The U.S. Poultry Foundation recently awarded a $7,000 grant to the University of North Georgia (UNG) to recruit students into the poultry science program.

Dr. Linda Purvis, assistant professor of biology, said the grant drives the continued promotion and recruitment of students interested in poultry to enroll at UNG.

"This allows for our students to connect to poultry industry professionals and take field trips to learn about career opportunities in the industry," she said. "We are so appreciative of the U.S. Poultry Foundation for their support over the past seven years."

The funds will be used to support UNG's poultry science program efforts and the Poultry Science Club's outreach events. For example, the "Poultry 101" event is a recruitment event open to students in grades 5-12. It allows students to learn about the poultry industry and practice their poultry judging skills, as well as tour the campus and learn about poultry industry career opportunities.

Additional funds help support further education about the poultry industry among the university's agriculture students. This includes trips to participate in the International Production & Processing Expo where students can interview for full-time careers and internship opportunities at the Expo. Students also hear from professionals in the industry throughout the year and the grant helps host a Career event on campus every spring.