Project Grant 20243843042204

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FAMILY SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY (CAFST) WAS AWARDED THE USDA-NIFA 1890 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM GRANT FOR $2,000,000 FOR FOUR YEARS. AN ADDITIONAL $250,000 DISCRETIONAL MONEY WAS ALSO AWARDED FOR ONLY ONE YEAR, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO $2,250,000. ADDITIONAL DISCRETIONAL FUNDS WERE ADDED DURING SUBSEQUENT YEARS. OVERALL, A TOTAL OF 215 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO 114 SCHOLARS TOTALING UP TO $779,376 DURING THE 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR, SEE TABLE 1.TABLE 1SEMESTERNUMBER OF SCHOLARSAGGREGATE AMOUNTFALL 2022111$402,879SPRING 2023104$376,497TOTAL AY 2022215$779,376CLUB MEMBERSHIPALMOST ALL THE SCHOLARS ARE MEMBERS OF THE FVSU CHAPTER OF MINORITIES IN AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES AND RELATED SCIENCES (MANRRS), AGRI-DEMIC FORUM AND OTHER DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CLUBS (ANIMAL SCIENCE CLUB, VET SCIENCE CLUB, FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE CLUB, ETC.) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (LEADERSHIP TRAINING, INTERNSHIPS, STUDY ABROAD, ETC.): AT LEAST, 2 SCHOLARS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE AGRICULTURE FUTURE OF AMERICA (AFA) LEADERSHIP TRAINING. FOURTEEN (14) SCHOLARS PARTICIPATED IN THE 2023 MANNRS NATIONAL CONFERENCE. THREE (3) SCHOLARS PARTICIPATED IN THE 2023 MANRRS NATIONAL PRECONFERENCE FIELD TRIP TO AGCO HEADQUARTERS IN ATLANTA WHERE SCHOLARS WERE INTRODUCED TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN TRACTOR MANUFACTURING AND WERE ALSO GIVEN TRACTOR DRIVING LESSONS. ONE OF THE SCHOLARS WAS AWARDED A FARM CREDIT VIP SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND THE MANRRS NATIONAL CONFERENCE. IN ADDITION, 4 SCHOLARS PARTICIPATED IN GLOBAL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TRIPS TO BELIZE,GHANA, AND THE COTE D'IVOIRE.IN TERMS OF INTERNSHIPS AND UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, AT LEAST 9 SCHOLARS INTERNED OR PARTICIPATED IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT VARIOUS AGRIBUSINESS COMPANIES, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, AND UNIVERSITIES. THESE INCLUDED LAND O'LAKES, SYNGENTA, NATIONAL CROP INSURANCE (NCIS), ROBINS AIRFORCE BASE, FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY, MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS (US-DAVIS), AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. ALSO, FIVE SCHOLARS PARTICIPATED IN CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND QUIZ BOWL COMPETITIONS WHERE ONE STUDENT WON FIRST PLACE IN POSTER PRESENTATION.1890 STUDENT AWARDS:1. 2023 VALEDICTORIAN2.FIRST PLACE FOR POSTER PRESENTATION3. 2023 FARM CREDIT VIP SCHOLAR4. MORE THAN 50 SCHOLARS WERE HONORED BY THE UNIVERSITY AT THE 2023 HONORS CONVOCATION AND BY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FAMILY SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY (CAFST) FOR THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS.RETENTION:THE TEAM WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ACHIEVEMENT (SEA) CENTER WITH RESPECT TO ADVISEMENT OF FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES. STARTING IN FALL 2022 SEMESTER, WE STARTED A PEER MENTORING PROGRAM THROUGH MENTOR COLLECTIVE, A COMPANY HIRED BY MOTIVATE AND EDUCATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT (MEA) CENTER OF EXCELLENCE TO HELP RETAIN FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES. A TOTAL OF 39 MENTORS (JUNIORS AND SENIORS FROM THE CAFST) SIGNED UP BUT ONLY 16 UNDERWENT THE TRAINING. THE TRAINED MENTORS WER,E MATCHED WITH 31 MENTEES (FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES). THIS OPPORTUNITY WAS OPENED TO ALL FRESHMEN IN THE COLLEGE, BUT SOPHOMORES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FVSU 1890 SCHOLARS. OVERALL, APPROXIMATELY 97% PERCENT OF 2022-2023 SCHOLARS WERE RETAINED.