WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced two tribal higher education opportunities to train the next generation of agricultural professionals and strengthen ties with tribal higher education institutions. The USDA 1994 Tribal Scholars Program offers a fast-track career path with USDA, and the Terra Preta do Indio Tribal Faculty Fellowship engages tribal college faculty with USDA resources and research. These programs reflect USDA’s commitment to advance equity and remove barriers to service for tribal nations and encourage tribal workforce development. Today’s announcement also marks the 29th anniversary of the day legislation was signed to give tribal colleges landgrant status. “Tribal land-grant colleges are central to empowering a workforce that better reflects our clients in agriculture, nutrition, food, development — and at USDA,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA is committed to making USDA programs and services more accessible to tribal colleges and universities and their students and faculty.”
New Four-Year Tuition Coverage for Tribal Scholars Program The USDA 1994 Tribal Scholars Program provides full tuition, fees, books, a housing stipend, and paid workforce training to any interested and eligible student pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines at a tribal college or university. New this year, the tuition coverage can follow the student from a two-year associate program at a tribal college or university (TCU) to a four-year bachelor’s degree program (at a TCU or another land-grant institution). When the student has completed the scholarship requirements, including a paid internship, USDA may convert the student to a permanent USDA employee without further competition. Eligible applicants include graduating high school seniors, full-time students currently enrolled at a 1994 landgrant tribal college or university, or recent TCU associate graduates.