USDA awards ASU’s Morrison School fellowship grants

MESA, Ariz. — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded Arizona State University’s Morrison School of Management and Agribusiness with a five-year $217,500 grant for a two-year fellowship for an international study program. The Morrison School was selected as one of 29 out of 90 institutions nationally to receive funding.<br /> <br /> The grants are specific to agricultural management and economics and are available for five graduate-level students entering the school’s Master of Science in Agribusiness program for fall 2007.  <br /> <br /> The USDA’s Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants provide federal assistance intended to encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete graduate degrees in critical areas of national need. The fellowships serve under the USDA’s Targeted Expertise Shortage Area of Agricultural Management and Economics with an emphasis on agricultural trade policy. <br /> <br /> Students enrolled in the school’s master’s program have a solid foundation in economics and business, and the international experience will only broaden their understanding of the complex trade policies in the food industry, according to Paul Patterson, Morrison School dean.<br /> <br /> “The international study experience is intended to improve the students’ communication skills, including foreign language skills, and enhance the student’s cultural awareness, which is believed to be particularly important, since so many food and agricultural policies are influenced by culture,” said Patterson.<br /> <br /> The fellowship includes one semester of international study with one of several institutions the school has collaborative arrangements. The student will be required to complete a graduate business capstone or comparable course, agricultural policy or other selected courses, and thesis or applied project research. <br /> <br /> Students interested in applying need to submit their applications by Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007. Applications should be sent to: Dr. Troy Schmitz, Arizona State University, 7001 E. Williams Field Road, Mesa, Arizona 85212 or <u><a href="mailto:troy.schmitz@asu.edu">troy.schmitz@asu.edu</a></u&gt;. For information about the master’s program or fellowship, contact Schmitz at (480) 727-1566 or visit <u><a href="http://poly.asu.edu/msma">http://poly.asu.edu/msma</a></u>.</p&gt;