The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reinstated the 1890 National Scholars Program after a brief suspension that caused confusion and concern among students and faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Established in 1992, the 1890 National Scholars Program partners with the USDA and land-grant HBCUs to increase representation in agricultural and mechanical sciences. The program provides full tuition, fees, books, and housing assistance for students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, and natural resource sciences at 19 land-grant institutions. In the 2024 fiscal year, the USDA supported 94 scholars at 19 schools.
The precise timing of the suspension is unclear, though concurrent with a slurry of executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programming. A post on the program’s website announced the suspension of the 1890 Scholars Program pending further review, sparking criticism from lawmakers as early as Thursday.
Congresswoman Alma S. Adams PhD (D-North Carolina), released a statement on February 20 regarding the suspension of the program.
“It is infuriating …This is a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible for everybody and provides opportunities for students to work at USDA, especially in the critical fields of food safety, agriculture, and natural resources that Americans rely on every single day,” said Rep. Adams. “I demand USDA immediately rescind this targeted and mean-spirited suspension and reinstate the 1890 Scholars Program, for which the deadline for students to apply was originally March 1, 2025.”
On February 24, the USDA reversed course, reopening applications and extending the deadline to March 15. The scholarship is open to U.S. citizens with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a minimum ACT score of 21 or SAT score of 1080, and applicants must have been accepted for admission or currently attending one of the nineteen participating colleges.
A spokesperson for the USDA informed the Associated Press on Saturday that all current scholars would complete their education through the program.
