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WORTHINGTON, Ohio – The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation (OSCF) is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students for the 2015-2016 academic year.

In order to ensure the future prosperity of the U.S. soybean industry, it is important that students understand the wide variety of opportunities available in agricultural careers. The scholarship program encourages undergraduate students at Ohio colleges and universities to pursue degrees in one of the many academic fields that support the future of the soybean industry including agriculture, business, communication, economics, education, science and technology.

“The OSCF scholarship program helps offset the cost of education for those who are strengthening Ohio’s soybean industry,” said Kevin Flax, OSCF scholarship selection committee member and soybean farmer from Clark county. “In order to fulfill the workforce needs of agriculture in the 21^st century, we need to engage the best and brightest in all fields from agronomy and economics to engineering and chemistry.”

Undergraduate Scholarships

There are a total of eight undergraduate scholarships available, including six general scholarships of up to $3,000 each that will be awarded to students pursuing an eligible major.

Available to one undergraduate student pursuing agricultural business or communications is the $3,000 Farmer, Lumpe and McClelland Excellence in Communications Scholarship. This scholarship was founded to provide resources to young people with a passion for agricultural and business communication.

Also available to one undergraduate student is a $5,000 Bhima Vijayendran Scholarship, named to honor Dr. Vijayendran’s contributions to the soybean industry through his scientific research of new uses for soybeans and commercialization activities at Battelle.

Undergraduate scholarship applicants must be Ohio residents and enrolled as full-time students at an Ohio college or university. The applicant must have attained at least sophomore status by fall 2015, with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Eligible majors include biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, molecular biology, chemistry, engineering, biotechnology, bioenergy, biofuels, food science, crop science, environmental science, agricultural communications, agricultural business, agricultural education or any of the agricultural disciplines or related fields. Applicants must also demonstrate the desire to pursue a career related to the soybean industry and/or agriculture.

Graduate Scholarships

Two scholarships of up to $5,000 each are available to graduate students who are enrolled as a full-time student at an Ohio college or university and have proof of legal residency in the United States.

Applicants must be conducting research in bioproducts, biobased materials, biotechnology, bioengineering, biopolymers or a related field, and focused on advancing the soybean industry.

The deadline for undergraduate and graduate applications is January 16, 2015.

All OSCF scholarships will be competitively awarded with funds paid directly to the educational institution. Scholarships are not renewable, although recipients may reapply.

For more information and to download the scholarship applications, visit the Ohio Soybean Council Foundation at soyohio.org/scholarship.

Questions? Contact Katie Bauer, kbauer@soyohio.org.

About OSCF

The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of the Ohio soybean industry through the support of scientific research and education.

Media Contact

Katie Bauer
Ohio Soybean Council
614.476.3100
kbauer@soyohio.org