Native Agriculture & Food Systems College Scholarship Program Launched

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Oct 20, 2014, 12:22 ET

LONGMONT, Colo., Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) today launched the new "First Nations Native Agriculture and Food Systems Scholarship Program" to encourage more Native American college students to enter the agricultural sector in Native communities.

First Nations will award six $1,000 scholarships annually to Native American college students majoring in agriculture and related fields, including but not limited to agribusiness management, agriscience technologies, agronomy, animal husbandry, aquaponics, fisheries and wildlife, food production and safety, food-related policy and legislation, horticulture, irrigation science, plant-based nutrition, and sustainable agriculture or food systems.

Complete information and a link to the online application can be found at www.firstnations.org/grantmaking/scholarship. All applications must be completed and submitted by 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Monday, November 17, 2014.

To be eligible, applicants must:

Be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student majoring in an appropriate field at any recognized college or university, including all tribal colleges and universities.
Be an enrolled member of a current or terminated federal or state tribe, and able to provide documentation.
Have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0.
Demonstrate a commitment to helping his or her Native community reclaim local food-system control.

Applicants will be asked to complete an online application and provide other required information, including tribal documentation, college enrollment verification, unofficial transcripts, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member, and a short essay submission.

"Simply put, we believe that reclaiming control over Indian agriculture in general and local food systems in particular is critical to ensuring the long-lasting health and economic well-being of Native people and their communities, so that's why we're launching this program," said First Nations President Michael E. Roberts. "Native food-system control has the potential to increase food production, improve health and nutrition, and eliminate food insecurity in rural and reservation-based communities, while also promoting entrepreneurship, economic development and even cultural revitalization. We hope many more college graduates will gravitate toward this area as a career choice."

Program Contacts:
Kendall Tallmadge, First Nations Program Officer
[email protected]
(303) 774-7836 x216

Marsha Whiting, First Nations Senior Program Officer
[email protected]
(303) 774-7836 x208

Media Contact:
Randy Blauvelt, First Nations Senior Communications Officer
[email protected]
(303) 774-7836 x213

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SOURCE First Nations Development Institute