University of Guelph Awards Record-Setting Scholarships to Tackle Labour Shortages in Agri-Food Sector

Addressing the gap of highly skilled talent in the agri-food sector and promoting the University of Guelph as a destination of choice for students from around the world are the focus of several new scholarships.

Thanks to a $2-million gift from U of G alumnus Andy Wilder (BSc Agr. ‘84), three new scholarships have been created to attract top Canadian and international students to the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) to pursue a career in the Canadian agri-food sector.

The funding will create the single largest scholarship offered at U of G, at $80,000, and will be awarded to one student each year pursuing an undergraduate degree in OAC.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Andy and his trust in OAC in developing future leaders in the agri-food sector,” says Dr. John Cranfield, acting dean of OAC.

Attracting the best and brightest to OAC

An additional scholarship will support international students pursuing a course-based master’s degree at OAC.

“This scholarship will help the University globalize the campus and foster global perspectives in our classrooms,” says Dr. Cranfield. “Attracting great students looking to expand their horizons from around the world is critical to a healthy Canadian agri-food system.”

Wilder believes the scholarships will allow the University to continue to attract the best and brightest to OAC, the top agri-food school in the country with a 150-year history in agriculture and a global reputation for excellence.

“There is a massive challenge facing Canada’s agriculture and food industry,” says Wilder. “It requires highly talented people from multiple disciplines to produce more food while reducing its carbon footprint.”

Wilder believes OAC is equipped to develop the collaborative leaders needed to solve these challenges.

“I hope these scholarships attract the best and brightest students to choose a fulfilling career in agriculture.”