D32-Lancaster Fanning Saturday, February 2,1991 Minority Scholarships UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Recent headlines bemoan the fact that not enough American students particularly minorities choose to study science. Penn State’s College of Agriculture is doing 'something to change that. The college recently awarded full tuition scholarships to 10 minority students. The awards are renewable annually provided the students make sufficient academic progress. “The pool of potential minority students who are academically prepared for most majors in agri cultural sciences is very small,” said Dr. William Henson, assistant to the dean for minority affairs. “Competition for these students is intense.” “In the past, we lost some good students because they were offered substantial financial aid packages from other schools. These new awards improve our ability to attract better prepared students.” Recent studies indicate that minority students many of whom have to take out large loans to attend college feel pressured to study business, law, engineer ing and other fields perceived to be financial rewarding. The Penn Slate minority scho lars will major in disciplines as diverse as animal science, plant science, agricultural engineering and forestry. “I never considered a career in agriculture until I discovered it meant more than farming,” said La Toya Davis, a freshman from Minneapolis, who will study food science. She was introduced to food sci ence when she participated as a high school student in the Col lege’s Minority Apprenticeships in Agriculture Program. As an apprentice, Davis worked in Dr. Stephanie Doores’ lab for six weeks. She helped Doores and a graduate student conduct research on listeria, a microorgan- ism that can contaminate dairy products and cause foodborne illnesses. “I was looking for a good sum mer experience and I found it,” said Davis. “I learned how to set up experiments and perform basic lab procedures. I found out there’s a really exciting side to science and there’s a part that’s definitely not glorious such as cleaning test tubes. “I also got a taste of college life. I learned how to use a computer and how to find my way around the library. Now I feel more pre pared than many freshmen at the university.” Four of the five other minority apprentices also enrolled at Penn State. Davis said knowing that she would find these friends on cam pus made her decision easier to attend Penn State. “Minority students have to overcome some hurdles when they enter college,” said Henson. “Not only do they have to take some lough basic science courses, but they have to face some fairly con servative altitudes on the part of faculty and other students. “It helps to have a support net work. Students who get to know others and who participate in groups from better bonds to the school.” Davis said that even though Penn State is a big school, the Col lege of Agriculture is concerned about individual students. “Dr. Henson probably will be an important part of my educational experience,” she said. “He won’t be my guardian but I know if I have a problem, he’ll be there.” After graduation, Davis hopes to work for an international food corporation. She plans to minor in Spanish at Penn Stale. “I feel strongly that if you’re working in someone else’s territory, you need to leant their language,” she said. “It’s only belter business.” Would Davis have been able to attend the College of Agriculture Increase without her scholarship? “Out-of state tuition is costly,” she said. “I wanted to come to Penn State, but I was accepted at four other schools and probably would have had to go somewhere else. “This scholarship gave me a choice. I really feel fortunate to have this chance and I want to work hard to prove I deserve it.” The other minority scholars are Dana Altman from New York City; Mona Dunkirk and Christa Garcia from Allentown, Pa.; Lance Garlington and Cassandra Logan from Harrisburg, Pa.; Toni Gomez from Oxford, Pa.; Shandor Szalay from Phoenixville, Pa.; and Clinton Taylor and Robert Torres from Philadelphia, Pa. For more information about the Minority Enrollment Enhance ment Academic Scholarships in Penn State’s College of Agricul ture, contact William Henson, at (814) 865-7521. Join The Earth Team The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and the Chester County Conservation District are looking for people to join the Earth Team. As an Earth Team volunteer, you can assist SCS and the Ches ter County Conservation District in protecting and conserving our precious natural resources. Anyone 16 years of age or older who has a few hours a week to spend may volunteer to assist in conservation practice layout and installation If you are interested in joining the Earth Team, please stop at the district office at 235 West Market Street, West Chester or telephone (215) 696-5126. Don't Bank On An Old Tank Rapid loss of liquid nitrogen due to a tank's poor condition could mean If your tank is dented, cor roded, and/or more than six years old, seriously consider trading it in for a new, effi cient tank. Get up to $2OO worth of ABS semen certifi cates when you trade up your used semen tank toward the pur chase of a new Taylor- Wharton or MVE re frigerator. JlVcerlificate for one-halfyour qualifying credit will be is sued at the tune a new refrig erator is delivered The sec ond one-half will be issued when the old tank is returned to ABS . New tanks that qualify fbr this program include: Two $lOO semen certificates Taylor-Wharton 34XT MVE SC 33/32 MVE SC 33/26 .lie A, Wayne Sets Tax Meeting HONESDALE (Wayne Co.) new provisions and changes in the Penn State Cooperative Extension hix laws. Subjects to be covered is holding a farmer’s tax meeting include employee withholding on Wednesday, February 6, at the payroll, Social Security provi- Wayne County Courthouse in sions, new tax rates, capital gains, Honesdale. The meeting will be depreciation, and earned income held in the Wayne County Exten- credit. sion Office from 1 to 3 p.m. Pre-registration is not required. Lehan Power, area farm man- for meeting information, contact agement specialist, will present a the Wayne County Extension, program to area farmers which Honesdale, (717) 253-5970, ext will bring them up to date on any 239. Energy Center Offers Free Book HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) — The Southcentral Pennsyl vania Energy Center is offering a free publication entitled the Penn sylvania Energy Book. This comprehensive 68-page book offers suggestions on how to purchase energy efficient heating equipment and appliances, how to drive your car to achieve maxi mum fuel efficiency and many other aspects of residential energy conservation. Also included in this book are chapters on infiltra tion, insulation, solar energy, and landscaping. This book can give you the knowledge necessary to find the Pesticide Testing Set TOWANDA (Bradford is to be proctored by officials of the Co.) Testing for restricted-use regional office of the Pennsylvania pesticide licenses will be adminis- Department of Agriculture, tered at the Bradford County The Bradford extension office is Extension Office from 9 a.m. to in Towanda at 701 South Fourth noon on Tuesday, March 12. Street Anyone desiring to apply certain There is still time to study for pesticides must hold a valid pesd- exams. To get an order form for cide license. study manuals, call Alton Homan Exams on March 12 will be at (717) 265-2896, or write to him available for all commercial, publ- extension office; P.O. Box ic and private categories. The exam 69, Towanda, 18848. the destruction of your entire semen inventory. Phone Toll Two $75 semen certificates Taylor-Wharton 18XT Taylor-Wharton 34HC Free 1-800-ABS-STUD right approach to obtaining the maximum energy savings which are possible for your home at the lowest cost. Also, after presenting a variety of alternatives for impro ving your homes energy efficienr cy, this book turns to the critical question of determining which energy measures make the most economic sense. The Pennsylva nia Energy Book is available, free of charge, by calling the South central PA Energy Center, 101 l free at 1-800-692-7312 or writing the Southcentral Pennsylvania Energy Center, Pennsylvania Energy Office, 116 Pine Street, Harris burg, PA 17101-1227. feemen certificates are good for up to 50% credit on ABS semen purchased after the trade-up. Certificates ex pire June 30,1991. Replace that old tank soon • March 1, 1991 marks the end of this special offer. Check with your ABS Repre sentative for details. HBB AMERICAN ■■m BREEDERS SERVICE MVE SC 20/20
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers