In response to criticism, the U.S. Department of Agriculture resumed its 1890 National Scholars Program just days after being suspended. The decision reversal means this significant educational opportunity for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities continues.
Just one week after the 1890 Scholars Program unexpectedly halted, the USDA website showed on Monday that it had returned. This program covers full tuition, fees, books, and housing assistance for students pursuing agricultural, food, and natural resource sciences degrees at 19 land-grant universities.
In Fiscal Year 2024, USDA awarded 94 scholarships, demonstrating the program’s impact on student success in the agri-food sectors. Lawmakers and activists criticized last week’s suspension decision, calling it an assault on educational equity that disproportionately impacted marginalized populations.
Suspension Backlash
The USDA’s earlier decision rocked the HBCU community, raising concerns that students would lose the scholarship opportunity. Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, PhD, called the original program suspension “a clear attack” on access to education and highlighted its role in correcting historical inequities within the land-grant system.
In a statement, Shannan Frank Reeves Sr., Alabama A&M University’s vice president of government affairs, voiced worries that the halt may hurt Alabama’s agriculture industry, which makes up 60% of the state’s GDP, before the program’s reopening. She added that global issues like avian flu and wildfires only increase the risks of halting the program.
The USDA has extended the scholarship’s initial application deadline of March 1 to March 15. The recent back and forth highlights the continuous debates about diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education funding. Many are optimistic that increased program support will secure its future for more generations of students.
Students interested in applying must be U.S. citizens, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0, score a minimum of 21 on the ACT or 1080 on the SAT, and be accepted into or currently attend one of the 19 designated 1890 land-grant universities.
