The USPOULTRY Foundation awarded a $25,875 student recruiting grant to the University of Georgia (UGA). The grant was made possible in part from an endowing Foundation gift from the Leland Bagwell Education & Innovation Fund, named in honor of the founder of American Proteins. The grant check was presented by John Starkey, president of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), to Dr. Todd Applegate, department head and professor at UGA. Joining in the presentation were several UGA students.
The University of Georgia is one of the six universities in the United States that has a department dedicated to the study of poultry science. The department recently awarded 30 poultry science and avian biology undergraduate degrees. Half of the graduates are employed in the poultry sector, while the remainder are continuing their education in graduate or professional programs.
“We very much appreciate the USPOULTRY Foundation’s support of our recruitment efforts and look forward to continuing to expand our poultry science and avian biology programs,” remarked Applegate.
The USPOULTRY Foundation awarded recruiting grants totaling $328,300 for the 2018-19 school year to 34 colleges and universities across the United States with either a poultry science department or a poultry studies program. The student recruiting program dates to 1994 when the USPOULTRY board of directors established the Foundation to provide annual recruiting funds to attract students to poultry studies and ultimately into careers in the poultry industry.
