TOPSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, US — Scholarship applications will be accepted until May 31 for university students who would like to attend the three-day Women in Agribusiness (WIA) Summit, Sept. 24-26 in Denver, Colorado, US.
The WIA Student Scholarship Award gives young women in the agriculture sector the opportunity to make industry connections, explore career options, and learn about the trends and issues facing agriculture. The WIA Summit, now in its 13th year, brings together nearly 1,000 agribusiness professionals from across the agriculture value chain for networking, knowledge-sharing and career-building.
Applicants for the scholarship must be full-time junior or senior level undergraduate, graduate or doctoral candidate students attending an accredited college or university who have shown a strong interest in developing a career in agriculture.
Along with the three-day pass to attend the premier WIA Summit, recipients receive three nights shared lodging at a hotel (if needed); meals provided at the event; one-year WIA membership; access to exclusive conference content and member directory; special-invite student luncheon to encourage initial introductions; and a student workshop event with industry executives.
Each student is sponsored by an industry-leading company, such as ADM, Nuveen or Wilbur-Ellis, and they will be connected with a representative from that company to facilitate mentorship, guidance and the sharing of industry insight.
The WIA Student Scholarship Program, now in its 10th year, has provided this opportunity for nearly 300 students, with many securing internships and career-defining jobs with high-profile agribusinesses.
“It is not very often that you have the opportunity to have this many women in the industry in one place,” said Haylee VanScoy, director of grain merchandising and risk management for Heritage Cooperative out of Delaware, Ohio, US, and previous WIA student scholar. “The amount of support and encouragement felt throughout this summit was second to none. As an industry often dominated by men, this experience has not only shown me what it takes to be a successful woman leader in the industry, it has also provided me the resources to connect and learn directly from them.”
