Scholarships for Agronomy

Fund Your Science Education

You had a dose of agronomy this morning in your cup of coffee, in the cotton shirt you chose to wear, and at the golf course where you plan to meet friends. Agronomists study soil and plant sciences, crop production, natural resources, conservation practices, and weed and pest management. Experts bolster the production of food, feed, fuel, fiber, and pharmaceutical crops while working to maintain or improve the environment. These days, their areas of expertise have expanded into global issues, including organics, biofuels, sustainable agriculture, nutraceuticals, and the greening in Africa.

Agronomy is often pursued at the post-secondary level. Here are some organizations and scholarships that can help you meet your educational or career goals in this career field.

Specialized Organizations

American Society of Agronomy

The American Society of Agronomy in Wisconsin shares a close relationship with the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) though they are separate organizations. Separately, the organizations offer more than 30 awards. Combined, the groups oversee eight scholarships. Here are a few:

• The Hank Beachell Future Leader Scholarship encourages undergraduates to study an area with which the applicant is unfamiliar to gain more knowledge. Two scholarships are awarded in the amount of $4,000 each for four weeks of field study. Students who have completed their sophomore year and are majoring in agronomy, crop science, soil science, or other related disciplines are eligible.
• Gerald O. Mott Scholarship for Meritorious Graduate Students in Crop Science offers two scholarships in the amount of $2,500. It is designed for students who have fulfilled at least one year of graduate work in crop science.
• Francis and Evelyn Clark Soil Biology Scholarship, $1,000, is awarded to a graduate student working in the field of soil biology or biochemistry or microbial ecology.
• Hubert J. Byrd Sr. Scholarship is open to undergraduate students with a declared major in soil science or closely related degree program, and who have completed their sophomore or junior years when they apply. Two scholarships are offered in the amount of $1,000 each.

Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Corn Merchandising Council

Missouri Corn programs award a total of $7,500 in student scholarships each year to deserving high school students and college juniors:

• High school applicants must be Missouri residents from a Missouri farm or rural area who plan to attend a two-year or four-year Missouri college or university and earn a major in agronomy or a related field and major in agronomy (or related subject). Each award is $750 for freshman year.
• Juniors currently attending a Missouri college or university and majoring in the filed are also eligible to apply for one of two-$750 scholarships applied to their senior year.

College Scholarships

Texas A&M University, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

The College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at Texas A&M is the largest of its kind in the nation, with 14 different departments for specialization. Incoming freshmen and transfer students are eligible for university-wide scholarships. In addition, the College offers a host of scholarships for agronomy-related fields, such as:

• Department of Soil & Crop Sciences offers competitive merit-based scholarships for incoming freshmen and transfer students. Transfer students can earn up to $4,000 per year for two years, a total of $8,000. Students in either category must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
• Biological & Agricultural Engineering, named one of the best in the nation. offers 12 different scholarships of varying value to its students.
• Department of Ecosystem Science and Management offers 21 scholarships of varying value and academic terms.

Kansas State University, Department of Agronomy

K-State offers more than 40 scholarships for agronomy undergraduates and 23 for graduate students.

Louisiana State University, School of Plant, Environmental & Soil Sciences

Several scholarships LSU’s College of Agriculture are tailored for undergraduates and graduates in agronomy, including:

• Several Agronomy Alumni Association Scholarships, $1,000, go to undergraduates with a minimum of 30 semester hours credit. Preference goes to a Louisiana resident. Renewable through senior year.
• Several Lee and Francis Mason Agronomy Scholarships, $1,200, are awarded to incoming freshmen who have declared intention of majoring in agronomy at LSU Baton Rouge. If there are no applicable freshmen, upperclassman and graduates in the major are considered.
• John Gray Endowed Memorial Scholarship, $500 to $1,000 per semester, is awarded a junior or senior agronomy student majoring in crop science or a closely related field.
• Several L. W. Sloane Endowed Agronomy Scholarships, $800, are awarded to full-time majors with a financial need.