Minnesota Youth Institute opportunity challenges high schoolers to solve local and global hunger issues
Participants will receive a $1,000 scholarship to the U of M College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
March 5, 2025
High school students across the state are invited to submit a paper and participate in the Minnesota Youth Institute (MNYI) on May 14, 2025, for an in–person educational program hosted by the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and the World Food Prize Foundation.
At the event, students will engage with leaders in science, policy and industry to discuss the world’s most pressing challenges in hunger and poverty.
In order to participate in the program, students research and write a paper on a global challenge affecting food security. They research the country’s food security status then provide recommendations on how to solve issues. Students are then invited to attend a day-long event on campus and engage in hands-on immersions such as plant pathology identification or processing restaurant oil into biofuel. They also present their solutions in roundtables, allowing them to reflect on their unique role in addressing challenges related to agriculture, policy, science, industry, and hunger relief efforts. The deadline to register for the MNYI is March 28 and research papers must be submitted by April 4. Students, teachers, parents, and community members can sign up to get more information.
By participating, 9th to 12th grade students will:
- Receive a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Minnesota CFANS
- Present their ideas to statewide peers and experts on May 14
- Access other opportunities, such as participating in research fellowships, exploring international internships, advancing to the Global Youth Institute, and more
For their participation, the students are recognized as Borlaug Scholars and are eligible for special scholarships, internships and other professional opportunities, including paid Wallace-Carver Fellowships at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A select few also will advance to the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, a gathering of more than 1,000 world leaders working to advance food security, agriculture and human development.
Hosted by CFANS at the U of M since 2008, the MNYI was started by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug, a U of M alumnus credited with saving more than a million lives, who always encouraged youth to be in discussions of complex issues through programs like the MNYI.
The World Food Prize was also created by Borlaug in 1986. It is the foremost international award recognizing individuals whose achievements have advanced human development by increasing the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.
The Global Youth Institute was developed to challenge and inspire participating students and teachers to identify innovative strategies to alleviate hunger and to expose students to opportunities and careers in food, agriculture and natural resource disciplines.
Of the students who complete the Global Youth Institute, about 92 percent go on to pursue college degrees in agriculture and science, and 77 percent choose careers in agriculture, STEM and other fields critical to the fight against hunger. The Institute also boasts an impressive two-thirds participation by young women. Dr. Borlaug often stated, “I am certain that these students will become the future agricultural, scientific and humanitarian leaders in the fight to end hunger.”
