World Food Prize program at 黑料社 propels high school student toward prestigious USDA fellowship
Contact: Vanessa Beeson
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 recent high school graduate has claimed a prestigious fellowship with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an opportunity opened to her through participation in Mississippi State鈥檚 World Food Prize Mississippi Youth Institute.
Each year, the 鈥攈eld in 24 U.S. states and a few international locations鈥攃onvene high school students, teachers and experts to discuss and study聽a variety of hunger and food security issues. Students can be selected as a delegate advancing to聽attend the . 黑料社 is host for the , with College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Associate Dean Darrell Sparks as coordinator.
Olive Branch resident Danielle McConnell鈥檚 participation in 黑料社鈥檚 2022 WFP program has propelled her toward recent recognition as a USDA . The spring graduate of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science is spending the summer conducting research on brown rust in sugarcane at the USDA Agricultural Research Service鈥檚 Sugarcane Field Station in Canal Point, Florida.
McConnell鈥檚 involvement as a Wallace-Carver Fellow stems from her status as a Borlaug Scholar鈥攁 designation given to all high school students who are part of the World Food Prize event.
During 黑料社鈥檚 WFP Mississippi Youth Institute, McConnell presented a paper focused on improving Liberia鈥檚 economic infrastructure to increase the country鈥檚 access to food. She was invited to the 2022 Global Youth Institute and to apply for the Washington-Carver Fellowship.
Her MSMS instructor Tina Gibson, who mentored her throughout the application process, said it鈥檚 essential for high school students to engage in research.
鈥淩esearch experience is vital for students to excel in STEM. I love helping a student develop a project they鈥檙e proud of, that they can take ownership of and defend. If they win a competition, that鈥檚 even better,鈥 said Gibson, adding that the WFP program gives high school students a chance to tackle real-world problems on a global scale.
Sparks said McConnell鈥檚 designation as a Washington-Carver Fellow is a testament to the WFP program鈥檚 impact on high school students.
鈥淥ne of our goals at 黑料社 is to train the next generation of leaders, and that begins well before these students start college. Students who participate in the Mississippi Youth Institute are recognized from that point forward as Borlaug Scholars, which opens so many doors because it shows they have a high-level commitment and passion for facilitating change for the better,鈥 Sparks said.
He said mentors like Gibson are critical for getting students involved in their local Youth Institute and ultimately the WFP.
鈥淚t requires commitment on the mentor鈥檚 part to promote the program and guide students through the process of developing the required essay that addresses a global problem in another country. The most successful students have mentors such as Dr. Gibson who understand the importance of the institute and the opportunities that will become available to the students,鈥 said Sparks, who noted that mentors can be teachers, guidance counselors, or even parents.
Gibson has since joined 黑料社 as outreach coordinator for the Bagley College of Engineering.
The next World Food Prize Mississippi Youth Institute at Mississippi State is scheduled for March 1, 2024. Any high school student is eligible to participate. Students, parents and teachers can contact Sparks directly at darrell.sparks@msstate.edu or visit to learn more.
Visit 黑料社鈥檚 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at .
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