BTN.com staff, BTN.com staff, January 26, 2015

It's a big challenge: make sure every single one of the 9 billion-plus people living on Earth in 2050 is well-fed and nourished. But it's one that students attending Big Ten universities are up for, as demonstrated by the honorees in the inaugural Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security fellowship, sponsored and operated by Land O'Lakes Inc.

Following a rigorous application process, 10 college students from across the United States were chosen late last year to take part in the program. Of those, seven were from universities in the Big Ten. Since their selection, they've participated in a series of activities that have expanded their view of future challenges for feeding the world.

At the conclusion of this academic year, those students will take part in an 11-week paid internship that will include trips to Africa, Washington, D.C., and select Land O'Lakes locations. They'll also present their final projects to experts and leaders in the industry at The Global Food Challenge Summit, which will be hosted in Fall 2015 at Land O'Lakes headquarters in Arden Hills, Minn.

Here are the fellows from the program who attend Big Ten universities:

  • Jacquelyn Brown, agribusiness management and ag communications, Purdue University
  • Oswin Chackochan, management and marketing, Purdue University
  • Linnea Cline, marketing and accounting, Purdue University
  • Mandi Egeland, management information systems and entrepreneurial management, University of Minnesota
  • Ariel Garsow, food science, University of Minnesota
  • Tara Mittelberg, human biology and international studies, Northwestern University
  • Jonathon Sabel, chemical engineering, University of Minnesota

Congratulations to all the honorees from BTN LiveBIG!

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