Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Parr Rosson, 979-845-2116, prosson@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – An endowment has been established by HEB in the department of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University to provide fellowships for students pursuing graduate degrees and research in the economics of food supply chain management.
A reception was held recently on the Texas A&M campus in College Station.
“This endowment paves the way for future innovation in food supply chain discovery,” said Dr. Parr Rosson, department head. “We are extremely pleased to have HEB support us in these program areas as this will broaden the scope of study for our students and build excellence in our programs.”
The endowment will provide one or more fellowships to full-time students in good standing pursuing a graduate degree in agricultural economics within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The endowment will also assist in conducting research on the economics of supply chain management with additional emphasis on extension, outreach and impacts on the beef industry.
“HEB is committed to providing innovative, wholesome food products for customers throughout the Southwest,” said Roxanne Orsak, HEB executive vice president of merchandising. “This endowment will help further research and Extension outreach activities to identify innovative methods of production and distribution to support an ever-increasing population.”
The funds will be administered by the Texas A&M Foundation, a nonprofit corporation legally separate from Texas A&M University.
The agricultural economics department has approximately 700 undergraduate students and 150 graduate students. The department has two undergraduate degree programs: agricultural economics and agribusiness. Within agricultural economics, there are four curriculum options: Finance and Real Estate, Food Marketing Systems, Policy and Economic Analysis and Rural Entrepreneurship. The department offers a minor in Personal Financial Planning and joint master’s programs with the Bush School of Government and Public Service, and Mays Business School.
The department also offers a certificate program in International Trade and Agriculture, providing students with a broad-based set of courses to prepare them for operating in an increasingly global agricultural economy, Rosson said.
For more information about the department, visit http://agecon.tamu.edu/ .
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