Feb 23, 2025 Story by: Editor
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal scholarship designed to support students from underserved and rural communities attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has been suspended.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has put a hold on the 1890 Scholars Program, which covered full tuition and fees for students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, or natural resource sciences at 19 universities known as the 1890 land-grant institutions.
While the exact timing of the suspension remains unclear, some lawmakers began voicing their opposition to the decision on Thursday.
Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat representing a North Carolina district that includes Charlotte, condemned the move and urged the USDA to reverse its decision.
“This is a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible for everybody, and provides opportunities for students to work at USDA, especially in the critical fields of food safety, agriculture, and natural resources that Americans rely on every single day,” Adams said in a statement. “This program is a correction to a long history of racial discrimination within the land-grant system, not an example of it.”
The USDA confirmed the suspension on its website, stating, “The 1890 Scholars Program has been suspended pending further review.”
This decision coincides with a funding freeze imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. Officials have justified the pause, citing the need to assess whether expenditures align with Trump’s executive orders concerning climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
The funding freeze is currently facing legal challenges, and a temporary court order has been issued to block the executive action.
Among the impacted institutions are Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Tuskegee University in Alabama.
The 1890 Scholars Program, established in 1992, derives its name from the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which led to the creation of HBCUs.
To qualify, applicants must be U.S. citizens with a minimum 3.0 GPA, accepted into one of the 19 land-grant universities, and pursuing studies in agriculture or related fields. Additionally, candidates must “demonstrate leadership and community service,” according to USDA guidelines.
In October, the USDA announced it had allocated $19.2 million for the scholarship. For the 2024 fiscal year, 94 students were awarded funding through the program. Source: Spectrum Local News
