WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — As part of The Dannon Company’s continued commitment to encouraging Americans to eat yogurt every day and to future scientific leaders, the Company announced today the launch of the third annual Dannon Yogurt and Probiotics Fellowship Program. The Fellowship program offers a unique educational opportunity for one incoming or current graduate student who shows a strong interest in research of the nutritional value and importance of regularly consuming yogurt and probiotics.
Dannon began making yogurt in 1942, and the company’s mission is to bring great taste and better health through food to as many people as possible. In 2012, the Fellowship was created as a way for the company to specifically support scientific exploration of the rapidly growing probiotics category by empowering the next generation of food scientists. Today, the company is more committed than ever to support young scientists and the evolution of yogurt by building on the first two years of the successful program, and the 2014 Fellowship will continue to promote the importance of yogurt and probiotics in the diet. As in previous years, the winning student will receive a scholarship of $25,000.The announcement of the continued Fellowship program follows Dannon’s recent commitment to the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), an initiative to further improve by 10 percent the nutritional density of its products by increasing vitamins and minerals while reducing total sugar and fat. According to the latest nutrition science and authoritative guidance from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), Americans should consume more nutrient dense foods, like yogurt. Most yogurts – already nutrient-dense – provide three of the four nutrients of public health concern lacking in American diets as identified by the 2010 DGA: calcium, potassium and Vitamin D. These initiatives support Dannon’s goal to have Americans eat one yogurt every day.
“As the leading maker of yogurt in the USA and worldwide, it is important for us to educate about why it is so beneficial to eat yogurt every day, and we have the opportunity, resources and expertise to support continued innovation in the field of probiotics, yogurt and general nutrition,” said Dr. Miguel Freitas, Vice President of Health Affairs at The Dannon Company. “Investing in the next generation of scientists and researchers is an important way to achieve this advancement. We are continually inspired by the enthusiasm and intelligence displayed by applicants of the Fellowship Program, and pleased to once again offer an invaluable opportunity for students. That’s why we continue to focus even more on the nutritional value of eating one yogurt every day.”
Last year’s fellowship was awarded to Kurt Selle, a doctoral candidate within the Food Science, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science Department at North Carolina State University. With the goal of determining further ways probiotics can benefit human health, Selle utilized the scholarship to explore probiotics and their impact on human health by investigating the genetic basis and benefits of probiotics and lactic acid bacteria.
“The Yogurt and Probiotics Fellowship Program gave me the opportunity to pursue specific areas of interest within my field, specifically studying the benefits of probiotics,” said Kurt Selle. “The scholarship has been a pivotal step in launching my career as a scientist, by giving me access to research, industry events and an opportunity to learn from some of the brightest experts in the field.”
Scholarship applications are currently being accepted, and must be submitted by November 15, 2014 to be considered. The winning applicant will be determined by a cross-functional panel of experts specializing in the field of yogurt, probiotics, and nutrition. The application and full scholarship details are available at http://www.dannon.com/fellowship.
About the Dannon Probiotics and Yogurt Fellow Program
To qualify for the Dannon Probiotics and Yogurt Fellow Program, individuals must be currently enrolled in or applying to a full-time graduate program. Only incoming or current graduate students will be considered. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, show proof of US residence and be able to utilize the scholarship funds for the 2014-2015 academic year at an accredited U.S. institution. Applicants will be required to submit an application package, including but not limited to a personal essay, recommendations from two professors, and proof of good academic standing. The application and full scholarship details are available at http://www.dannon.com/fellowship.
One winner will be selected by an expert judging panel. The Dannon Company will work directly with the individual’s graduate school finance department to credit $25,000 either for tuition, or research related projects or as otherwise allocated at The Dannon Company’s discretion.
About The Dannon Company, Inc.
Headquartered in White Plains, New York, Dannon has plants in Minster, OH, Fort Worth, TX, West Jordan, UT, and Portland, OR. Dannon makes more than 200 different flavors, styles and sizes of cultured refrigerated and frozen dairy products to serve its retail and foodservice customers. In its pursuit to bring health through food to as many people as possible, Dannon is committed to Americans enjoying yogurt every day as one of the three recommended daily servings of dairy.
Dannon is a subsidiary of Danone, and Dannon is the top-selling brand of yogurt worldwide, sold under the names Dannon and Danone. Danone holds top positions globally in healthy food through four businesses: it ranks number one worldwide in fresh dairy products, number two in bottled water and baby nutrition, and is Europe's number one medical nutrition company. Listed on Euronext Paris, Danone is a component stock of leading social responsibility indexes including the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes DJSI Stoxx and DJSI World, ASPI Eurozone and the Ethibel Sustainability Index.
Source: The Dannon Company
