Cargill’s thrive program invests in the next generation of Alcorn’s future food and agriculture leaders through financial support and career readiness initiatives
Cargill is donating more than $1 million to Alcorn as part of its thrive program. The program goes beyond scholarships and provides students with mentoring, development programming, and career coaching to help transform their education into meaningful careers.
The thrive program is part of Cargill’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is focused on achieving gender parity, advancing underrepresented groups in leadership around the world, and combatting anti-Black racism.
“Alcorn’s partnership with Cargill reflects the University’s longstanding commitment to our students’ educational and career goals,” said Alcorn President Dr. Felecia M. Nave. “With this exciting new partnership, we can create even more opportunities for our students to excel in and out of the classroom. We have some of the world’s brightest student-scholars at Alcorn, and along with Cargill, we want to help them develop the skills to thrive in diverse environments.”
“To feed a growing world, we need diverse perspectives at the table that drive innovation. The Cargill University thrive program invests in the next generation of leaders who will make the future of food and agriculture more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and who we hope will build long-term careers at Cargill,” Myriam Beatove, Cargill’s chief human resources officer.
Jimmy Jones, an Alcorn senior who is currently an intern at Cargill, applauds the company’s effort to provide avenues of opportunity for HBCU students.
“It’s amazing that Cargill is helping agriculture students at Alcorn,” said Jones. “HBCU students perform at a high standard and are eager to learn and grow. As an intern at Cargill, I see how much the company is willing to invest in HBCU students and their futures. This is an amazing opportunity for Alcorn.”
Dr. Ontario Wooden, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, is grateful for the opportunity to expand the University’s partnership with Cargill who provides opportunities for students in today’s leading-edge industries.
“Part of our mission is to find resources that allow our students to soar beyond expectation. This partnership with Cargill empowers us to equip our students to become thought-leaders, innovators, and problem solvers.”
Dr. Carolyn Davis, Alcorn’s Director of the Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Programs, applauds the University for investing in the development of students and educators.
“Development is a critical step in one’s success,” said Davis. “Alcorn and Cargill’s partnership gives us a chance to prepare our students and educators to not only perform with the best but also to be the best. In addition, the program will broaden the skillset of our educators, leading to more talented students who could positively affect Cargill and the future of Alcorn. This is a fantastic venture for Alcorn.”
Cargill has partnered with Alcorn for four years with over 20 students interned or hired. Notable alumni are Demetha Sanders, Cargill Global Talent Management Executive and Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader; and Daryl Hammett, Global Head of Lead Management and Operations, Amazon Web Services.
