AgFirst Named South Carolina State University Career Center Employer of the Year

South Carolina State University – a historically Black university – named AgFirst as its Career Center Employer of the Year for the bank’s contributions to the joint Partnering for Progress initiative. The award was presented to AgFirst during the university’s fall career fair in September. AgFirst’s talent acquisition team established this program with the university. It includes:

• A $30,000 contribution to provide laptops for students in need.
• An annual donation to the university’s career center to advance professional development for students.
• Three $3,000 scholarships to be given to deserving students annually.

“Our partnership with South Carolina State University reflects our commitment to investing in talented individuals from diverse backgrounds,” said AgFirst President and CEO Tim Amerson. “The university offers a wealth of talent, and we’re proud to support students in their career and educational pursuits by creating more opportunities for them to learn, grow and excel. To be named Employer of the Year by the university is a great honor.”

The Partnering for Progress initiative with South Carolina State University is one of several ways AgFirst supports Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) year-round. The bank also:

• Awards summer interns who are students or recent graduates of HBCUs with a $3,500 stipend as part of Farm Credit’s Launching Leaders program.
• Offers a $3,000 annual scholarship to two eligible recipients from HBCUs, including Benedict College, Claflin University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
• Participates in the annual Farm Credit HBCU and MANNRS Career and Internship Fair to attract students and recent graduates to explore employment opportunities at the bank.

AgFirst celebrates the talent that comes from HBCUs and continues to look for ways to expand its partnerships. This creates more opportunities for students to pursue futures in which they will thrive and advances our recruitment pipeline.