“The AgDiscovery program was originally initiated as an APHIS Veterinary Services pilot program in 2002. This will be the University of Arizona’s (UA) seventh year of participation. This year, we have a total of 20 universities hosting an AgDiscovery program on college campuses nationwide. Funding for AgDiscovery is enabled through cooperative agreements between APHIS and the host universities. The participants financial obligation, is only that, they provide their travel to and from the camp. The first week is spent on the UA Yuma Campus and concludes the second week on the UA Tucson campus.
AgDiscovery is a summer camp outreach program to help middle through high school (15-17) aged students explore careers in animal science, veterinary medicine, agribusiness, plant pathology, aquaculture, and much more. This two week program allows participants to live on a college campus and learn about agricultural science from university professors, practicing veterinarians, industry representatives, and professionals working for the U.S. government. Students who participate in AgDiscovery gain experience through hands-on labs, workshops, field trips and other group and team building activities. Please use the following link to learn more about the program: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/civilrights/ct_agdiscovery_program
You can download the application form from this website: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/civil_rights/downloads/Application.pdf to distribute to your students but we strongly suggest that the students complete the form online by typing information directly into it. If they prefer to complete the form by hand, please help ensure that all information is neatly printed and clearly legible.
A two-page (2) essay entitled, “Why I Want to Attend the AgDiscovery Program at (indicate the participating university you would like to attend), and What I Want to Learn.” In the essay, ensure that information about interests, hobbies, future career goals, and how each student plans to achieve thier goals. Be sure that a full name, age, home address, telephone number, and email address are on the first page of the essay. Please have the student supply three (3) letters of recommendation from people not related to them who know them well. At least one recommendation letter must come from a teacher or school counselor. Each letter of recommendation must be sealed in a separate envelope, and then placed in one large envelope, and mailed together with the application form and essay. View the 2016 AgDiscovery brochure HERE to learn more about the program.
If you have any questions please contact any of the Arizona Ag Discovery coordinators below. Please remember the completed applications must be postmarked by March 21, 2016.
Thank you for your attention and support”
Here is a pdf of the brochure: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/aphis_general/2015/agdiscovery_16.pdf Originally, the opportunity was supposed to close on Friday, March 7th, the due date has been extended to Monday, March 21th. If you could pass along the word about this program to possible schools/students that might be interested, that would be great!