Ames, Iowa
February 8, 2006
Three recent gifts to support seed-science graduate students
at Iowa State University
have put a fundraising initiative over the top of its $1
million goal.
The gifts are part of "Investing in People and the Future of
the Seed Industry," an effort led by the Iowa Seed
Association to raise support for Iowa State graduate
students. Funds raised through the initiative have
established seven fellowships at the university.
Helping wrap
up the initiative were a $150,000 gift from the Iowa Crop
Improvement Association, a $150,000 gift from the Committee
for Agricultural Development and a $150,000 gift from
Barbara Everson of Sequim, Wash.
"These fellowships will help prepare our graduates for
careers as leaders in the global seed industry," said Wendy
Wintersteen, dean of the College of Agriculture. "We're
grateful for the support of the Iowa Crop Improvement
Association, the Committee for Agricultural Development and
Barbara Everson. We appreciate the Iowa Seed Association's
leadership role in achieving the fundraising goal."
"The new fellowships will help our students address
important issues affecting the most critical part of our
food supply -- the seed," said Manjit Misra, director of the
Seed Science Center.
"The seed industry in Iowa is among the finest in the world.
The new fellowships will further enhance this already strong
industry," said Mike Bielenberg of Syngenta Seeds Inc. and
president of the Iowa Seed Association.
The Iowa Crop Improvement Association Fellowship in Seed
Science and the Committee for Agricultural Development
Fellowship in Seed Science will benefit graduate students
conducting research on issues related to global or domestic
seed issues.
"We're committed to helping students pursue advanced
education in seed science," said Del Koch, director of the
Iowa Crop Improvement Association and executive director of
the Committee for Agricultural Development.
The Leroy and Barbara Everson Fellowship in Seed Science
will encourage students to advance the science and
technology of seed testing. Barbara Everson's gift was given
in honor of the memory of her husband, Leroy, an ISU
emeritus professor of plant pathology, the former director
of the ISU Seed Testing Laboratory and an internationally
recognized leader in research to improve seed testing
methodology. Leroy Everson retired in 1980 and died in 2005.
Others interested in contributing to the Everson fellowship
and helping today's students follow in Leroy Everson's
footsteps are encouraged to contact the Iowa State
University Foundation.
Other
fellowships created through the initiative are the Edda G.
Sehgal Fellowship for Graduate Studies in Seed Science, the
Iowa Seed Association Graduate Fellowship, the Monsanto
Graduate Fellowship in Global Seed Policy and Regulations
and the Pioneer Hi-Bred Graduate Fellowship in Seed Science.
The Seed Science Center in the College of Agriculture is
home to the world's largest public seed testing laboratory
and administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
National Seed Health System. The lab's seed health testing
is key to the annual export of millions of dollars of
American seed. The center has pursued introducing science
into policy to benefit world seed trade in more than 50
countries during the last 10 years. The Seed Science Center
also is one of the centers of ISU's Plant Sciences
Institute.
The Committee for Agricultural Development is a nonprofit
organization that has been affiliated with Iowa State since
1943. Its mission is to produce crop seeds developed from
Iowa State research; to distribute plant genetic materials
and other research products to the public; and to acquire
and maintain adequate land for agricultural research
purposes of Iowa State.
The Iowa Crop Improvement Association is a nonprofit
organization designated as the official seed-certifying
agency for the state of Iowa. Its mission is to provide an
unbiased source of service and education in production and
quality assurance for Iowa agricultural crops. The
association financially supports Iowa State's student crops
team, sponsors the Iowa FFA Agronomy Career Development
event, offers a summer internship program and awards five
scholarships annually to Iowa State undergraduates.
The gifts were made through the Iowa State University
Foundation, a private, nonprofit corporation dedicated to
securing and stewarding gifts and grants that benefit Iowa
State University.
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