The USPOULTRY Foundation recently awarded a $4,620 student recruiting grant to California State University – Fresno (Cal State – Fresno). The grant will be used to assist the college in recruiting students interested in poultry and related industry careers into the university’s program.
Over the past year, Cal State – Fresno has begun offering poultry specific courses and is currently in the process of establishing a poultry science minor at the university. On campus, they have a state-of-the-art poultry facility that is the result of a partnership with Foster Farms. For the past ten years, the majority of Cal State – Fresno’s animal science graduates have started careers in the poultry industry. These grant funds will be used to increase visibility to potential students in the region, assist with poultry educational programs and contests for high school students, and provide current students with exposure to potential career opportunities through industry tours and events.
The grant check was presented by John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY, to student advisor Dr. Katy Tarrant, along with Cal State – Fresno poultry science students. The recruiting grant check presentations were part of the College Student Career Program activities at the 2018 International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo
The USPOULTRY Foundation awarded recruiting grants totaling $282,500 for the 2017-18 school year to 35 colleges and universities across the United States with either a poultry science department or a poultry studies program. The grants are made possible by gifts to the Foundation from companies, individuals and families, in addition to funds earned over the years at the International Poultry Expo.
