2020 Scholarship Information

Targeting Excellence scholarships will be awarded by a scholarship committee comprised of the national board of directors and regional leaders involved in food animal production. Scholarships will reflect the interest of annual contributors and the participants of the fund-raising events. Scholarships will be awarded to both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an agricultural curriculum at an institution that offers degrees in agriculture. Preference will always be given to applicants with a desire to work in some aspect of food animal production.

Scholarship Amounts

A total of approximately $200,000 will be awarded in 2020 from the applications that are submitted. Scholarship amounts will be based on the program in which the student is enrolled:

$1000 for 2 Year Programs
$2000 for 4 Year Programs
$3000 for Graduate and Veterinary Programs

To Qualify for Scholarship

Applicant must be accepted or enrolled in a College of Agriculture which offers courses in food animal production.

Applicant must be enrolled in classes effective September 1, 2020.

Applicant must have a strong desire to pursue a career, upon graduation, in some aspect of food animal production.

Preference will be given to students who attend schools in regions where fundraising events were held. The preference regions for 2020 awards are Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. A limited number of scholarships will also be available in Alabama this year.

Additional consideration will be given to students who previously attended a Targeting Excellence event.

2020 Scholarship Essays

For 2020, Targeting Excellence is requiring all applicants to answer one of the following essay question:

How are consumers going to react to alternative proteins that are now available on the market?What role is this going to have in the market now and in the future?
How do you think Smart Farm technology will shape the future of animal production?
How has the current desires of the food consumer impacted your academic decision(s) and future career plans?

In addition to submitting one of the essays above each applicant must also submit a personal statement of career goals.

Before You Submit Your Application

You will need the first name, last name, email address, and either university or company name for 2 references to include on your application. 1 reference must be one of your food animal agriculture professors and the other reference can either be another professor or an industry professional. You will not be able to submit your application without including this information. You do not need a reference letter prior to submitting your application. References will not be contacted unless there is a question about your qualifications to receive a Targeting Excellence scholarship.
A digital copy of your official transcripts or unofficial transcripts. If official or unofficial transcripts are not available a screen shot of your student portal showing GPA, Test Scores, and other key enrollment information is allowed. Any documentation you submit should clearly show your name and school. Ideally the documentation should also include a date on it.
A digital copy of applicant’s resume if he or she wishes to submit it as part of the application (optional).
Applicant may submit 1 additional supporting document/file (optional). Applicant may not use this option to submit the essays for the application. The only essays considered for the application are the ones included in the essay fields/boxes on the application.