SMA cultivates future leaders through internships and scholarships.
Internships, employing student workers for conventions, and awarding scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students helps cultivate the meat industry’s next generation.
Many times, we think planning for the future includes contributing to a 401K or an IRA investment account, purchasing real estate, or for some stockpiling food and other necessities. While those are important, at Southwest Meat Association (SMA) we invest in the future in a slightly different way — investing in the upcoming generation of meat and poultry industry leaders. A few ways that SMA provides for the future of the industry includes hiring a summer intern, employing student workers during the convention, and awarding numerous SMA Foundation scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students during SMA’s Annual Convention each summer.
The SMA Foundation was formed in 1987 using donations from SMA members interested in assisting students pursuing meat industry careers. The SMA Foundation is comprised of a select group of SMA members, including: