To encourage young people to enroll in the Agricultural Institute in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Agricultural Institute Alumni Committee (AIAC) has created the Agricultural Institute Alumni Scholarship Endowment in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc., N.C. State University.

The purpose of the endowment is to provide scholarship awards to promising students majoring in any two-year Agricultural Institute curriculum.

Dr. Johnny Wynne, interim dean of the College, hosted the July 18 endowment signing event at Patterson Hall. Joining him in the ceremonies were Dr. Ken Esbenshade, College associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Dr. John Cornwell, director of the Agricultural Institute; and AIAC officers H. Haywood Fowler, George W. Rivenbark Jr. and C. Brad Pope.

“Alumni endowments are special because the alumni who give recognize the impact that their education has had on their lives,” said Cornwell. “Today these alumni give back to the institution so that future students will have the opportunity to attend and succeed in the Agricultural Institute.”

The College’s Agricultural Institute is a two-year program that awards the associate of applied science degree upon successful completion of one of its programs of study. It is designed for students who want a focused curriculum and practical knowledge and have a desire to work in agriculture or a related industry. Curricula include agribusiness management, pest management and technology (with agricultural and urban pest concentrations), field crops technology, general agriculture, livestock management technology (with general, poultry and swine options), ornamentals and landscape technology, and turfgrass management.

— Terri Leith