Dairy Ambassador Contest Application

Sponsored by Arizona Milk Producers & Dairy Council of Arizona

Background

According to the most recent Hope Center Survey 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity During the Ongoing Pandemic, over 195,000 students from 130 two-year colleges and 72 four-year colleges and universities in the United States responded in 2020. The survey revealed that 39% of students enrolled at two-year institutions and 39% of students at four-year institutions experienced food insecurity at least once during the past year. 61% of the students at two-year institutions and 71% of the students at four-year institutions who reported food insecurity had reported both high and marginal levels of food insecurity respectively. The survey also concluded that the top concerns collectively among both types of colleges and universities were that students worried whether food would run out before they got money to buy more and that they couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals. Furthermore, the “Food Insecurity: Is It a Threat to University Students’ Well-Being and Success?” study found that “…food insecurity is a significant problem to students, and this study revealed that it significantly hinders their well-being and academic achievement.”

Therefore, Arizona Milk Producers and the Dairy Council of Arizona recognize that many students struggle with college and university expenses. When students are struggling, spending funds on food may be a financial expense that is significantly reduced or cut out altogether. Arizona Milk Producers and the Dairy Council of Arizona aim to help by bridging this gap and providing support with funds to purchase nutrient-dense foods. Nutritional powerhouses of dairy including real milk, cheese, and yogurt help to provide a total of 13, 8, and 9 essential nutrients respectively, which help address nutritional gaps.

Arizona Milk Producers & Dairy Council of Arizona will award (1) one full-time student attending either a two-year or four-year college or university in the state of Arizona, (1) one, ($550) five hundred and fifty dollar Instacart gift card per month, for (8) eight months: October 2024 through May 2025. The winner will also be awarded a dairy prize pack and be featured on the Arizona Milk Producers & Dairy Council of Arizona social media channels.

Evaluation and Selection Criteria

The contest winner must meet the following requirements:

• Enrolled as a “full-time student” (at least 12 credit hours per semester) and must be currently living in the state of Arizona
• Attend either a two-year or four-year college or university on campus or remotely in the state of Arizona during the 2024 fall semester and be actively enrolled during the entire academic year (Fall 2024 August-December and Spring 2025 January-May)
• Must upload official class schedule for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters in the application form
• Have 1,500+ followers on Instagram
• Have 2,500+ followers on TikTok
• Describe in a 250-word paragraph a significant financial need for this meal plan scholarship
• Submit a 60-sec video:
  •  Explaining why you are entering & how you would use your platform to support dairy
  • Showcase yourself as a champion for real dairy products including foods and beverages made with cow’s milk (whole, 2%, 1%, and skim white and flavored milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese)
• Agree to use personal Instagram and TikTok accounts to create (8) eight total posts based on prior approved prompts once a month throughout the the academic year (October, November, December, January, February, March, April, and May)

Contest applicants shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, or physical handicap in accordance with Federal statutes.

Scholarship Awarding Process

Applications will be evaluated and selected by the internal teams within Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona. Scholarship applications must be submitted online at arizonamilk.org between August 12, 2024 and September 13, 2024 by 11 PM. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. The contest winner will be notified via email on or around October 1st, 2024.  The contest winner will be sent (1) one $550 Instacart gift card each month (October 2024 – May 2025) after each social media post, meeting all required elements has been published.

Please note Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona reserve the right to terminate or suspend a scholarship award if the terms of the scholarship are not met. In addition, Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona reserves the right to request that the scholarship winner agrees to repay Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona any scholarship funds that were not used for the purposes of the contest, improperly applied by the winner, or unused by the completion of the academic year.

Contest Winner Social Media Post Requirements

Static posts meet following criteria

• Showcase real dairy as a significant ingredient
• Sufficient photography skills
• Caption is error-free and captivating
• Efficient use of hashtags (including #undeniablydairy, #teammilk #azmilk and tagging @azmilkproducers)

Video posts meet following criteria

• Showcase real dairy as a significant ingredient
• Sufficient videography and editing skills
• Caption is error free and thought provoking
• Efficient use of hashtags as shown above
• Creativity shown

Each post

• Must be submitted for approval 1 week prior to the post date
• Will have content that will be derived from prompts given in separate contract document

Recipient

• Must not post any content for duration of scholarship program containing dairy alternatives (including but not limited to soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, pea protein milk, or any other plant based alternative beverages or food products as a replacement to real cow’s milk). Lactose-free milk is acceptable. Vegan or dairy-free products and recipes will not be considered.
• Will engage with comments in a thought-provoking, professional, and educational manner

Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona retains the rights to the content for all time hereafter the end of contract.

Confidentiality

While under funding consideration, any submitted scholarship applications become property of the Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona. All information that is not otherwise available from public sources will be held in confidence and will be available only to appropriate Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona staff.

Publication and Distribution

Arizona Milk Producers and Dairy Council of Arizona may publish, distribute and make available to the public the names of contest winner and the results and or outcomes of the Dairy Ambassador Contest. Generally, the publication shall be in journals, on the National Dairy Council Website (www.nationaldairycouncil.org), and/or in similar media.