above.
Cuyamaca College Botanical Society
Scholarship amount: Variable
Application deadline: May 13, 2010.
Contact:Tita Heimpel, Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture (619) 660-4262
Website: Cuyamaca College Botanical Society
Each year the Cuyamaca College Botanical Society awards scholarships to outstanding horticulture students. These scholarships are funded by activities and functions sponsored by the Society, such as the Sustainable Urban Landscape Conference and The Aggie Open Golf Tournament. Funding support also comes from donations by garden clubs, professional organizations, industry, alumni, and individuals. Scholarships are available for students majoring in any of the seven horticultural programs at Cuyamaca.
Perennial Plant Association
Scholarship amount: $1,000 each
Application deadline: March 1, 2010
Web site: www.perennialplant.org
The Perennial Plant Association is proud to offer five scholarships to college students studying horticulture or a related subject area. Students enrolled in two or four year programs are eligible to apply. Each scholarship recipient will receive $1000 and complimentary registration for all lectures and tours at the 2010 Perennial Plant Symposium in Portland, Oregon, July 18-24. Recipients will also receive complimentary lodging during the symposium. Scholarship recipients are welcomed and encouraged to attend the entire symposium. However, each recipient must attend July 21 to 23 to be eligible for the $1000 scholarship. Applicants should consider this requirement before applying. The completed application should be mailed to the PPA office by March 1, 2010. Each scholarship applicant will be notified by April 26, 2010.
Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County Conservation Scholarship
Amount: Two scholarships of $1000
Contact: Krista Mendelsohn, (619) 562-0096, krista@rcdsandiego.org
Website: www.rcdsandiego.org/programs/scholarship.html
The Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County (RCD) offers scholarships to encourage students interested in conservation, agriculture, environmental science, natural resources, biology or natural sciences to obtain technical expertise and pursue careers in resource conservation or agriculture.
United Agribuisiness League
Scholarship amount: Varies
Application postmarked by: March 31, 2010
Contact: (800) 223-4590 or scholarship@ual.org
Web site: www.ual.org
- Applicants must be affiliated with UAL or UABT, either through a member or an employee of a member.
- This scholarship is open to any major of study.
- Must be presently enrolled anytime during the 2010/2011 scholastic year at an accredited college or university
- A minimum 2.5 GPA is required to be eligible for a scholarship.
- Three letters of recommendation: one from a teacher, one from an employer and one from a volunteer organization (If you do not work or volunteer, substitute 2 teacher letters).
- A two-page essay is required; typewritten and double-spaced with a one-page bibliography. The topic for the 2010 essay can be found in the "Scholarship Checklist" section.
- A one-page typed resume of any work, educational, community or extra curricular activities.
- Complete Application Checklist requirements and include them with your submission postmarked to UAL no later than Monday, March 31, 2010. Incomplete or incorrectly completed applications will not be considered.