In 1999, AFDOSS established the Mary Logan Scholarship in honor of one of our great members who served as Secretary/Treasurer for our regional affiliate for 30 years. Mrs. Logan, who is now retired, worked 39 years with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
This scholarship in the amount of $4,500 is designed to be awarded to top students who have demonstrated a desire to serve in a career of research, regulatory work, quality control, or teach in an area related to some aspect of foods, drugs or consumer product safety. Student candidates should have demonstrated leadership capabilities and must have at least a 3.0 grade point average.
The annual recipient of the Mary Logan Scholarship is generally announced during the AFDOSS Business Luncheon held as part of the Annual Education Conference.
The criteria for this award reflects the love and dedication that Mary Logan has for AFDOSS and for every person that belongs to AFDOSS, or supports its goals and objectives. This award stands not only as a tribute to Mary Logan, but as a reminder that AFDOSS must always support and encourage the training and development of people. It is a symbol that the role of AFDOSS will not only live on, but that its role will expand and grow.
Criteria for Selection of Award Recipient
The following criteria will be used by the selection committee to select the award recipient. The applicant must:
- Have primary residence in one of the AFDOSS states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, or the territory of Puerto Rico).
- Be currently enrolled in a college or university as a part-time or full-time student pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.
- Have completed at least the first three (3) years of their undergraduate studies and be entering next semester with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Have demonstrated a desire to serve in a research, regulatory work, quality control, or teaching career in one of the following areas: food safety, drug safety, or consumer product safety.
- Have demonstrated leadership capabilities.
- Complete the online Scholarship Application Form, including the submission of two (2) letters of recommendation and a copy of their most recent college transcript(s), on or before June 15 of the current year.
Applying for the Mary Logan Scholarship
Thank you for your interest, but the Mary Logan Scholarship application is closed for the 2024-2025 academic year. Visit this webpage again in early March 2025 for more information about the 2025-2026 Mary Logan Scholarship application.
Meet Jyoti Aryal, our 2024 Mary Logan Scholarship Awardee!
AFDOSS is pleased to present the 2024 Mary Logan Scholarship award to Jyoti Aryal.
Originally hailing from Kathmandu, Nepal, Aryal completed her Bachelor of Science in Food Technology at Tribhuvan University before joining the LSU campus in 2019 to begin her master’s degree. She embodies the AFDOSS spirit of outreach and mentorship as a member of the LSU AgCenter Food Safety Team, where she has dedicated significant time helping Louisiana producers comply with food safety regulations in the state.
“The more I studied food safety, the more I felt the urgency of working in this field. Growing up with frequent foodborne diseases due to a lack of safe food access, I became determined to make food safety my career path… My dedication to this field is fueled by both personal experiences and professional aspirations, and I am determined to make a significant and lasting impact on ensuring safer food for all.
In 2022, we felt there was a gap that needed to be filled: Many people who sell food at farmers market booths hadn’t had food safety training and didn’t have access to important resources that they’d need. This is why I created a complete course for all farmers markets. I’ve since been the developer and instructor of the course, and we’ve trained more than 150 farmers/vendors as of June 2024, all over the State of Louisiana.
Receiving this award is a tremendous honor and a significant milestone in my journey in food safety. This scholarship not only provides essential financial support but also recognizes my dedication and hard work, which means so much to me. It motivates me to keep striving for excellence and brings me closer to my goal of making a meaningful impact in food safety research and public health. Being part of the AFDOSS community is a valuable opportunity to connect with experts, learn from their experiences, and further my career aspirations. I am truly grateful for this support!”