February 8, 2006
AMES, Iowa — 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.