Multicultural Scholars Program

The Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) 

MSP offers scholarships to first-generation college students and underrepresented minorities interested in Agriculture, Natural Resources, Food Science, or Human Health and Nutrition.

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Application Deadline March 1, 2024

To date, 60 BioResource Research (BRR) students have been awarded these prestigious scholarships. MSP scholarships are funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) which is part of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

BRR MSP Scholars receive generous tuition scholarships ($9,000/year) for up to a four-year period. They major in BRR and participate in MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences) or SACNAS (Society for Advancing Chicanos and Native Americans in Science).

 

2024 Scholarships

We recently were awarded USDA funding for more MSP scholarships, to start in Winter term 2024.

 
Eligibility:
  • Applicants must:
    • Be a US citizen or permanent resident
    • Join the BioResource Research (BRR) B.S. degree program
    • Complete an undergraduate research project and thesis
  • Priority will be given to:
    • First-generation students
    • Students from underrepresented populations in agriculture/ natural resource science degree programs
    • Students from low socio-economic status backgrounds
    • Lower division (<90 credits) students
Those outside the priority criteria may be considered for smaller funding and support ($1500/year).

 

Where are BRR MSP Graduates now?

They are successfully pursuing a variety of paths, such as:

  • Regional Manager at Dow Agrosciences
  • Food Technologist at Campbell-Fresh
  • Research Associate at National Council for Air & Stream Improvement (NCASI)
  • Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent at U. Kentucky Cooperative Extension
  • Masters program in Biohealth Sciences at U. Glasgow, Scotland
  • Pharm.D. program at OSU
  • MD program at Harvard
  • PhD program at UC Berkeley
  • Research Associate at OHSU, OSU
  • Program Manager for Diversity and Inclusion Science Initiatives, Arizona State U.
  • Project Grant Coordinator, Asian Health & Service Center, Portland
  • Sourcing Manager at SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel
  • Planning and Environmental Specialist, BLM, Mississippi

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Oregon State University receives more than $1 million in federal grants

Oregon Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced more than $1 million in grant funding on its way to Oregon State University through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, state officials said.