FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The University of Arkansas will welcome18 interns, the largest group so far, to participate in the 2005 George Washington Carver Project May 22 through July 1. The previous largest class was 17 in 2001.

Named for the renowned educator and agricultural researcher from Diamond, Mo., the Carver Project gives prospective graduate students from historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions the opportunity to work directly with a UA faculty mentor and gain exposure to post-graduate preparation.

Specifically, students will be introduced to various aspects of graduate study including standardized test preparation, research and presentation skills, and the graduate application and funding process.

The program was originally designed and implemented in 1997 by Willyerd Collier in the Office of Affirmative Action. It began with two students from Southern University completing internships through the Bumpers College. Since then, student involvement has increased to as many as 18 students, and a dozen institutions now participate in the program.

 “The Carver Project is named for a true pioneer of agricultural chemistry who was raised less than 80 miles away in southwest Missouri,” said Bob Smith, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “We are honored to see these gifted students from our neighboring institutions participating in this growing program and look forward to assisting in their research endeavors while here at the University of Arkansas.”

Born on the Moses Carver plantation about 1864, George Washington Carver is responsible for numerous advances in horticulture and botany. Many are still used today. Carver is known best for his discovery of more than 300 uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. He also developed a method of alternating soil-depleting crops like cotton and tobacco with soil-enriching crops like soybeans and peas. The method, which is used by many farmers today, is known as crop rotation.

Carver is also credited with numerous improvements to adhesives, axle grease, bleach, buttermilk, chili sauce, fuel briquettes, ink, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, paper, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain. Only three patents were ever issued to Carver.

“For the eighth consecutive year, the university has the distinct privilege of welcoming some of the best and brightest young researchers as part of George Washington Carver Project,” said Collis Geren, dean of the Graduate School. “The program has experienced significant growth since 1997, and this year, we will welcome the largest class ever with 18 interns.”

Students selected to participate in the Carver Project must have at least 60 hours of coursework completed and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

“The George Washington Carver Project is only the beginning for diversifying the graduate student population at the U of A,” said Johnny D. Jones, assistant dean for recruitment and retention and director of the Office of Graduate Recruitment. “The program should be embraced by all departments throughout the university. Institutional support of programs like the Carver Project will enhance the overall academic experience at the U of A.”

Historically Black colleges and universities are post-secondary institutions founded before 1964 with the express mission of educating African-Americans. There are currently 105 such institutions founded primarily in the southeastern United States.

The group comprises community and junior colleges, four-year colleges and universities and public and private institutions. For more information on historically Black colleges and universities, visit the Department of Interior's Web site at http://www.doi.gov/hrm/black.html.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is a national educational association that represents colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the United States (including Puerto Rico), Latin America and Spain. The association has 193 member Hispanic-serving institutions located in 11 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. For more information on Hispanic-serving institutions, go to http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/resources/hispanicserving.htm.

This year's participating institutions are the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Dillard and Xavier universities in New Orleans, La.; Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, La.; Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Miss.; Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss.; Alcorn State University in Alcorn, Miss.; Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Miss.; Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas; Lincoln University in Lincoln University, Pa.; New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vega, Nev.; and Langston University in Langston, Okla.

UA departments hosting Carver interns include mechanical engineering, agricultural economics, civil engineering, physics, chemistry, horticulture, humanities, industrial engineering, drama and kinesiology.

For more information on the George Washington Carver Project, go to http://www.uark.edu/depts/gradinfo/prospective/Carver/index.html or contact Karla Clark at 575-5623 or kclark@uark.edu.

Below is a list of the 2005 George Washington Carver Project participants, areas of discipline and respective institutions:

Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness
Lynette Horton, Alcorn State University

Animal Science
Jesse Laws-Rodriguez, Langston University
Deanna Baker, Mississippi Valley State University

Business
Brian Smith, Mississippi Valley State University
Philip Gibson, Prairie View A&M University
Jeremy Hardiman, Jackson State University
Obichukwu Osakwe, Lincoln University

Chemistry
Monique Robinson, Langston University
Quincy Anderson, Langston University

Drama
Clinnesha Dillon, Tougaloo College

Education
Lynesia Preyan, Xavier University

Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Peronne Joseph, Dillard University

Cell and Molecular Biology
Ashley Benton, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Chemical Engineering
Kaurian Butler-Edwards, Prairie View A&M

Electrical Engineering
Julius Jackson, Prairie View A&M
Saihou Mbenga, Tennessee State University

Microelectronics-Photonics
Ayanna Burton, Xavier University

Physics
Kenauiya Strain, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff