Scholarships Available for Students Pursuing Chicken Careers

delmarva chicken

Delmarva Chicken Association is inviting high school seniors, college students and graduate students to submit applications for its 2023 College Scholarship Program. Applications are being accepted for undergraduate scholarships of $2,000 and graduate-degree scholarships of $3,000. Complete applications for these scholarships must be received by DCA no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 7, 2023. DCA’s annual College Scholarship Golf Tournament supports these scholarship awards; this year’s tournament raised more than $15,000 for the scholarship fund.

In 2022, DCA awarded scholarships to four undergraduate students and three graduate students, totaling $17,000; since 1985, DCA has awarded more than $178,000 to undergraduate and graduate students. “Students preparing for a career in the chicken community are in the right place at the right time,” said Holly Porter, DCA’s executive director. “More than 18,700 jobs on Delmarva are directly tied to our five chicken companies, and thousands more jobs on farms and with suppliers are created by the chicken economy. We’re excited to be able to help students start journeys toward their careers each year through these scholarships.”

Career opportunities in the chicken industry extend far beyond jobs in processing plants or on farms. Students majoring in accounting, engineering, marketing, veterinary science, nutrition, genetics, chemistry, environmental science, computer science, and many other areas of study will find their skills in demand in a chicken career.

Each applicant must be a student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher learning within the United States, or in the case of graduating high school seniors, accepted to an accredited institution within the United States. Students applying for undergraduate scholarships must be Delmarva residents who are pursuing a career path leading to employment in any segment of Delmarva’s chicken community. Graduate student scholarships are available to any student at a U.S. university who is engaged in research that directly benefits Delmarva’s chicken community. A complete transcript must accompany the application, and in the case of high school seniors, proof of college acceptance is required. Applicants must secure a letter of reference from an academic advisor or faculty member. DCA membership on the part of the applicant or his or her family is not required and has no bearing on the selection process.

For more information, or to access an application form, visit dcachicken.com/scholarship.