Two Purdue University Northwest (PNW) faculty members have been recognized for their Northwest Indiana community partnerships through selection as Scholarship of Engagement Fellows for the 2020-21 academic year. Jodi Allen, assistant professor and Family Nursing Practitioner Program coordinator in the College of Nursing, and Shontrai Irving, clinical associate professor of business law in the College of Business, were among 14 faculty members chosen to participate in this year’s program from across the Purdue system. Allen, a working nurse practitioner, has partnered with Sojourner Truth House in Gary. She will use her fellowship award to purchase bus passes for the women housed there to ensure they are able to maintain health appointments. Irving, a practicing attorney, has partnered with the Lake County Bar Association and the Kimbrough Bar Association to create a mentorship program for PNW students. Fellows were selected based on their proposed project, assessments and anticipated impact.

Purdue Extension will host Annie’s Project, a six-week course that empowers farm women to be better business partners, every Tuesday beginning Feb. 23 through March 30. Two virtual offerings will be available: 9 a.m. to noon; or 1-4 p.m. The course is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing and the legal field. The cost is $65 per person, which includes a workbook and support materials for all sessions. Early registration is strongly recommended. Registration deadline is Feb. 9. Register at https://tinyurl.com/PUAP21. More information is with Jenna Nees at 765-653-8411 or smith535@purdue.edu, or with Bryan Overstreet at 219-866-5741 or boverstr@purdue.edu. More information also can be found on the Annie’s Project website at https://www.AnniesProject.org.

The Lake County Master Gardeners is continuing their scholarship program for the 2021-22 academic year. Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate college and university students, who are residents of Lake County. In addition to the majors of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, majors of Forestry, Botany (Horticulture Equivalent), Plant Pathology, Agricultural Education and Entomology are eligible as well. Other majors that benefit consumer gardening may be considered. The 2021 application will be available through Feb. 19 on the Crown Point Community Foundation website, www.thecpcf.org/scholarships.html.

Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) College of Technology has been awarded the 2020 Future Leaders in Packaging Scholarship from PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. This annual marketing program enables suppliers to promote their innovation and expertise to the packaging community. The scholarship is awarded each year to an educational institution that prepares students for careers in packaging. The recipient school selects one or more students pursuing related degrees and distributes the funds to the student(s) to defray tuition and other education-related expenses. PNW’s College of Technology offers technology programs that are among the country’s largest. Major national and international OEM and CPG companies, including Morrison Container Handling Solutions, United Healthcare Group and Ford Motor Co., employ the college’s alumni. More information about the Mechatronics Engineering Technology program can be found at: www.pnw.edu/et or by contacting the Engineering Technology Department at 219-989-2471 or et@pnw.edu.

— Post-Tribune staff