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Fort Valley State University agricultural students receive National Crop Insurance Services scholarship
Posted on Oct 29, 2020
The National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) recently awarded $3,000 each to Fort Valley State University students Faith Fantroy (left) and Charity Greene (right).
A $3,000 National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) scholarship is helping Fort Valley State University agricultural economics juniors Faith Fantroy and Charity Greene not only cover college expenses but get a step closer to achieving their career goals.
NCIS distributes these scholarships annually to students at 1890 Land-Grant Universities to assist them in completing their education and preparing for a career in agriculture. The scholarship money may be used for tuition, fees, books and other related expenses. Each semester, the award recipients must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average, have a declared major in an agricultural discipline, and continue as a full-time student in good standing at their university.
Fantroy said receiving the $3,000 scholarship offers her not only a means to cover college expenses, but it offers her a peace of mind and motivates her more to accomplish her goals.
“Without the added stress of getting a job and having to wonder how I was going to make ends meet, I can concentrate on my studies and give my all in the classroom,” she said.
The 20-year-old from Montgomery, Alabama, who transferred to FVSU this year, is honored to be a recipient of the NCIS scholarship. She said upon learning that she received the scholarship, she was excited about attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a rich history.
The Robert E. Lee High School graduate decided to pursue a degree in agricultural economics at FVSU because she wants to educate people, especially African Americans, about the food industry and how foods are processed and manufactured.
“I want to work to make healthy foods more economical and available to the public,” Fantroy said. “Ultimately, I want to be a business owner, but first I want to work in a major corporation within the agricultural industry and to be a philanthropist.”
Greene is also grateful to receive the NCIS scholarship. “It means a lot because not only is it helping me with college, but it is a blessing from God. This scholarship means all the hard work really paid off,” she said. “This is only the beginning.”
In addition to the scholarship, the 20-year-old is appreciative of her family’s support since her freshman year at FVSU. “If I were not receiving this scholarship, I would have worked to save money or possibly have taken out a loan,” she said.
The Turner County High School graduate said agriculture was not her first choice as a career. “Growing up, my interest gravitated more toward the process of marketing products and managing a team. As I learned the importance of how these same attributes can play a vital role in agriculture, my mindset began to change. Fort Valley State University’s agricultural economics program opened the door to a broader career path,” Greene said.
The Ashburn, Georgia, native said with an agricultural economics degree, she plans to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to help foster the research that will enhance agricultural products, as well as improve productivity and food safety and security.
Dr. Ralph Noble, dean of FVSU’s College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology, congratulates Fantroy and Greene on this accomplishment. “This recognition is evident of these two scholars’ hard work and dedication. I am proud of their achievements, as well as their future success at FVSU, and we anticipate even greater achievements in their agricultural careers,” he said.
Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, agricultural economics professor and chair of FVSU’s Department of Agricultural Sciences, thanked Dr. Laurence Crane, vice president of program outreach and risk management education for NCIS.
“Thus far, NCIS has offered scholarships to five FVSU agricultural economics students,” Ibrahim said.
NCIS is a 503(c) not-for-profit crop insurance trade association whose membership includes private companies offering federal multiple peril crop insurance.
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