The Institute of Food Technologists is now accepting applications for more than 100 undergraduate and graduate scholarships totaling over $260,000, funded through IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund. The nonprofit organization supports students pursuing careers in food science across the global food system.
One of the top opportunities is the Elwood F. Caldwell Graduate Fellowship, which provides a $25,000 stipend to students enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program in food science. The fellowship was established through an endowment from longtime IFT member and Fellow Elwood Caldwell, PhD, known for his work in cereal science and his role as director of research and development for Quaker Oats.
“The future of food science is written by curious minds and bold ideas, and every year Feeding Tomorrow Fund scholarships help students turn their dreams into reality and support them on their journeys toward solving the greatest challenges in food and nutrition,” said Nina Steele, IFT Director of Engagement, Inclusion, and Volunteer Development. “For more than 40 years, the IFT community has been proud to support students through the Feeding Tomorrow Fund as it is an important investment in not only the food science students determined to change the world, but the future of food, as well.”
Since 1985, the Feeding Tomorrow Fund has awarded more than 2,800 scholarships and over $3 million to food science students. Scholarships are available for a range of backgrounds and pathways, including financial need, community college transfer, first-generation college enrollment, and specialized focus areas such as food engineering and sensory and consumer science.
Past recipient Morgan Denzer, now an instructor in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, said the support helped her take on leadership roles and expand her professional network.
“Receiving the Feeding Tomorrow scholarship allowed me to focus on the Food Science Club, ultimately become club president, and develop the leadership and soft skills that shaped my academic and professional path,” said Morgan Denzer, previous Feeding Tomorrow Fund scholarship winner and now an instructor in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. “The scholarship also gave me the confidence to attend my first IFT event, really immerse myself in IFT and IFTSA, and start to build connections and develop that network beyond my university network.”
Denzer now advises the University of Arkansas Food Science Club and College Bowl teams, which have competed in recent College Bowl finals at IFT FIRST Annual Expo and Event. The 2026 expo is scheduled for July 12–15, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago.
To be eligible, scholarship applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the science of food — which may include membership in IFT. Student members can also participate in the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA), a student-governed organization focused on leadership development and career support.
The application deadline for all scholarships is March 2, 2026. Students can learn more and apply through IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund Scholarships page.
