The purpose of the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program is to advance the educational achievement of all Americans by providing competitive grants to colleges and universities and increase the diversity of the food and agricultural workforce. The program provides scholarships to support mentoring, scientific training, and professional development activities for students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human (FANH) sciences or a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree.
In FY 2024, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program grants to 5 institutions. Awards will support 30 undergraduate students in animal science, nutrition and dietetics, food science, agribusiness, and other FANH science disciplines.
2024 Awardees
- Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona
- Division of Agriculture of the University of Arkansas System
- Idaho State University
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- University of Florida
2024 Project Highlights
The University of Arizona will reduce the educational disparities of underrepresented populations entering graduate and professional schools by exposing community college students in rural Arizona to the field of veterinary medicine using augmented reality and holographic technology. The project team proposes to stimulate scholars' interest in veterinary medicine and attract them to the University of Arizona’s College of Veterinary Medicine or the College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences. The project will support a summer intensive program to offer scholars experiential learning opportunities to develop their clinical and professional skills.
The University of Florida (UF) College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) will bridge food and agricultural sciences with leadership and management sciences to prepare students to address evolving food safety concerns, nutrition and food security challenges, horticulture innovation demands, and gaps in food systems. UF will offer tailored curricula, mentorship, and training to bolster undergraduate students’ technical skills and confidence in qualitative research. The project team will select scholars from minority backgrounds with varying abilities and prepare them for entry-level careers in Food and Agricultural Nonprofit Organizations and graduate education.