MACA Accepting Applications for Young Leader Scholarship Program

The MACA Young Leader Scholarship Program (MACA YLSP) is designed to expose future agriculturalists to the crop protection industry and future career opportunities. Recipients will benefit from exposure and networking with MACA members for potential job opportunities as well as financial compensation. MACA members benefit by developing a talent pool of future industry leaders and through the heightened awareness of MACA within the participating universities. 

Candidates

Candidates will be top-potential collegiate sophomores or juniors with an educational focus on agriculture.  Candidates must be enrolled at one of the 14 participating Universities and have secured a summer internship (2021) within agriculture, preferably within the crop protection industry.  Additionally, the selected recipient is expected to attend the MACA Annual Meeting September 7-9, 2021 in a location that will be determined to participate and network with MACA members and to develop a deeper understanding of the crop protection industry.

Selection Process

MACA will notify the 14 universities through their ag school’s career services office via email announcing the program and explaining the goals.  Then a MACA representative will follow-up with the academic/placement directors within each school for help identifying candidates, encouraging participation and to raise awareness for the program.  Each respective university will create a “professor committee” to review the applications submitted from qualifying students and then submit up to three applications to MACA for review.  Once the applications are submitted to MACA, the Industry Communications committee will review the applications and select one recipient for a $2,000 scholarship to be awarded to each student via the university.  (MACA will work with the universities to ensure the funding is provided to the student’s account.)  The decisions by MACA are final.  Previous winners are not eligible.  Winners will be notified by March 2021.

Participating Universities (14)

Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, University of Nebraska, North Dakota State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, South Dakota State University, Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri and University of Wisconsin.

Scholarship Application

Scholarship candidates will be required to submit the following:

• Brief Cover Letter stating what and where their summer Internship will be
• Application Letter/Essay – 500 words or less stating why they believe they are worthy of this opportunity
• Resume
• “Unofficial” Transcript

Click here to download the application.

Scholarship

Up to 13 scholarships will be awarded annually (1 per state).  Each scholarship will consist of:

• $2,000 cash scholarship to be provided to the respective University for the scholarship recipient selected;
• Travel stipend to attend MACA Annual Meeting September 7-9, 2021 in a location that will be determined;
• Opportunity to be on YLSP panel at the MACA Annual Meeting; and
• Participate in program and networking with MACA members at Annual Meeting; and
• Have MACA members as mentors/hosts.

Timeline

• February 1, 2021 – nominations from universities due to MACA office.
• Early February – MACA committee to select recipients.
• Early April – Notify Universities of the recipients selected for scholarship and work with university officials to notify the recipients.
• Mid-April – Issue News release announcing scholarship recipients.
• July – Contact recipients regarding MACA Annual Meeting to coordinate travel plans and meeting details.
• September 7-9, 2021 – MACA Annual Meeting – Location to be determined.