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Ag's Multicultural Scholars
top the charts with $5,750 awards

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Milagros Lujan (left) with fellow scholarship winners Michael Rivers (rear), Cori Calvert and Tamara Martinez.

by Mary Lisa Russell

Milagros Lujan is the sixth child in a family of nine children and she dreams of being the first one to graduate from college. Fresno State is making her dream come true.

Lujan and four other Central Valley high school seniors were recently selected to receive the largest individual scholarships awarded by Fresno State. The awards come through the Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP).

Along with Lujan (Firebaugh), Michael Rivera (Fresno), Cori Calvert (Sanger), and Tamara Martinez (Kingsburg) were selected. Each recipient is awarded a scholarship of $5,750 per year for four years. Chosen as an alternate, Naomi Gonzalez (Mendota) will receive a scholarship for two years.

The program is a partnership between the university's School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"The purpose of the program is to recruit, train, and place Hispanic and Southeast Asian students in leadership positions in agriscience and agribusiness," said Dr. Dennis Nef, associate dean of agricultural sciences and technology. "Quite often, the students' experience and perception of careers in agriculture is of intensive labor in the fields."

Gonzalez, who accompanied her father as he worked in the fields, said that after watching the field workers for years, she decided on a good education as an alternative. "I love being in the fields and I want to do something that will keep me in agricultural business," said Gonzalez. "I still like doing the work, but I cannot see myself doing that hard labor all of my life."

Nef said that most minority students do not consider the professional and technical careers available in the food and fiber industry. The MSP program encourages students to pursue leadership positions and provides future liaisons with the agriculture industry.

"The university's partnership with the USDA is an excellent opportunity to identify bright students who could be future food and fiber industry leaders," said Nef.

To qualify for the MSP, students must be Hispanic or Southeast Asian, have a minimum 3.5 G.P.A. in high school, and participate in school or community activities.

Nef has high hopes that the USDA will continue the program when they see its results. Students interested in the program can obtain information by calling him at Ext. 8-2061.