New Centers to assist small farmers, develop a diverse workforce, and increase global food security

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is making a $1 million initial investment to support three Centers of Excellence with the Council of 1890 Colleges, building and strengthening USDA's historic partnership with 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. Vilsack made the announcement during remarks at the Convocation commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act becoming law, creating the 1890 Land-Grant Universities.

"When Congress passed the act in 1890 creating additional Land-Grant Universities, they were creating access to economic mobility through educational opportunity for all. These schools have been instrumental in growing our nation into a multicultural economic power," said Vilsack. "The three new Centers of Excellence will build on this legacy of cooperation and success to help sustain our nation for the next 125 years and beyond."

These three new centers will serve as a consortium to increase coordination and collaboration between USDA and the 1890s schools. Each center will focus on a specific identified need:

• Creating an integrated center to benefit Small Farms, Ranches and Forest Landowners in high poverty areas;
• Establishing a virtual center to support the science, technology, engineering, agriculture, and mathematics (STEAM) pipeline of students and address the growing need for talented career candidates to meet future workforce needs; and
• Satisfying the nation's need in the areas of international engagement and global food security to increase international cooperation, trade and development.

Secretary Vilsack said USDA would provide additional related funding through existing programs and agreements, and that the initial funding will help the 1890s schools improve their access to USDA programs and attract additional outside investment.

Over the past six years, USDA has partnered with 1890s schools in a number of ways to make a positive impact in the lives of underserved farmers, youth and communities. Some recent actions include :

• Providing more than $132 million in funding to 1890s schools through 350 different awards across the entire department last year;
• Continuing the 1890s Scholars program, currently assisting 55 Scholars in agencies throughout USDA with scholarships worth approximately $35,000 each, and permanently employing more than 600 Land-Grant University graduates through the program.

WAVERLY, IA (07/15/2015)(readMedia)-- Wartburg College has recognized 454 students who were named to the 2015 Winter/May Term Dean's List.

Those honored include :

Kaitlynn Eaton of Davenport

Kerri Golinghorst of Dixon

Brooke Moeller of New Liberty

Breanna Walczyk of Bettendorf

Lindsay Heinen of Eldridge

Paris White of Muscatine

Anthony Skinner of Davenport

Cody Birely of Davenport

Laura Klever of Long Grove

Andrea Weiss of DeWitt

Tasha Becker of DeWitt

Emma Evans-Peck of Geneseo

Austin Lechtenberg of DeWitt

Mallory Weaver of Bettendorf

Brooke Chapman of DeWitt

Emily Kremer of DeWitt

Allison Coe of Dixon

Elizabeth Mallon of Davenport

Karl Jaeschke of Bettendorf

The list honors students who earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above in at least five course credits during the two terms. Four of the five course credits must be graded with a traditional letter grade.

Wartburg students take four courses during Winter Term, which runs from January to April, and one course during the one-month May Term. May Term courses often involve travel and study abroad.

Wartburg, a four-year liberal arts college internationally recognized for community engagement, enrolls 1,661 students. Wartburg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and named after the castle in Germany where Martin Luther took refuge disguised as a knight during the stormy days of the Reformation while translating the Bible from Greek into German.

PELLA, IA (07/15/2015)(readMedia)-- The following area first-year students earned scholarships to Central College:

Samantha Aguilar of Muscatine received a Cornerstone Scholarship to Central College.

Alex Birely of Davenport received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Cassidy Bos of Geneseo received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Madison Campbell of Blue Grass received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Garrett Cone of Dixon received a Cornerstone Scholarship to Central College.

Marcus Harrington of Eldridge received a Cornerstone Scholarship to Central College.

Parker Hill of Bettendorf received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Analise Keller of Davenport received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Katie Phillips of Muscatine received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Jacob Poster of Davenport received a Cornerstone Scholarship to Central College.

Kolby Reed of Muscatine received a Cornerstone Scholarship to Central College.

Benjamin Wilkinson of Davenport received a Presidential Scholarship to Central College.

Founded in 1853, Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, residential four-year liberal arts college known for its academic rigor and strength in global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), sustainability education, athletics success and tradition, and leadership and service. Central continues to value its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America that began in 1916. The college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the Iowa Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just two minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest lake.

TROY, NY (07/14/2015)(readMedia)-- Vignessh Kumar, of Moline, IL has been named to the Dean's List at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the Spring 2015 semester. The Dean's List recognizes full-time students who maintain grade-point averages of a minimum of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0 and have no grades below "C."

Kumar studies Biology.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is the nation's oldest technological research university. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences. Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, nanotechnology, computational science and engineering, and the media arts and technology. The Institute is well known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.

As it approaches its bicentennial anniversary, the Institute continues to define The New Polytechnic, a new paradigm for teaching, learning, and research that uses advanced technologies to enable fresh collaborations across disciplines, sectors, and regions, in order to answer the global challenges of our day.