Mountaire Farms has launched a new college scholarship program that will give 10 Delaware high school seniors focusing on careers in food production and feeding the world a $2,000 scholarship each.
Two of those will get an additional $5,000.
The chicken producer’s scholarship program will select one student each month of the 2022-23 school year to be a “Farm to Table Scholar.”
September’s scholar will be named next week.
“There’s been a large attention to food during the pandemic, and there’s a real need to make sure that there are people who are going to pursue those careers so that there is food on the table for everyone in the community,” said Catherine Bassett, director of communications and community relations at Mountaire.
The fields that Mountaire will consider include farming, livestock, culinary arts, engineering, food processing, animal care and even engineering.
As a food company, Bassett says Mountaire has a responsibility to the community to make eliminating hunger achievable.
The $30,000 from Mountaire will be paired with a television profile by WBOC TV, a CBS affiliate in Delmarva.
Each month, the station will profile the monthly winner on WBOC and FOX21.
Bassett hopes the profiles will cause other students to consider a career in food production, distribution or culinary arts.
Two of the 10 scholarship winners, one male and female, will be named overall winners during a Farm to Table banquet at the end of the academic year.
During it, they will also be awarded an extra $5,000 scholarship.
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Bassett said Mountaire has reached out to high school culinary and agricultural departments across the state to encourage their students to apply.
They’re focusing on students who are dedicated to agriculture and/or the culinary arts and who want to go into a career in food preparation, learning how to properly prepare, cook and serve food, Bassett said.
Students can come from any Delaware community and be going to the college of their choice. Applicants must have a B+ grade point average or better.
“We really look for applicants who have been giving back through their local food pantry or food bank or whatever it may be,” Bassett said, “but just someone who has a passion for community service as well.”
For more information or to apply, click here.
