Delmarva Chicken Association has opened the application period for its 2025 College Scholarship Program. Applications are being accepted for undergraduate scholarships of $2,000 and graduate-degree scholarships of $3,000. Complete applications for these scholarships must be received by DCA no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025. DCA’s annual College Scholarship Golf Tournament supports these scholarship awards; this year’s tournament raised more than $19,000 for the scholarship fund. Since 1985, DCA has awarded more than $222,000 to undergraduate and graduate students.
“It’s an exciting time to be preparing for a career in the chicken community,” said Holly Porter, DCA’s executive director. “More than 18,000 jobs on Delmarva are directly tied to our chicken companies, and thousands more careers are supported by the chicken economy. We’re excited to be able to help students start journeys toward their chicken careers each year through these scholarships.”
The applicant must be a student in good standing at an accredited, degree-granting institution within the United States, or in the case of graduating high school seniors, accepted to an accredited, degree-granting institution within the United States. A complete transcript must accompany the application, and in the case of high school seniors, proof of college acceptance is required. Applicants must secure a letter of reference from an academic advisor or faculty member. The letter may be included with the application, or the faculty member may email it to the DCA office (dca@dcachicken.com) to arrive by the application deadline. Letters must be on school letterhead and must include the signature of the referring faculty member. DCA membership on the part of the applicant or his/her family is not required and has no effect on the selection process. Scholarship payments are made to the financial aid office at the recipient’s school.
Undergraduate Scholarship
Undergraduate scholarships of $2,000 are available to residents of the Delmarva Peninsula who are undergraduate students at any accredited, degree-granting institution, with an academic major in a subject relevant to Delmarva’s chicken community and who are pursuing a career path leading to employment in any segment of Delmarva’s chicken community. The program also is open to high school seniors on the Delmarva Peninsula who have been accepted at any accredited, degree-granting institution and who are pursuing a career path leading to employment in any segment of Delmarva’s chicken community. Applicants may be pursuing associate’s degrees, technical studies degrees or bachelor’s degrees. Previous recipients, if still eligible, may reapply. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of DCA representatives using the following 100-point rubric: Scholastic Record (20 points), Answers to Questions (40 points), School/Community Activities & Awards (20 points), Financial Need (5 points), Faculty Reference (15 points).
Emerson Morgan Graduate Scholarship
Graduate level scholarships of $3,000 will be available to graduate students at United States universities who are engaged in research that directly benefits Delmarva’s chicken community. Previous recipients, if still eligible, may reapply. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of DCA representatives using the following 100-point rubric: Scholastic Record (10 points), Answers to Questions (30 points), Activities & Awards (10 points), Research Benefits to Delmarva (40 points), Faculty Reference (10 points).
Source: Delmarva Chicken Association
