Project Grant 20233843039317

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND NUTRITION SCIENCES. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND PREPARE UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES TO MEET WORKFORCE OR PURSUE FURTHER STUDIES IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. THE PROGRAM WILL PROMOTE THESE GOALS BY USING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH WHICH WILL INCLUDE INNOVATIVE OF RECRUITING, MENTORING, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND INTERNSHIP. THE PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT MAJOR AREAS FOOD AGRICULTURAL, NATURAL RESOURCE AND RELATED SCIENCES WITH EMPHASIS, IN AGRIBUSINESS, ANIMAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES, ENVIRONMENTAL NATURAL RESOURCES AND PLANT SCIENCES AND FOOD AND NUTRITION SCIENCE. THE OVERALL GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO: 1. INCREASE WORKFORCE IN UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY IN FANRRS, 2. INCREASE NUMBER OF STUDENTS GOING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AND SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE BY TRAINING COMPETENT STUDENTS FROM MINORITY AND UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO FUND 8 STUDENTS FOR 4 YEARS TO OBTAIN B.S IN ANIMAL, POULTRY AND VETERINARY SCIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL, NATURAL RESOURCE AND PLANT SCIENCES BY USING A PROGRAM WHICH INCORPORATES CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT, MENTORING INTERNSHIPS AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES WILL HELP MEET NIFA STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WELL AS THOSE OF THE ACADEMIC COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL. THE ANTICIPATED NATIONAL IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM WILL HELP TO INCREASE THE MINORITIES WHO CHOSE THE FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND RELATED SCIENCES AS MAJOR IN TU PROGRAMS AND SUCCESSFULLY PREPARE THEM TO ENTER THE FANRRS CAREERS THOUGH OFFERING A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM THAT PREPARES THEM ADEQUATELY TO ENTER CAREERS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.GOALS / OBJECTIVESTHE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A PIPELINE FOR STUDENTS, WHO ARE ADEQUATELY PREPARED TO ENTER CAREERS IN THE FOOD,AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES AND RELATED AREAS (FANRRS). THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL ATTRACT, TRAIN, AND RETAIN STUDENTS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES THROUGH A MULTI-TIERED APPROACH THAT INCLUDES MASTERY OF THE STEAM AREAS; EXPOSURE TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES AND PROJECTS, MENTORING (FACULTY AND ADVANCED STUDENTS), INTERNSHIPS, ORAL AND WRITTEN PRESENTATIONS AND COMPETITIONS, AND TRAINING IN SOFT AND SOCIAL SKILLS, INCLUDING TEAMWORK. EMANATING FROM THIS PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TUFASP ARE EFFORTS TO TRAIN AND PREPARE GRADUATES TO MEET WORKFORCE NEEDS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL DOMAIN, INCLUDING INDUSTRY/BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIA. THE PROGRAM WILL PROMOTE THESE GOALS BY USING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT WILL INCLUDE ENHANCEMENT OF CURRICULUM, MENTORING, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND INTERNSHIPS. THE PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT THREE MAJOR AREAS OF EMPHASIS, I.E. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING FOR BIOENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENCES TRAINING AND AGROSECURITY SCIENCE TRAINING. WITHIN THESE AREAS OF EMPHASIS, THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON MAJOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM DISCIPLINES,IN ANIMAL SCIENCE (A), CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES (C), SOIL SCIENCES (D), PLANT SCIENCES, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (G) AND FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO: 1) INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN THE WORKFORCE, AND 2) INCREASE NUMBER OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS GOING TO GRADUATE SCHOOLS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND INTO VETERINARY MEDICINE BY TRAINING COMPETENT STUDENTS FROM MINORITY AND UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A PIPELINE FOR STUDENTS, WHO ARE ADEQUATELY PREPARED TO ENTER CAREERS IN THE FOOD, AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES AND RELATED AREAS (FANRRS). THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL ATTRACT, TRAIN, AND RETAIN STUDENTS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES THROUGH A MULTI-TIERED APPROACH THAT INCLUDES MASTERY OF THE STEAM AREAS; EXPOSURE TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES AND PROJECTS, MENTORING (FACULTY AND ADVANCED STUDENTS), INTERNSHIPS, ORAL AND WRITTEN PRESENTATIONS AND COMPETITIONS, AND TRAINING IN SOFT AND SOCIAL SKILLS, INCLUDING TEAMWORK. EMANATING FROM THIS PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TUFASP ARE EFFORTS TO TRAIN AND PREPARE GRADUATES TO MEET WORKFORCE NEEDS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL DOMAIN, INCLUDING INDUSTRY/BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIA. THE PROGRAM WILL PROMOTE THESE GOALS BY USING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT WILL INCLUDE ENHANCEMENT OF CURRICULUM, MENTORING, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND INTERNSHIPS. THE PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT THREE MAJOR AREAS OF EMPHASIS, I.E. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING FOR BIOENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENCES TRAINING AND AGRO-SECURITY SCIENCE TRAINING. WITHIN THESE AREAS OF EMPHASIS, THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON MAJOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM DISCIPLINES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE (A), CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES (C), SOIL SCIENCES (D), PLANT SCIENCES, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (G) AND FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO: 1) INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN THE WORKFORCE, AND 2) INCREASE NUMBER OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS GOING TO GRADUATE SCHOOLS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND INTO VETERINARY MEDICINE BY TRAINING COMPETENT STUDENTS FROM MINORITY AND UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.