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 2023-2024 academic year.
Please visit this webpage again in early March 2024 for more information about the 2024-2025 Mary Logan Scholarship application.
Meet our Current Scholarship Awardee
The 2022 Mary Logan Scholarship awardee is Laura Wildey.
A resident of Virginia, Ms. Wildey has worked for the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) since February 2020, as the Senior Program Analyst in Food Safety for the Program and Partnership Development department. Ms. Wildey is currently enrolled in Michigan State University’s online Master of Science in Food Safety Program, and will receive $4,500 to use toward her studies.
“I discovered my love of food safety while working as a kitchen manager for a mid-size restaurant chain in Northern Virginia in 2010. Since then, I have been on a path of education and experience in this field, during which I have served private industry, state, and local governments, and most recently a national association.
To enroll as a Master of Science in Food Safety Candidate, I had to first enroll at a local community college to take credits in microbiology and biology, courses that were not required in my undergraduate degree. I was finally able to enroll in MSU’s prestigious program in the fall of 2018 and have been working towards my degree all while working full time and participating in the International Food Protection Training Institute’s Fellowship Program. My passion for learning and education is rivaled only by my intense passion for food safety. I have demonstrated my dedication to my degree program with accumulative GPA of 3.944.
I, Like Mary Logan, am dedicated to the associations I serve and associations in which I hold membership. I value training and education and have worked with past employers and my current employer to develop the skills of those around me and those I supervise. I fully intend to make a difference. I share my skills, knowledge, and expertise daily as I work with partners across all sectors of the food safety industry. I would be honored to receive this scholarship to help me complete my program. With this degree I will work with my association and our members to make a true impact on foodborne and waterborne illness around the world.”