The Beginner Beekeeping Program

The Bee Conservancy scholarship to Cornell University's Master Beekeeper Certification Program

Beekeeping Essentials Training for Growers, Educators, and Environmentalists

This program awards best-in-class introductory training to aspiring/beginner beekeepers with little or no experience whose work advances environmental stewardship, food justice, or education.

Awardees of this program will receive:

  • Tuition and enrollment in eCornell’s Beekeeping Essentials 5-week, online, instructor-led course tobe taken February 1st – March 7th, 2023.
  • Training on honey bee biology, the fundamentals of beekeeping, how to start/observe/support hives, and problem solving.
  • Mentorship from The Bee Conservancy’s certified Master Beekeepers.

A Beekeeping Essentials Certificate from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be awarded to individuals who successfully pass the course.

Meet our 2023 Awardees

Amanda Keene

Amanda Keene

IUPUI, IN

“This scholarship will give me the opportunity to gain the beekeeping education needed to care for the campus hives at IUPUI and educate the campus community on bees and beekeeping.”

Heather McDermott

Heather McDermott

Colorado Rocky Mountain School, CO

“I’d like to integrate the beekeeping program into our math and science classroom, as well as our garden service crews. I want to be able to effectively educate students about bees, beekeeping, and the role bees play in food production.”

Veronica Odom

Veronica Odom

I.S 318 Project Roots Community Garden, NY

“This scholarship will further our goals of educating the community on the benefits of growing their own food, further the garden’s mission to use sustainable practices and support pollinators, and allow us to continue educating students about the importance of pollinators and their role in the production of food.

Satoni Zaccaro

Satoni Zaccaro

Montclair Community Farm, NJ

“I’m in my second year in the farming and food access industry and it has changed my perspective on how and what we eat. I think it’s important to learn about the value of honeybees, how we can protect them, and expose the community to the wonders they are.”

Eligibility and Requirements

 

Applicant Requirements

Applicants are required to

  • Be at least 18 years of age.
  • Live in the United States of America.
  • Have little to no beekeeping experience (maximum of one year). 
  • Have an affiliation with an environmental, food justice, or educational organization.
  • Commit to completing and passing the 5-week eCornell Beekeeping Essentials Course during the following dates: February 1st – March 7th, 2023. 
  • Be able to meet all of the technical requirements listed on this page to participate in a remote-based eCornell program.
  • Not be an affiliate, employee, or immediate family member of The Bee Conservancy, Zarbee’s, or Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs.
Program Requirements

Scholarship awardees are required to:

  • Complete approximately 3-5 hours of coursework per week, for the duration of the course.
  • Receive a passing grade (at least 90%) on the course’s 14 quizzes.  
  • Complete a final project as part of the course.
  • Attend periodic community meetings with TBC’s master beekeepers and other awardees. 
  • Share details of their beekeeping story and course experience with TBC, to be included on channels of TBC and the program sponsor, Texas Roadhouse.  
  • Sign a media release form.

Better Beekeeping Through In-Depth Education 

While quality beekeeping training can be costly and challenging to acquire, it is crucial for the health of honey bee hives and the local ecosystems they visit. Beekeepers have the power to mitigate disease, pests, starvation, and more when honey bees bees pollinate 80% of the world’s flowering plants — including one in three bites of food that we eat.

This program will provide the needed education for aspiring beekeepers, who in turn, can use their new skills to advance educational, food justice, or environmental goals at their local organizations.

 

A note from our program sponsor: “Texas Roadhouse is proud to support The Bee Conservancy’s Beginner Beekeeper Program. This initiative helps communities take a step towards healthier bees and ecology through education in best management practices. We hope to inspire other companies or individuals to do the same.”