Michigan University Offers America's First Cannabis Chemistry Scholarship

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Students pursuing a degree in cannabis chemistry at Lake Superior State University can now also get some cash to do it.

The university in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is the first in the U.S. to offer a scholarship in the Cannabis Chemistry program, which teaches students how to analyze cannabis-related compounds and contaminants, including THC, CBD and terpenes.

Steadfast Labs, a cannabis testing facility in Hazel Park, Michigan, will be offering an annual $1,200 scholarship for students to study in LSSU's Cannabis Chemistry program, which was established in 2019.

"We are very excited about this latest collaboration with Steadfast Labs. This donation not only continues our trendsetting ways in this vital new field but also makes our already affordable tuition even more reasonable," Dr. Steven Johnson, Dean of the College of Science and the Environment at LSSU, said in statement.

Applicants must be at least sophomores and have a GPA of at least 3.0. Preference will be given to students living in Wayne and Oakland counties, which is where the company's service areas are located.

LSSU opened a 2,600-square-foot cannabis chemistry factory — the Cannabis Center for Excellence -- last year.

"There's still so much that's unknown about cannabis, so it's such a huge learning opportunity," Mindy Mendyka, a cannabis chemistry student, told CBS affiliate WWTV in February 2020.

Students use real cannabis buds as opposed to plant surrogates, CNN reports. LSSU says it remains "fully compliant with all legal requirements for the limited use of regulated materials in an educational setting."

While LSSU says it created the first program in the U.S. "focused squarely on cannabis chemistry," universities across the country have been starting to offer classes on marijuana in recent years.

With more and more states legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana, LSSU predicts the cannabis industry is projected to create more than 500,000 jobs by 2022. The average starting annual salary for cannabis chemists is estimated to be $72,000.

The school's website says students who graduate with a cannabis degree will be equipped for jobs in "emerging cannabis markets of law enforcement laboratory scientist, public health and safety, regulatory management, and business applications."