Humboldt State University’s Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources has received $144,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund $4,500 annual scholarships for new multicultural students starting in Fall 2009. Freshmen must apply by March 1, transfers by June 1; instructions for how to apply are at http://www.humboldt.edu/~wms/.

The initiative stems from HSU’s connection with the U.S. Forest Service Region Five’s Northern California Consortium, an environmental education, outreach, and recruitment program sponsored by the Forest Service to establish networks in Hispanic and other diverse communities. It is aimed at educating under-served rural communities about natural resources. Federal employment projections for diverse students are good in the fields of soils, range, and forestry.

“We hope to draw from community colleges throughout the western United States including WUE schools,” said Forestry and Wildland Professor Susan Edinger Marshall, referring to the Western Undergraduate Exchange program. Humboldt State accepts undergraduates from 14 eligible western states, offering major savings on regular out-of-state tuition.

The new scholarships will finance up to 12 transfer students majoring in forestry, Rangeland Resources Science or Wildland Soils.

Scholarships could assist six freshmen to 12 transfers or any combination in between, totaling funding for 24 student years at HSU.