College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

As a land-grant university, MSU is not primarily about learning for its own sake. It’s about learning and using that learning to make a difference, and MSU has countless programs that are making a difference around the world. Here in Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics (AFRE), we educate students, conduct research, and engage in outreach related to all the topics in our department name. 

The AFRE Giving webpage lists a bewildering number of options — so here’s an attempt to make it easier to navigate. Use this page to figure out exactly what you’d like to give to within AFRE, we have funds ranging from general (like the Discretionary Fund) to the specific (like the Thomas K. Cowden Memorial Fund to send graduate students to professional meetings). To give to any of the funds below, you will ultimately need to select a giving option, copy the bold, italic words, then go to the Giving to MSU online website, and paste your choice into the Areas to Support field.

Ready to decide what fund fits your interests the best? First, answer these three questions: 

1. Do you prefer to give for a purpose that is general or specific?
2. If specific, do you prefer to support student scholarships or broad topic areas?
3. If student scholarships, do you prefer undergraduate, graduate, or diversity-in-general?

Decision Tree

If you wish to give generally to the department and meet the greatest need, choose one of the following:

• Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics Discretionary Fund
• Agricultural Economics Enhancement Fund (for student, faculty, & staff development)
• Dale E. Hathaway Memorial Endowment in Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics
• Manderscheid Endowed Fund to Support Agricultural Economics (for student, faculty, & staff development).

If you prefer to focus your giving more specifically, start here:

Student scholarships

Undergraduate students

• General support of undergraduates
  • Ralph E. and Patricia A. Hepp Undergraduate Scholarship Fund

  Agricultural Economics focus

  • Kenneth E. and Eleanor M. Coulter Endowed Scholarship

  Agricultural Cooperatives focus

  • Glynn McBride Michigan Association of Farmer Cooperatives Endowed Scholarship

  Agribusiness Management focus

  • Redmond and Edna Cotter Agribusiness Scholarship Endowment
  • Harry A. Foster Endowed Scholarship (Horticulture specialization or major)

  Food Industry Management focus

  • James D. Giannestras Memorial Scholarship Fund in Food Industry Management
  • Dr. Jack Allen and Dr. Tom Pierson Scholarship Endowment (travel especially)

  International educational experiences

  • John (Jake) and Maxine Ferris Global Agribusiness Award Endowment

  Policy focus on agriculture and food (upper level undergrads)

  • David Schweikhardt Scholarship in Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

 Graduate students

• General support of M.S. & Ph.D. students
  • Seevers Graduate Scholars Program

Ph.D. students

• Carol C. Gustafson and Gary S. Murphy Endowed Scholarship
• Glenn and Sandy Johnson Fellowship Endowment(dissertation enhancement)

Agribusiness management and marketing focus

• Henry and Annabel Larzelere Graduate Fellowships Endowment Fund

Institutional economics focus

• A. Allan Schmid Endowed Fellowship in Institutional Economics

International economic development focus (or students from Africa)

• Lane and Virginia Holdcroft Endowed Graduate Fellowship for African Development

International graduate students in financial need

• Charles H.C. Kao International Student Scholarship

International educational experiences

• John (Jake) and Maxine Ferris Global Agribusiness Award Endowment

Policy focus on agriculture and food

• David Schweikhardt Scholarship in Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Professional meeting attendance

• Dr. Thomas K. Cowden Memorial Fund

Student diversity (undergrad & grad)

• Mary D. Zehner Fund in Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics

If you wish to support research and education by topic area, look here:

• Agribusiness Extension
  • Stephen B. and Karen L. Harsh Agribusiness Outreach Endowment

Food and Agricultural Policy

• Elton R. Smith Endowed Chair

Resource Economics

• Resource Economics

So you’ve decided which fund to give to, how do you actually make the gift? On the Giving to MSU online website, search for the name of the fund you prefer under Areas to Support: Search for Funds. Then choose “Add to Cart” to make the donation.

AFRE appreciates dedicated supporters who know and value our high-quality research and extension. Thank you for any contributions you can make, and thank you for your contintued support of AFRE.