Scholarship created for Sustainable Agriculture Program

A new scholarship award created through the Shepherd University Foundation will support students pursuing a certificate or degree in the Sustainable Agriculture Program. The annually funded scholarship was created by the Berkeley-Jefferson Extension Master Gardeners, led by president Rick Lowman. The first award was made for the 2020-2021 academic year to Amanda Brooks, a junior from Harpers Ferry, WV. She is majoring in sustainable food production within the program.

The Sustainable Agriculture Program is the result of a collaboration between the Environmental Studies Program and the College of Business that focuses on sustainable agriculture production and agricultural business management.

“The Berkeley-Jefferson Extension Master Gardeners Scholarship provides a statement on the importance of horticulture and agriculture to the community. It grows the connection between the student and the wider community and puts a value on educational experience,” said Peter Vila, director of the Sustainable Agriculture Program.

Conducted through the West Virginia University county extension offices, the Berkeley-Jefferson Extension Master Gardener program utilizes the services of volunteers trained in home horticulture.  The goal of the training is to share knowledge with other county residents. To learn more about the program, visit https://extension.wvu.edu.