For the first time, a Southeastern Conference (SEC) university is offering LGBTQ students scholarships tied to study in agricultural fields. The University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment (CAFE) launched its LGBTQ Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Fund in June 2021 and has already issued its first $2000 scholarships. As Down Yonder reported:
The fund, which is the first of its kind in the region, was started by employees at the College of Agriculture last year with the help of a grant from JustFundKY, a non-profit organization that has awarded $520,000 over the last decade to projects supporting LGBTQ communities in every county in Kentucky.
“Speaking as a closeted kid who grew up on a rural Kentucky farm, I wanted to create the message I needed 20 years ago: you are not alone, and you belong here,” said Seth Riker, the marketing and communications manager for the UK College of Agriculture and the steward of the fund.
University officials echoed their excitement for, and support of, the initiative:
“I hope the creation of this scholarship shows our students that everyone belongs here, and we are dedicated to their success,” said Mia Farrell, assistant dean and director for diversity in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “While we know more can be done, this is a big step in the right direction.”
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“While we know this scholarship will lessen financial burdens for our students, we also hope Wylie’s artwork will leave a lasting impression in the spaces it is posted,” said Carmen Agouridis, associate dean for instruction in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “Tomorrow’s solutions will require unique passions and skills from all backgrounds. And everyone should be able to contribute as their authentic self.”
(Wylie Caudill is the artist who created the “Ag is for All” print seen in the title picture of this story.)
Why am I telling you about this year-old scholarship program? Well, local chef/restaurateur Ouita Michel (you may have seen her on TV here and there; she’s a eight-time Beard Award nominee in multiple categories, which makes her a somewhat big deal in chef/restaurateur circles) decided to open Pride Month 2022 with...well, I’ll let the originator tell it:
Although the goal is for the fund to eventually have an endowment with which to award scholarships, for now it depends on individual donations made through the University of Kentucky’s online philanthropy website. That’s where events like the Drag Me to the Farm brunch come in.
“Like most queer millennials from rural America, I am a sucker for Reba, Shania, Dolly and the like,” Riker explained. “So, since launching the scholarship, I had this idea for a country drag queen brunch fundraiser.”
With the lure of drag performances, iconic country music, and food served by celebrated Kentucky restaurateur Ouita Michel, tickets to the drag brunch sold out in a matter of days, with tickets and donations ultimately raising nearly $10,000 for the scholarship fund.
(That’s local performer Jenna Jive standing to the left in the poster, with Ouita Michel seated to the right...as Jenna’s linked Facebook page shows, both Lexington and Louisville have a healthy drag scene.)
What’s in it for Michel? Well, as she put it:
Michel, who Riker described as “a farm-to-table advocate, a legend in Kentucky cuisine, and just an overall badass with endless heart” said that her goal was to “shine a light on inclusivity in agriculture.”
“I am interested in promoting agriculture to young people as a career path- hopefully helping a young generation of farmers feel included, seen and important to their communities,” Michel said.
In closing, it’s worth noting that two other SEC universities have contacted Riker to discuss implementing similar LGBTQ agriculture scholarships at their schools.
I’d call this good stuff all around.
ps> Want to donate to the scholarship fund? You can do so through UK’s NetworkForGood site.