The first 25 students who enroll full-time in any of Eastern Iowa Community College’s Agriculture degree programs will receive an automatic $2,000 scholarship to offset the cost of their education.

To qualify, a student must register for the Fall 2024 semester in any of the following Associate in Applied Science (AAS) programs:

The Muscatine Community College Foundation is generously contributing up to $50,000 to fund the scholarships, both in support of students pursuing careers in agriculture and to underscore the significance of these professions. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“Our Agriculture programs provide students with real-world, hands-on skills and experiences, which set them up for success in the workplace,” said EICC Agriculture Instructor Julia Dieckman. “This scholarship is just one more resource EICC can provide to help these students reach their career goals,” she added.

EICC’s Agriculture programs are located at Muscatine Community College (MCC). Students can earn an AAS in as little as two years and step into a great career. “Our graduates are running successful farming and livestock operations, crafting strategies for producing and marketing food and agricultural products, managing turf operations, and providing essential medical treatment to animals,” Dieckman said.

“The demand for educated, skilled, and qualified agriculture professionals is steadily rising, and our programs are at the forefront of meeting this need,” she said.

EICC’s Agriculture programs have paid internships built into the curriculum. On average, these students earn $18,000 and rack up 1,500 hours of work experience before graduation. They can also apply for on-campus MCC housing scholarships, join the Livestock Evaluation Team, and the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization.

Programs that qualify for the scholarship include:

  • Agribusiness Management, AAS: Focuses on the science of animal nutrition and feed. Students learn about seed, fertilizer, and crop protection. They also study agricultural business and management.
  • Farm Management, AAS: Students study the science of livestock and crop production, risk management, financial management, and agricultural marketing. Students can choose to work with livestock or study grain science.
  • Horticulture, AAS: Students can explore and build skills in number of fields including greenhouse production, turf grass management, landscaping, hemp production, and specialty crop production.

For more information, contact Julia Dieckman at 563-288-6018 or jkdieckman@eicc.edu.