Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University A land-grant institution
Agricultural Technology Scholarships
The majority of Agricultural Technology first-year students receive scholarships. Awards range from $500 to $2,000 per academic year. The scholarships that are currently available are listed below.
Albert Shoosmith Scholarship
Scholarship is awarded by the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association. Students are evaluated on scholastic achievement and strength of curriculum, school activities and volunteer service, hours devoted to work, honors and awards, and an essay.
Charles E. "Bo" Wonderley Memorial Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded to students from Augusta County during both years of their program. Recipients are determined on the basis of quality of their application, the impact on the applicant's agriculture career goals and financial need.
Curtis Mays Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded to students from Southwest Virginia. Recipients are determined on the basis of grades and financial need.
John Lee Pratt Freshman Merit Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, leadership, school and community service, extracurricular activities, and expressed interest in the study of animal nutrition.
Robert P. Ruff, Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded by the Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) in the memory of Robert P. Ruff, Sr., who served as VTC treasurer until his death in 1998. Scholarships are awarded to students in the Landscape/Turf option of the Agricultural Technology program who have an expressed interest in turfgrass management as a career.
Smithfield-Carroll Foods Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded to residents of Surry, Sussex, Isle of Wight, Southampton, or Dinwiddie counties in Virginia. Consideration will be given to residents of other counties in Virginia with a strong desire to work in the swine industry.
Tucker Livestock Scholarship
A scholarship is awarded on the basis of financial need, academic achievement, leadership and citizenship. Preference is given to residents of Madison, Culpeper, Green, Orange, Page, and Rappahannock Counties.
Agricultural Technology/Virginia Farm Bureau Scholarship
Virginia Farm Bureau has been a strong supporter of the Agricultural Technology Program since it’s inception. Each year the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation makes a sizable donation to the program’s scholarship fund and individual counties throughout the state make contributions. Virginia Farm Bureau’s Women’s Committee and Young Farmers’ Committee provide scholarship funds also. In order to receive a scholarship, applicants must obtain a letter of recommendation from a Farm Bureau member.
Virginia State Golf Association - Virginia Turf Foundation
Scholarships are funded by the Virginia Golf Foundation and are administered in cooperation with the Virginia Turf Foundation. Recipients must be a resident of Virginia and must be a turf student in the two-year program entering their final year of study. Award is based on having achieved good academic standing.
Other Scholarships
From time to time certain scholarships are made available to help increase diversity within the College. If applicants believe they would qualify for diversity awards, please contact the Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) office at (540) 231-5023 to check on availability of awards for the coming school year.
To apply for a scholarship, a student must complete the College’s on-line scholarship application form. It can be found at To be considered for the other scholarships listed above, as well as others available in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, please refer to the following website: www.cals.vt.edu/students/scholarships.html. In addition, an “Agricultural Technology Scholarship” application form must be completed. This form will be included in the packet when an offer of admission is made to a student and it can also be found on our website. The application must be filled out completely to be considered. Certain scholarship funds are also available from the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and County Farm Bureaus. You must submit a letter of recommendation from a Farm Bureau member in addition to the applications mentioned above to qualify for these funds.
Students are strongly encouraged to complete the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA). The deadline for submitting the FAFSA is March 11. A majority of the scholarships are based on financial need and only students with documented financial need will be considered for those scholarships. Even though some applicants believe they may not have a documented financial need, having a FAFSA on file will increase opportunities for any scholarships and financial aid available in the college or university.
Financial aid information is available on the VT website. www.finaid.vt.edu
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