Scholarship applicants must be involved in some aspect of agriculture. Two or more separate awards may be available. Each applicant will be eligible to receive only one award per year. The task of determining award recipients will be assigned to the Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission Scholarship Committee (OPVCSC). 

Finalists will be selected prior to April 1; interviews for scholarships will be at the OPVCSC’s discretion. 

 

Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission Scholarship Selection Criteria: 

1. Selection preference will be given to applicants who: 

     a. are enrolled in an accredited Oregon institution,
     b. are interested in the vegetable industry,
     c. are a permanent resident of Oregon, and
     d. are current students in at least their senior year of high school, or having at least one year remaining          towards a degree at the time the scholarship is received. 

2. Applicants must be legal residents of the United States. 

3. Applications for scholarship must include responses to a questionnaire, an essay of less than 500 words describing what the student would bring to the vegetable industry, three letters of reference and high school / GED or college transcripts. 

4. Prior years’ scholarship recipients are eligible to receive an award. Application from a prior winner must include information on progress toward degree. 

 

Application Selection:
The selection of the scholarship recipients will be the responsibility of the OPVCSC. The committee will consider only applicants who meet the above criteria and who have submitted a completed application prior to December 31. The OPVCSC will determine if applications meet the required criteria and will set the time and location for the interviews as necessary. OPVCSC will score applications using a subjective scoring matrix and reserves the right to limit the awards based on scored applications. 

 

Scholarship Amount:
The scholarship awards will be determined annually by the OPVCSC and will be based on available funds as set by the Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission Board. Awards will be made on an annual basis providing deserving candidate(s) are identified by the committee. In the event no suitable candidates are identified in a given year, no award will be made that year. The scholarship(s) shall be presented to the recipient’s college financial aid office, as directed by the OPVCSC, by August 31 by check after the OPVCSC has made a final determination. 

 

Progress Report Requirement:
Scholarship recipients are required to submit end of the year progress reports by June 30 of the academic year in which the award was received. This update should include a brief update of the recipient’s work towards their degree, including any pertinent work experience or internships. If the recipient will be graduating, include post-graduate plans, if known. Current scholarship recipients applying for scholarship renewal for the next academic year must submit a mid-year progress report with the new application. 

 

Scholarship Eligibility Restrictions: 

Family members of Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission Scholarship Committee members are not eligible to receive an award. Commission members’ family are encouraged to apply, but will not be eligible for an award if the committee member remains on the committee for the selection process. 

Family members are defined as spouses, children or step-children, grandchildren or step-grandchildren and siblings or step-siblings. 

 

Please type or print legibly in dark ink. Illegible applications will not be considered. A copy of your current transcript must be attached. 

 

Application deadline December 20.

 

Applicants must submit two letters of reference. These letters may be included in the application or sent by the writer directly to the OPVCSC.

 

Mail applications and reference letters to:

Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission

Scholarship Committee

PO Box 55401
Portland, OR 97238