USDA suspends scholarship program at historically Black colleges, website shows [View all]
Source: Reuters
February 20, 2025 4:53 PM EST Updated 11 hours ago
WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended a college scholarship program for students from rural and underserved backgrounds who attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), according to the program website.
The 1890 scholars program aims to increase the number of agriculture students at the country's 19 historically Black land-grant universities, which are federally funded and tend to have significant agricultural programs. The website for the program now has a banner saying it is "suspended pending further review."
The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. The administration of President Donald Trump has issued sweeping executive orders rescinding federal diversity and inclusion efforts. The program provides full tuition, room and board to participants, and the agency spent $19.2 million on scholarships for 94 students in 2024, according to the USDA website.
"This is a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible for everybody," said Representative Alma Adams of North Carolina, who founded and co-chairs a congressional HBCU caucus, in a statement.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/usda-suspends-scholarship-program-historically-black-colleges-website-shows-2025-02-20/
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