National USDA scholarship program shut down over weekend now reopened | Opinion
The 1890 National Scholars Program, a prestigious scholarship awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has been reopened, according to the program’s website.
Over the weekend, the website said the program had been paused without explanation. It’s clearly part of the rushed attempts to downsize the federal government by President Donald Trump. One of the recipients, Anthony Jackson Jr. of Lexington, a senior at Kentucky State University, vowed to fight to keep the program open for other students.
The Herald-Leader told his story in a column published Tuesday morning, just hours before the USDA’s announcement.
The scholarship was targeted by Trump’s budget-cutting adviser Elon Musk because it serves 1890 land grant universities, historically Black colleges and universities. The Trump administration has sworn to erase anything reflective of diversity, equity or inclusion from the federal government.
The scholarship program was created to help qualified students from under-served communities to find education and careers in agriculture.
It’s one of a number of initiatives in higher education that’s been targeted by Trump. The USDA did not return calls for comment on why the program had been paused or reinstated. It serves 94 students at 19 colleges and universities around the country.
“That’s good,” Jackson said Tuesday. “I’m just happy that business is being handled appropriately.”
