Ag Communicators of Tomorrow Can Apply During Fall or Spring Semesters for 2011-12 Awards

CYPRESS, Calif. – August 24, 2011 – Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 scholarship program that provides financial assistance to members of the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).  ACT is a national college student association with more than 350 members located on 17 college and university campuses across the country.  ACT’s mission of fostering professional development is at the core of the Yamaha-ACT Scholarship Program, now in its fourth year.

The Yamaha-ACT Scholarship Program is broken out into two individual student scholarships and one chapter scholarship.  All three awards are aimed at helping students attend the annual Agricultural Media Summit (AMS), which is the largest gathering of ag media professionals in the country and is the ACT students’ primary career development networking opportunity each year.  The conference is hosted by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), the Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the American Business Media Agri-Council – potentially future employers and colleagues of the students.

“Yamaha is proud to help these ag students, but the program is structured so that the ag community might benefit most in the long term,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS marketing manager.  “Within our application process, we are incorporating some basic points on safe, responsible equipment use, and we expect the students will take these important messages into their future careers as professional communicators.”

For the 2010-11 program, the University of Florida received Yamaha’s chapter award for the third year in a row, while Janell Baum of University of Illinois and R. Bruce Sargent of University of Guelph earned the individual scholarships.  The University of Florida’s award helped cover costs in bringing four students to the 2011 AMS in New Orleans this year, while the individual scholarships covered all travel and accommodations costs, plus more, for both Baum and Sargent.  The 2012 AMS will be held in Albuquerque, N.M., August 4-6.

“This program has helped my agricultural communication students in two ways: It provides funding for them to attend AMS, and equally important, my students have benefitted from how I have incorporated the Yamaha/ACT program into my spring curriculum,” said Ricky Telg, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Education and Communication and ACT chapter advisor at the University of Florida.  “Without this scholarship award, my students would not have been able to attend the Agricultural Media Summit which allows them to network with professional communicators, learn new communications skills and interact with their fellow ACT students from around the country.”

“As the Ag Media Summit continues to grow, so do the opportunities for the ACT students who are in attendance,” Nessl said.  “These scholarships help students, many of whom might not have otherwise been able to attend, make it to the event allowing them to participate in the professional development sessions and networking while learning more about the industry as a whole.”

Applications are judged based on merit, need and quality of submission materials by a review committee consisting of Yamaha representatives and members of the AAEA and the LPC.  The 2011-2012 application process will run through the end of March and winners will be announced in late April 2012.  More information and guidelines, along with the application form, can be found online at www.nactnow.org.

About Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS) a leader in the motorsports market, makes the toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings also include motorcycles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines, accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of dealers in the United States.

Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia, as well as factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. For more information on Yamaha, visit www.yamaha-motor.com.