Students will be selected for their abilities to communicate with the general public about dairy farming, dairy nutrition and modern agricultural practices.
Students who are accepted into the program are expected to serve for one year as a dairy ambassador, completing monthly assignments requiring a time commitment of approximately three (3) hours per month.
SELECTION
Applications for the 2025 class are open now through Oct. 15!
Applicants will be notified in December 2024, with terms of service for the five ambassadors beginning January 1, 2025 and running until December 31, 2025. Students must be either attending a university in Indiana or be residents of Indiana.
Students who are residents of Indiana but attending a school outside Indiana may apply, although preference will be given to students who are reasonably able to attend events in Indiana and who demonstrate a commitment to Indiana’s dairy industry, now and in the future.
PROCESS
The five selected dairy ambassadors will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship in installments over the course of their year of service. Students selected who do not fulfill their responsibilities as ambassadors will not receive the full scholarship amount. Installments will be awarded upon selection ($500), in March ($500), in July ($500) and upon completion in December of that year ($1,000).
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
The five selected dairy ambassadors will complete one activity or assignment each month. Any missed assignments require a reason and notice. A missed assignment with good reason can be made up at another time, but multiple missed assignments or any missed without notice can result in suspension of privileges. The activities are designed to take students about three hours or less to complete each month.
Some months may involve a travelling activity option to attend an event. Travel time and/or presentation time could extend the time requirement. An effort will be made by ADAI not to create activities that are so burdensome for the students or that impede their ability to attend courses and complete coursework. Participants are also required to stay in touch with ADAI staff via email, the program’s private Facebook group, and/or on regularly scheduled conference calls or webinars.
AWARD FUNDS
Award funds are intended to be used to pay for tuition fees, textbooks and living expenses while attending an accredited university and while on a degree path. Students must notify ADAI of any intention to change universities while participating in the program. Any change of major that includes a change in collegiate department also requires notification (for example, changing major from Ag Economics to Ag Business does not require notification changing from Pre-Pharmacy to Education would require notification).
Students are not required to be majoring in a dairy-related field, although it is considered an advantage in the application process. Students who are planning to major in a dairy-related field and change their majors after being accepted are required to notify us of that change, but it will not endanger their scholarship funding.
QUESTIONS
All questions about the Dairy Ambassador Scholarship Program can be addressed to Allie Rieth, 317-842-3060.
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