Seven AgFirst interns awarded Farm Credit Launching Leaders Stipend

AgFirst is proud to recognize seven outstanding interns from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who have been awarded the prestigious 2025 Farm Credit Launching Leaders stipend. Each recipient received a $3,500 award to help offset living expenses during their summer internship – allowing them to focus fully on gaining hands-on experience and building their future careers. 

The Launching Leaders program is designed to empower students and recent graduates from HBCUs and members of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) who are interning across the Farm Credit System. It’s more than a stipend – it’s an investment in the next generation of diverse leaders in agriculture, finance and technology. 

Meet AgFirst’s 2025 Launching Leaders recipients: 

• Ian Adams – Human resources systems intern, computer science senior at Claflin University.
• Kenya Butler – Project management intern, agribusiness junior at South Carolina State University.
• Bimal Itani – nCino analyst intern, computer engineering junior at Claflin University.
• Jeremiah Jenkins – .NET developer intern, computer science junior at North Carolina A&T State University.
• Jayques Nelson – Data analyst intern, mathematics senior at Claflin University.
• Chandler Robertson – Shared solutions intern, cybersecurity junior at South Carolina State University.
• Theresa Thompson – Applications developer intern, computer science junior at Benedict College.

“This stipend helps remove financial barriers so students can focus on what matters most – learning, growing and preparing for their future careers,” said Olivia Scott, the bank’s Senior Talent Acquisition Partner. “We’re proud to support these talented students as they gain real-world experience and take the next step toward becoming tomorrow’s leaders.”