World Food Prize Foundation Announces Completion of Prestigious USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship for 30 Students

The World Food Prize and The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are pleased to announce that 30 collegiate students have completed the prestigious Wallace-Carver Fellowship. These students collaborated with world-renowned scientists and policymakers through paid fellowships at leading USDA research centers and offices across the country during the summer months.

“The Wallace-Carver Fellowship provides unparalleled research opportunities for university students to explore agricultural issues and become the next generation of agricultural leaders and innovators,” Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize, said. “These outstanding students are some of the most highly qualified and motivated students in America. This program gives them the opportunity to be inspired to pursue careers and future leadership positions as public servants in food, agriculture and science.”

While stationed at USDA, the students analyzed agricultural and economic policy; assisted in the management of food, nutrition and rural development programs; and took part in groundbreaking field and laboratory-based research.

The Fellows also participated in the week-long Washington Leadership Symposium, hosted by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. While attending the Symposium, students participated in high-level briefings at USDA, the White House, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Agency for International Development; toured the U.S. National Arboretum, U.S. Botanic Gardens and National Agricultural Library; and participated in a service learning project, professional development activities and meetings with key government leaders. 

Today, 821 million people face hunger worldwide, and more than 40 million Americans are food insecure. With experts predicting a world population of 9 billion people by 2050, food security remains a high-priority issue among global leaders.

The USDA and the World Food Prize Foundation partnered to create the Wallace-Carver Fellowship in 2011. Named for American agriculture leaders Henry A. Wallace and George Washington Carver, the Wallace-Carver Fellowship seeks to inspire and train the next generation of scientific, agricultural, economic and policy leaders for the 21st century.

Since the creation of the Fellowship, 240 students from 102 universities and colleges in 37 states and the District of Columbia have been employed by the program. One of the most effective talent recruitment and training programs in the world, over 97 percent of fellows have pursued degrees in related disciplines, and 88 percent remain employed in critical fields relevant to science, agriculture and nutrition.

The 2019 Wallace-Carver Fellows are a distinguished and diverse group of outstanding young leaders representing 25 universities and colleges in 16 states across the country.

Images of the students can be found HERE.

• Andreia Beleair | Broward College | Placement: ARS Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit; Auburn, AL

• Nick Bowser | Purdue University | Placement: FAS Office of Capacity Building & Development; Washington, D.C.

• Molly Carroll | Purdue University | Placement: ARS Plant Genetic Resources Research Unit; Geneva, NY

• Brianna Cheek | Texas A&M University | Placement: ARS Cereal Disease Lab; St. Paul, MN

• Rhiannon Cobb | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Placement: OSEC Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; Washington, D.C.

• Olivia Conway | University of Texas - Austin | Placement: ARS Cereal Crops Research Unit; Fargo, ND

• Katie Driscoll | Rowan University | Placement: ARS Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit; Davis, CA

• Lauren English | University of Notre Dame | Placement: NIFA Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition; Washington, D.C.

• Lily Fillwalk | Pitzer College | Placement: ARS Functional Foods Research Unit; Peoria, IL

• Hermela Gebremariam | Vanderbilt University | Placement: ARS Bacterial Epidemiology & Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit; Athens, GA

• Bridger Gordon | Harvard University | Placement: OSEC Office of the Chief Economist; Washington, D.C.

• Mikayla Graham | North Carolina State University | Placement: ARS Forage-Animal Production Research Unit; Lexington, KY

• Emma Hanisko | University of Wisconsin - Madison | Placement: ARS U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center; Madison, WI

• Nick Jacobson | Macalester College | Placement: ARS Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit; Reno, NV

• Hannah Jo | Cornell University  | Placement: ARS Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit; Ithaca, NY

• Nicole Kreider | Grinnell College | Placement: ERS Markets and Trade Economics Division; Washington, D.C.

• Chase Krug | Iowa State University | Placement: ARS Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit; West Lafayette, IN

• Jairus Kuplen | Messiah College | Placement: NIFA Institute of Youth, Family, and Community; Washington, D.C.

• Aundrea Lawson | Texas Tech University | Placement: ARS Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit; Washington, D.C.

• Charles Mahoney | Rollins College | Placement: ERS Food Assistance Division; Washington, D.C.

• Charles Maus | North Carolina State University | Placement: ARS Southern Horticultural Research Unit; Poplarville, MS

• Georgette Mbengue | University of North Texas  | Placement: ARS Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals Research Unit; Fargo, ND

• Aracely Miron-Ocampo | University of Iowa | Placement: ARS Poultry Microbiological Safety & Processing Research Unit; Athens, GA

• Erin Nowak | Salem College | Placement: ARS Southern Horticultural Research Unit; Poplarville, MS

• James Pinkney | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Placement: ARS Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit; Davis, CA

• Zeta Powell | Georgia State University | Placement: ARS Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research Unit; Fargo, ND

• Tyler Reid | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Placement: OSEC Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement; Washington, D.C.

• Trey Richardson | Texas A&M University | Placement: FAS Office of Operations and Budgeting; Washington, D.C.

• Indira Roy | Columbia University | Placement: APHIS International Services, Office of Trade, and Capacity Building; Washington, D.C.

• Kelli Wicks | Iowa State University | Placement: FAS Office of Capacity Building and Development; Washington, D.C.
   

ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE: The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, the World Food Prize has honored 49 outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions throughout the world. The World Food Prize annually hosts the Borlaug Dialogue international symposium and a variety of youth education and leadership development programs to help further the discussion on cutting-edge global food security issues and inspire the next generation to end hunger.

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