The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation (OSCF) is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students for the 2016-2017 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, engineering, science and technology.

“In order to fulfill the workforce needs of agriculture in the 21st Century, we need to engage the best and brightest in all fields from engineering and chemistry to agronomy and economics,” said Amy Sigg Davis, OSCF scholarship selection committee member and soybean farmer from Warren County.

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 is the $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. This scholarship was founded to support those pursuing a degree related to science, technology or soybean research.

Also 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.

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 2016 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 15, 2016.

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.