1890 USDA Land Grant Scholars Program status
DELMARVA – With cuts to numerous federal programs since the new administration took office in January, one of the most recent changes affected the education system right here on Delmarva.
Scholarship Suspended
Just recently, the United States Department of Agriculture suspended the 1890 Scholars Program for 19 universities. One of those schools – the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Officials there tell me just how detrimental this cut could be.
“The 1890 Scholars Program has been suspended pending further review,” a quote from the website. The program provided full tuition for some students studying agriculture, food or natural resource sciences. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is one of the schools affected.
Frightened by Funding
Robert Vickers is the Vice President for Strategic Communications and Marketing for UMES. He says they currently have 8 students on the 1890 scholarships. “It was a little frightening initially to see the federal government move to take resources away from students who are in careers that benefit not just our area, our region, and our state, but the entire country.”
1890 in the title refers to the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which established historically Black colleges and universities. Vickers says this would affect HBCUs in a negative way. “I think it’s important that people in our region understand the huge economic impact that this institution has not just in agriculture and food science, but in health professions, in aviation, and a lot of services people receive on a day-to-day basis.”
He goes on to say, “The margins in higher education are thin for everyone, particularly thin for HBCUs that are public or private… This was federal law that promised certain funding levels, comparable to the PWI land grants, and predominately almost all of them have not received that funding.”
Less is NOT More
To put the impact in perspective, $19.2 million worth of scholarships were awarded to 94 students in October 2024. Vickers says HBCUs, like themselves, or Delaware State University, need more, not less of government resources.
“We’ve had to make water into wine… And that’s really the business of HBCUs, is to take whatever resources we have available and give our students the best opportunity, and the communities we serve the best opportunity to flourish.”
Currently on their website they have a statement that reads, “The USDA 1890s National Scholars Program application period has been reopened, and applications will be accepted through March 15th”. The Universities say they will keep an eye out for changes but will help their students at all costs.
If you would like more information on the USDAs1890s National Scholars Program you can visit their website.
