One Noble Summer: About the Lloyd Noble Scholars Program

In May, 19 college students arrived at the Noble Research Institute to begin their summer as a carefully selected group from across the country. They would spend 10 weeks working alongside agriculture researchers and consultants to build the future of agriculture through directed work in the Southern Great Plains. The Lloyd Noble Scholars program is built on the idea that development of the next generation of great scientists, agriculture leaders, consultants and innovators begins with a committed investment of time and effort. There are two pathways for students participating in the scholars program. Lloyd Noble Scholars in Agriculture work with our agriculture professionals in core areas of expertise including animal science and livestock management (emphasis on forage-based ruminant systems), agricultural economics, agronomy, horticulture, range management, soils and crops, and wildlife and fisheries. Lloyd Noble Scholars in Plant Science conduct plant science in a real-world laboratory setting with a scientist to bring innovation and science solutions together. Both pathways provide mentorship and collaborative working environments that expose students to the world of opportunities that exist in agriculture sciences.

Each year, the program grows and becomes more competitive. This year was no exception. In 2018, more than 200 qualified individuals applied to work at the Noble Research Institute. What the 19 selected students took away from their time here will help build their future and perhaps bring some of them back to Noble.

This year’s students made up an exceptional group. The majority were working on deciding future directions of their careers or college degrees. One of the program goals is to expose students to a working environment that can offer them opportunities they don’t normally get from classroom experience. On the plant science side, many of the laboratory techniques and tools students get to work with are cutting-edge in their field and students get hands-on experiences using these in research settings. On the agriculture side, students get to work directly with agricultural producers through farm visits and applied research that take book-learning into real enterprise operations and settings. More importantly, they get to meet people who are passionate about what they do and care about helping the next generation of professionals find their place in the industry.

The summer is also full of opportunities for networking with other professionals and to explore some of the activities around the Southern Great Plains. Some of the group activities included catching a baseball game in Oklahoma City, mentor picnics and lunches, trips to the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, and attending conferences such as the Texoma Cattlemen’s Conference and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association annual convention. Many of the scholars took time to experience community events such as the Okie Noodling Tournament in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, and the Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. Ten weeks goes by fast when the days are full.

Kaylynn Ashby

Lloyd Noble Scholars in Plant Science

Lloyd Noble Scholars in Agriculture

From All Over the Country

The 2018 Lloyd Noble Scholars in agriculture and plant science attend higher education
institutions from the Midwest and beyond.

Benefits of the Scholar Program

Ten-Week Program

Housing Provided

Paid Internship

Transport Offered

Real-World Experience

 

 

How to Apply for the Scholar Program

The best way to find out how their summer experience went is to read about it directly from them on the One Noble Summer blog at www.noble.org/news/One+Noble+Summer. Each year, students write about their experiences first-hand. If you know of a student with 60 or more hours of college coursework who would be a candidate for this program, you can direct them to the Lloyd Noble Scholars program website at www.noble.org/education/scholar-program. Applications for summer 2019 will open in October 2018.

Read the One Noble Summer blog Learn about the Scholar Program