The American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT) is offering a $5,000 scholarship award for the 2014-2015 academic year. 

Students showing a demonstrated interest in confectionery technology, attending an accredited four-year college or university and majoring in a food science, chemical science, or biological science can find the application online.

The AACC counsel has endowed scholarships at specific schools including the University of Wisconsin and Drexel University but this broadens the reach, says Kevin Silva, Senior Vice President at The Warrell Corporation.

“What the national scholarship seems to do is identify students among all universities that are educating students in either food science, chemistry or biology so that we give broader opportunities to all schools, not just specific schools,” Silva says.

The award will be paid in installments of $2,500 per semester, upon verification of enrollment.

The application deadline for the award is April 18, 2014.  The scholarship winner will be announced May 2, 2014, for the 2014 fall semester.

The scholarship started as the AACT National Scholarship and was renamed the AACT John Kitt Memorial Scholarship in 2009, according to Silva.

“He was an industry pioneer. He always believed in the benefits of education and consistently helped out in the [confectionary] industry,” Silva says.

The application is open to students entering into their sophomore, junior or senior year of college who have achieved a 3.0 grade point average or higher. “The strongest candidates have demonstrated their interests through either research opportunities, internships, or leadership at the university of confectionary related programs, goals or clubs,” he says.

The American Association of Candy Technologists is the professional group comprised of technologists, operations personnel, educators, students, business staff, and others dedicated to the advancement of the confectionery industry.

According to Silva, the award is important because it recruits top-notch students into the confectionery industry.

“We’ve got a great track record of award winners entering into confectionery companies after their undergraduate and postgraduate work is accomplished.”