Skip to main content
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Diversity Resources

Both public and private organizations offer scholarships, fellowships, and research and professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups.

Resources for Professional Development

Undergraduate Financial Resources

Follow the links for more information about these scholarships and other financial resources available to undergraduate students.

NC State’s Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid provides a list of scholarships for minority students. Because NC State University does not administer these scholarship programs, students should contact each organization individually to inquire about specifics.

American Chemical Society Scholars Program is a catalyst for underrepresented minority students to pursue undergraduate college degrees in chemical sciences and chemical technology. High school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors may apply.

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program promotes academic excellence and provides an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is the nation’s leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education and is the nation’s largest provider of college financial aid for Latino students.

The Indian Health Service Scholarship Program consists of three interrelated scholarship programs to train the professional health personnel necessary to staff IHS health programs serving the Native American people.

The Korean American Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit, volunteer-managed organization established to help meet the financial needs of Korean-American students seeking higher education.

American Society for Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program is aimed at highly competitive students who wish to pursue graduate careers (Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) in microbiology. Students will have the opportunity to conduct full-time summer research with an ASM member at their home institution or at a host institution and to present research results at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students and the ASM General Meeting.

AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships include diversity scholarships for undergraduate students.

General Motors Scholarship Programs contribute funding to various organizations that provide scholarship support, including the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Chevrolet partners each year with Ebony and Hispanic magazines in the production of college guides for Black and Hispanic high school seniors. Chevrolet scholarships are showcased in the college guides. Guides are distributed through schools and education organizations.

The General Motors Minority Dealers Association Scholarship Program is sponsored by participating GM minority dealers and the GM Minority Dealers Association to recognize outstanding ethnic minority high school students and college students.

The Coca−Cola Scholars Foundation supports more than 1,400 college students each year, with annual scholarships of $3.4 million through two nationally recognized programs on behalf of the Coca−Cola System.

The Jackie Robinson Foundation serves as an advocate for young people with the greatest need by granting four-year scholarships for minority youth pursuing higher education.

NAACP scholarship information and applications are available. NAACP membership and participation is highly desirable or required.

The Ron Brown Scholar Program awards four-year scholarships designed to accelerate the progress of African Americans into the mainstream of leadership in business, education, government, and a wide spectrum of professions while instilling a strong dedication to leadership and public service.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarship Program Local RMHC Chapters, with support of RMHC Global, offer scholarships to eligible graduating U.S. high school seniors who face limited access to educational and career opportunities in their communities.

The Sam Walton Community Scholarship is available to help students live better lives via continued education. For more information call 866-851-3372.

The Saul T. Wilson Jr. Scholarship Program, sponsored by the Veterinary Services staff of the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, provides support for undergraduate students in veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences.

Xerox offers a Technical Minority Scholarship that awards between $1,000 and $10,000 to qualified minorities enrolled in a technical degree program at the bachelor level or above.

The Collegiate Inventors Competition has recognized, rewarded and encouraged hundreds of students to share their inventive ideas with the world. The competition promotes exploration in science, engineering, technology and other creative endeavors and provides a window on the technologies from which society will benefit in the future.

Graduate Financial Resources

NC State University’s Graduate School strongly supports diversity in graduate education through student organizations, professional development and funding opportunities. It offers Diversity Enhancement Grants, which provide supplemental fellowships, depending on financial need. In addition, directors of graduate programs are invited to submit nominations for supplemental Graduate School Diversity Enhancement Recruiting Fellowships to increase the amount of funds offered to incoming graduate students.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers internships, fellowships and scholarships. USDA internship programs are geared toward combining academic studies with on-the-job training and experience, and scholarship programs are in place to support exemplary students.

The Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships program awards grants for predoctoral, postdoctoral and dissertation study. Students who are African American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Native American, Native Alaskan and Native Pacific Islander and work in the humanities, the social and natural sciences, mathematics, engineering and research in education are eligible. These awards are made by the National Research Council, which administers the program for the National Academy of Sciences.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Careers Program is an entry-level, full-time employment and career development program designed to help develop individuals’ potential for future advancement within the EPA. You must be a U.S. citizen, hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and have leadership potential, teamwork skills, a commitment to a career in public service, an interest in environmental issues and solid communications skills, as well as academic accomplishment or relevant work experience – or both. When these positions are available, they are advertised at EPA at USAJobs.

The Presidential Management Fellows Program provides a special means of entry into the federal service for graduate degree recipients. Focusing on career development, the program exposes fellows to a variety of work assignments. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management manages the program, and applications are available from graduate schools and placement offices.

The American Society for Microbiology offers the Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups completing doctoral degrees in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship is aimed at highly competitive graduate students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program and who have completed their graduate course work in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship encourages students to continue and complete their research project in the microbiological sciences.

The Saul T. Wilson Jr. Scholarship Program provides support for graduate students in veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences. It is sponsored by the Veterinary Services staff of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner’s Fellowship Program recruits outstanding health-care professionals, scientists and engineers to its two-year fellowship program to receive regulatory science training and the chance to conduct cutting-edge research on targeted scientific or regulatory issues under the mentorship of an FDA senior scientist. Applicants must have a doctoral-level degree to be eligible; however, applicants with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in an engineering discipline will also be considered.

GEM Fellowships, coupled with paid summer internships, are provided at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels. GEM also produces publications on how to obtain a graduate science, technology, engineering or mathematics education for graduate and undergraduate students, university and industry administrators.

The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. The NSF welcomes applications from all qualified students and strongly encourages underrepresented populations – including women, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities – to apply.

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships are offered to increase the number of U.S. citizens and nationals trained in science and engineering disciplines of military importance. The Department of Defense offers these fellowships to individuals who have demonstrated the ability and special aptitude for advanced training in science and engineering. The fellowships are awarded to applicants who will pursue a doctoral degree in, or closely related to, an area of DoD interest.

Science Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Fellowship program, established by the U.S. Department of Defense, supports undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. The program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DoD laboratories.

NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program aims to increase the number of highly trained scientists and engineers in aeronautics and space-related disciplines and to broaden the base of students pursuing advanced degrees in science, mathematics and engineering. Fellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering.

National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC) Graduate Fellowships seek to increase the number of American citizens with graduate degrees in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, emphasizing recruitment of a diverse applicant pool. The Traditional NPSC Fellowship provides support for up to six years, depending on degree sought and employer funding.

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Fellowships  supports outstanding students to pursue graduate training in fundamental research in areas of physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer and computational science, and environmental sciences relevant to the Office of Science and to encourage the development of the next generation scientific and technical talent in the U.S who will pursue careers in research critical to the Office of Science mission at DOE laboratories and in academia.

This guide from MastersDegree.net outlines a number of different organizations that offer scholarships for Hispanic women who want to attend graduate school.

Research Opportunities and Summer Programs

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

NC State University Summer Research Experience offers undergraduate students from any university a chance to gain valuable research experience working with world-class NC State faculty.

UNC-Chapel Hill Summer Pre-Graduate Research Experience offers undergraduate students throughout the country the opportunity to work full time on research projects under the direction of UNC-Chapel Hill faculty.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, offers research opportunities for students who are from populations underrepresented in biomedical research and are interested in exploring career opportunities in the areas of allergy, immunology and infectious diseases. Participants have the opportunity to hear scientific lectures from prominent scientists, interview with scientists for potential research training positions at the institute’s Maryland and Montana laboratories, tour institute laboratories and see the state-of-the-science technologies. Full-time college-level juniors or seniors, medical school students or doctoral candidates attending accredited U.S. colleges or universities and from populations underrepresented in the biomedical sciences are eligible.

The Victory Institute brings outstanding LGBTQ college students to Washington, D.C., for an intensive leadership program, including a congressional internship with an LGBT-friendly member of Congress.  The program includes a generous stipend, housing in D.C. and travel to/from Washington, D.C., as well as travel and registration to the LGBT Leaders 2014 Conference.  The internship program is open to current undergraduate students of all genders, orientations, abilities, races and political affiliations, including people with majors other than political science.

Student Action with Farmworkers offers the Sowing Seeds for Change Fellowship, a six-month leadership development program for college students and recent graduates to improve farmworkers’ access to health care as well as advocate for improved living and working conditions, and the Student Organizing School, which trains and supports a small group of North Carolina college students  to be leaders in the farmworker movement. Through retreats & farm labor camp visits, student organizers learn about the history of the farm labor movement, current farm labor campaigns and popular education and organizing.

Post-Baccalaureate Research Opportunities

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Biomedical Research Training Program for Individuals from Underrepresented Groups offers opportunities for underrepresented post-baccalaureate individuals to receive training in basic, translational and clinical research. The program’s purpose is to enhance career opportunities in biomedical sciences, including clinical and laboratory medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics as applied to the etiology and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung and blood diseases.

The Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program, offered by the Wake Forest University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, is a research program for graduates who are underrepresented minorities or those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Graduates with an interest in a biomedical research career and who have already obtained their college degree are encouraged to apply.

Graduate Research Opportunities

NC State’s AGEP: Bridging Programs is a part of the North Carolina Alliance to create Opportunity through Education (OPT-ED).

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development Postdoctoral Research Program offers appointments of up to four years. Applicants must be United States citizens or permanent residents.

Summer Opportunities

Here are just some of the opportunities available for students interested in gaining knowledge and experience through summer research, internships and educational programs in various disciplines.

Biology
The Stanford Summer Research Program-Amgen Scholars Program is a fully funded, eight-week, residential research program that offers undergraduates who want to prepare for and enter Ph.D. programs a rigorous research opportunity with comprehensive mentoring.

Harvard University Summer Internships in Biological Sciences in Public Health is an intensive eight-week program for undergraduates during the summer following their sophomore or junior years. The program aims to expose college science students laboratory research directed toward solving important public health problems.

Harvard University Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program is a 10-week summer program primarily for college students belonging to groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. The program is offered for currently enrolled undergraduates who are considering careers in biological or biomedical research sciences.

Advancing Cornell Career Experiences for Science Students, or ACCESS, is a summer internship program at Cornell University designed for undergraduates from underserved or underrepresented populations who are interested in pursuing graduate study toward a Ph.D.

Summer Research Opportunities Program is a gateway to a number of participating universities dedicated to helping prepare undergraduates students for graduate study through intensive research experiences with faculty mentors and enrichment activities.

The Summer Research Opportunity Program at the University of California, Berkeley strives to increase the level of diversity among students entering Ph.D. programs by providing research opportunities under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Special consideration will be given to applicants who have shown potential for success but may have had limited access to graduate research or other academic opportunities.

University of California San Francisco Summer Research Programs include 10-week opportunities for undergraduate students in the health sciences. Participants take part in seminars, lectures and social events.

NSF Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates: Integrative Biology at the University of California Berkeley is a 10-week program including individual research projects in one of 30 laboratories in the departments of integrative biology, molecular and cell biology and plant and microbial biology.

Dentistry

The University of Connecticut Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative’s Medical/Dental Preparatory Program has two tracks: 1) MCAT/DAT Preparation Program and 2) Basic Medical Science Program, which includes clinical experience.

University of Michigan School of Dentistry Profile for Success Program is designed to prepare students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to be successful applicants for dental and medical school. The program is free to all participants.

Environmental Sciences

Undergraduate Summer Internship in Tropical Ecology and Evolution at the University of Puerto Rico offers students the opportunity to have a hands-on, 10-week experience in fields such as plant-animal interactions, plant population biology and aquatic insect ecology.

Health Care

Campbell University Healthcare Readiness & Enrichment Program is an intensive development program for students wishing to enter pharmacy, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, clinical research and public health professions.

Medicine

The Dialysis Clinic Inc. offers summer internships for sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in medical careers.

The Science Enrichment Preparation (SEP) Program, held each summer on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, is an eight-week, honors-level academic enrichment program for disadvantaged undergraduate students (rising sophomores and juniors) who seek admission into graduate/health professional programs.

The Summer Program for Future Doctors, offered by East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, is an intensive, challenging, educational summer program that allows participants to experience the pedagogical style and demands of the medical school curriculum.

The Excellence in Cardiovascular Sciences (EICS) is a summer research program, offered by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Pressure Institute, for underrepresented minorities. The focus is on research training in the cardiovascular sciences with mentoring by medical school faculty.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Summer Academic Enrichment Program is designed for students who have completed three years of college course work and are looking to apply to a health professions school.

Veterinary Medicine

The Enrichment Summer Program in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University is designed to develop a pool of well-qualified disadvantaged individuals ready for entrance into the college.

Other or Multidisciplinary

Stanford University offers undergraduates from underrepresented and underserved groups summer opportunities to conduct research with faculty and graduate students. Each of the following programs engage undergraduates in intensive research individually or as part of a research team:

Amgen Scholars Program provides undergraduate students interested in a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. with an opportunity to engage in a fully funded, hands-on research experience at one of the nation’s leading educational institutions for eight to 12 weeks during the summer. Stanford is one of 10 Amgen Scholars Program universities offering such opportunities in humanities and social sciences.

The Leadership Alliance Mellon Initiative provides an intensive faculty-mentored eight-week residential summer research experience to underrepresented and underserved students interested in doctoral study in the humanities or social sciences.

The Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP) encourages students from traditionally underrepresented and underserved groups to consider research careers in academia, business, or the public sector. The Leadership Alliance-Stanford University SR-EIP is a fully funded residential research program offering undergraduates the opportunity to work for eight weeks under the guidance of a faculty or research mentor in the arts and humanities, social sciences, math, statistics, earth sciences or engineering.

Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) Undergraduate Internships give students the chance to work with a scientist or engineer on a project related to the laboratory’s research program.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences Program of the Center on Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies at Stanford University is a 10-week opportunity for undergraduates in chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science, physics, and related fields.

The Medical Education Development Program, offered by the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is an intensive educational experience and challenging opportunity to gain insight into the realities of attending medical or dental school.

The Wake Forest University Health Sciences Institute for Regenerative Medicine Summer Scholars Program exposes students to a multidisciplinary research environment that is driven by clinical needs in the areas of biomaterials, cell and molecular biology, physiology, biomedical engineering, controlled delivery, biochemistry, cell and gene therapy, and tissue engineering.

Short-term Study Abroad at NC State has tailored programs for life science, pre-med, pre-vet, agribusiness and agricultural science students. For more information, email study_abroad@ncsu.edu.

The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions Inc. offers a listing of summer clinical and research opportunities for disadvantaged and minority students.

Explore Health Careers is an excellent website for minority students interested in health careers, internship opportunities, scholarships and more.

Men Destined for Leadership is a two-summer program for high-achieving African American men. College sophomores from all majors are encouraged to apply.

Into the Fields Internship, offered by Student Action with Farmworkers, is a 10-week summer program to support and organize farmworkers and get trained on the issues surrounding their lives and the broader context of the agricultural industry. College students are placed with organizations in the Southeast (NC, SC, TN, VA) that serve, organize or advocate for farmworker justice.