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Student Programs

APHIS supports and participates in several-focused initiatives created and sponsored by various Departmental Task Forces and Committees.  APHIS programs and offices should note that some of these programs and initiatives have specific timeframes or deadlines for selecting students.  Please review the attached list and contact Sophia Kirby, Deputy Director, Office of Outreach and Administration of the OCRDI staff at 301-851-4192 if you wish to participate and select a student or need additional information.

APHIS Native American Serving Institutions Internship Program (Non-Federal)
In 2015, APHIS began a partnership with several Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and other Native American Serving Institutions (NASI), to create a unique Internship Program. The partnership would identifying students interested in APHIS’ programs and careers. The partnership offers college students an opportunity to participate in an 8-week summer internship with any of the APHIS programs. The students are given firsthand experience in what APHIS does on a daily basis and many of the students receive college credit for conducting the internship with APHIS.

Our current college partners include:

            - Navajo Technical University (NTU), NM
            - Diné College, AZ
            - Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), NM
            - University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), NC 

APHIS Navajo Technology University - Veterinary Technology Program (Non-Federal) 
Also, in 2015, APHIS began partnering with Navajo Technical University (NTU), the only Tribal College/University that has a Veterinary Technology Program. The original purpose of the partnership was to assist NTU in reaching full accreditation of their Veterinary Technology Program. Other activities include, but are not limited to assisting NTU in enhancing its course curriculum, expanding opportunities for students to gain more hands-on experience in the field working with large animals, offering guest lectures from APHIS and creating internships within APHIS for the students to work along with agency veterinarians, animal health technicians and wildlife biologists. Students will be placed in Animal Care, Veterinary and Wildlife Services.

USDA/1890 National Scholars Program
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the eighteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities. The program awards scholarships to students attending one of the 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities, pursuing a bachelor's degree in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines, and willing to work full-time with the USDA upon graduation.

USDA/1994 Tribal Scholars Program
The USDA/1994 Tribal Scholarship is a 4-year scholarship program for U.S. Citizens who are seeking a bachelor's degree or a related science at one of the thirty-two currently operating 1994 Land Grant Institutions.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program
The HACU Intern Program recruits college students for paid summer and semester-long internships at Federal agencies and private corporations in Washington, DC and throughout the country.  The ten and fifteen week internships are designed to give college students direct experience in diverse careers.   

Public Service Leaders Scholars Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Public Service Leaders Scholarship Program provides undergraduate and graduate level students with a challenging internship opportunity combined with a scholarship. The program is designed to promote public service and create access to higher education. Upon successful completion of program and degree requirements, participants become permanent employees of USDA.

Washington Internships for Native American Students (WINS) The WINS Program offers students of sovereign American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) nations the opportunity to build leadership skills while living, studying, and interning in Washington, DC. Developed in response to the White House Initiative on American Indians and Alaska Natives, this enriching program offers qualified students full scholarships funded by American University and sponsoring organizations. Participating students will gain professional work experience through interning at a federal agency or private firm, take courses focusing on Native American public policy concerns, and enjoy engaging social and cultural extra-curricular activities.

Pathways Program (replaces the Career Intern Program
Under the newly signed Executive Order 13562 entitled “Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates,”   this executive order consolidates student and recent graduate programs into the Pathways Programs framework with three clear programs paths that are tailored to recruit, train and retain well-qualified candidates:

Internship Program - A new Internship Program will be created that is targeted toward students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions.

Recent Graduates Program - This brand new program will target recent graduates of trade and vocational schools, community colleges, universities, and other qualifying institutions. To be eligible, applicants must apply within two years of degree completion (except for veterans precluded from doing so due to their military service obligation, who will have six years after degree completion). Successful applicants will be placed in a two-year career development program with a cohort of peers hired during timeframes aligned with academic calendars. After successfully completing the program, participants will be considered for noncompetitive conversion to career jobs.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program - For more than three decades, the PMF Program has been the Federal government's premier leadership development program for advance degree candidates. The Executive Order expands the eligibility window for applicants, making it more "student friendly" by aligning it with academic calendars and including those who have received a qualifying advanced degree within the preceding two years. It also directs OPM to set qualification standards, and to make changes in order to make the PMF experience more robust and substantive for participants.   

Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)
Since its inception in 1987, Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has provided scholarships to qualified students attending its member-schools.  TMCF scholarships have provided support to help fund an education at one of our nation's public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

TMCF provides merit-based scholarships to students seeking financial assistance to complete their education. TMCF scholarship recipients are awarded annually to students meeting the TMCF eligibility criteria. Awards are made each semester and are based on a verification process designed to ensure that academic expectations are being met and that there is an unmet financial need.  All classifications of students are invited to apply for a TMCF scholarship.  The selection process is year-round.

Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)
The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Diversity Management & Equal Opportunity (ODMEO) manage the program, which continues to be successful with the participation of many other federal agencies and sub-agencies. Since the program's expansion in 1995, over 6,000 students and recent graduates have received temporary and permanent employment opportunities through the WRP.  The selection process is year-round.

AgDiscovery Program
AgDiscovery is a summer enrichment camp designed to create an awareness in youth ages 12-17 about career in USDA-APHIS. This program is a partnership between APHIS, colleges and universities.  This year, APHIS has 19 summer programs available for students to attend nationwide.

USDA Pathways Program (Summer Intern)
To attract and recruit exceptional individuals into the federal workforce, USDA-APHIS offers paid summer internships involving substantive work assignments to students who are in high school, or pursuing a degree or qualifying certificate at an accredited college or university, technical or vocational school, or a graduate or professional school. Homeschool curriculums are also included. 

To take advantage of these opportunities, please visit www.usajobs.gov to view all available opportunities. Here are a few helpful tips follow:

1. You must create an account on USAJOBS.gov to apply for all positions;
2. Positions can be found by doing a general search using keyword  such as “APHIS Student Trainee”,

“MRP Student Trainee” and by geographical location;

3. Please read the announcement in its entirety to ensure you meet all the basic qualifications for the positions;
4. Please have all documents such as transcripts, resume, and Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (if claiming veterans’ preference) readily available to include with your application and;
5. Follow all of the instructions for submitting your application package.

*Please be advised that some positions will be available after these dates and strongly encourage to check back early and often for more opportunities.

The William Helms Scholarship Program (WHSP)
USDA offers tuition assistance, mentoring, and summer work to college students interested in pursuing a career related plant pathology, biology, virology, ecology, and entomology.

The Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Scholarship (STWJS)
A career in public veterinary health would afford you the opportunity to be involved with the health of major animal populations in many activity areas. Veterinarians have a responsibility for the health of the Nation's animals, and public health veterinarians can have a broad and lasting impact on animal health issues. A hallmark of VS is its multidisciplinary approach to working on animal health problems. VS have employment opportunities in the public veterinary field for professionals from a variety of disciplines. Additionally, APHIS employs veterinarians in its Animal Care and Plant Protection and Quarantine programs. Employment opportunities are located throughout the United States.