Asparagus Club Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Baton Rouge Area Foundation

BACKGROUND

The Asparagus Club, established in 1909, was created to foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among individuals in the grocery sector. The club is associated with the National Grocers Association and has consistently worked towards bringing together all facets of the grocery industry, including retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and executives from state and national trade associations.

The club's scholarship program aims to bolster the future of the grocery industry by investing in the education of young individuals who are interested in building a career in this sector, particularly in the independent, community-centric retail and wholesale areas. The grocery industry is the largest in the world, employing three out of every ten workers in the United States. The industry's three primary areas are retailing, wholesaling, and processing/manufacturing.

The grocery industry offers a broad range of exciting career opportunities, such as supermarket and convenience store management, advertising and public relations, computer technology, food safety, consumer affairs, food plant management, purchasing management, financial planning, and traffic management.

SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

Annually, depending on the availability of funds, the Asparagus Club awards up to ten scholarships to full-time juniors, seniors, or graduate students who are studying business, food management, or any other relevant course that could lead to a career in the grocery industry. Preference is given to those interested in the independent retail and wholesale sector. Each scholarship is worth $2,000 per semester (Fall and Spring only) for a maximum of four semesters. The most outstanding student, as determined by the Scholarship Advisory Committee, will be named the Thomas K. Zaucha Asparagus Club Scholar and will receive an additional $500 per semester in the first year of their scholarship.

Scholarship funds should be used in the following order of priority: tuition and fees; books and supplies; room and board; and commuting expenses up to fifty dollars per month. To retain the scholarship, recipients must remain full-time undergraduate or graduate students and must achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA per semester/quarter. Students are required to provide the Foundation with an official transcript and proof of full-time enrollment each semester to receive payment.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Scholarship Advisory Committee will consider the following criteria when making its decision:

A) The quality of the recommendation letter from a professor regarding the applicant's commitment to a career in the grocery industry

B) The quality of the applicant's personal statement and resume

C) The applicant's GPA

D) If applicable, the applicant's work experience in the grocery industry and a recommendation letter from an industry professional who can vouch for the applicant's interest and experience.