In the summer of 2024, the World Food Prize Foundation launched an alumni survey targeting thousands of program participants, also known as Borlaug Scholars. Data collected from 30 years of alumni was analyzed and compiled into a report. The data reflects how the Foundation's Youth Programs have changed lives. Throughout the report, alumni success stories are highlighted to demonstrate the impact of generations of youth empowered to solve global food security challenges, even as they continue to evolve. Alumni consistently describe the Foundation's Youth Programs as transformative, shaping them into global citizens with a deeper understanding of food security.
The Impact of the Foundation's Youth Programs
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Over 13,500 students became Borlaug Scholars between 1994 and 2024
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Nearly 90,000 have participated in the Foundation's Youth Programs
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Youth engagement is 115x greater today than when expansion efforts began in 2008
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95% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that as a result of participating in the Foundation's Youth Programs, they gained a better understanding of global issues related to food security
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93% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the Foundation's Youth Programs positively impacted their personal growth and development
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93% of respondents who solely participated in a Youth Institute agreed or strongly agreed that the Foundation's Youth Programs made them feel inspired to make a meaningful difference in the world
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100% of those who continued through the leadership development pipeline agreed or strongly agreed with the previous point
2016 & 2017 Iowa Youth Institute Delegate; 2016 & 2017 Global Youth Institute Delegate; 2017 Borlaug-Ruan International Intern, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2018 USDA Wallace-Carver Fellow, National Lab for Agriculture and the Environment, Ames, Iowa; 2019 USDA Wallace-Carver Fellow, Foreign Agricultural Service, Washington, D.C.
“Because I was exposed to a broader thought process and engagement, I became a global citizen by traveling the world to learn. I now work in a career with an international focus that supports not only U.S. farmers, but also farmers and people around the globe in sustainable protein production and consumption.” - Kelli Wicks, Director of Government Relations at Iowa Cattlemen’s Association
2015 & 2016 Alabama Youth Institute Delegate; 2016-2018 Global Youth Institute Delegate; 2017 Borlaug-Ruan Intern, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Texcoco, Mexico; 2020 USDA Wallace-Carver Fellow, Grassland Soil and Water Research Lab in Temple, Texas, United States
“If it had not been for the Foundation’s Youth Programs, I would not have been exposed to the opportunities in food security and global issues. From the Youth Institute onward, I have set forth to assist those with agricultural and food insecurity needs,” - Jorge Del’Angel, Ph.D. student in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University