Progress 06/01/23 to 05/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include first-year undergraduate students majoring in fields related to agriculture, health, and natural resources at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) such as UConn Waterbury and UConn Stamford, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, first-generation students, and those with financial needs (Pell grant eligible). Our secondary audience comprises students who do not meet these criteria, such as white students without financial need, who can participate as NextGen fellows but may receive grant funding after priority students are supported. Non-traditional students, including transfer students not in their first year at UConn Waterbury/UConn Stamford, are also encouraged to apply. Opportunities for paid summer and year-round internships are available to all interested UConn Waterbury UConn Stamford students in FANH fields. Our outreach efforts this year targeted students at both campuses, prioritizing first-generation and minority students. We have allocated multiple spots within the cohort to students from these groups and explored ways to enhance outreach to Latino students in these communities and schools. While ethnic and racial minorities comprise the majority of our cohort, among our current 11 students, 3 identify as Latino, 2 as Black, 3 as Asian American, and 3 as white. Additionally, 8 of our 11 students are first-generation, and 9 are considered to have financial assistance needs based on self-identification reports from financial aid offices. Among our initial cohort, one student, identified as non-traditional, has since left the university for personal reasons. Retention issues, including two students leaving due to academic failure or personal leave, highlight challenges faced by Hispanic-serving institutions. Continuing to maintain our existing cohort and target audience presents challenges, including the need for caution in identifying and retaining our target audiences. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The freshmen cohort at the Waterbury and Stamford campuses received tuition support and are enrolled in professional skill-building classes. In year 1, we developed two one-credit courses offered at both HSI campuses (Waterbury and Stamford) and enrolled 11 students in each course from our Cohort 1. In these courses, students learned about different disciplines related to FANH, career opportunities in FAHN and USDA, connected with peers and faculty in their disciplines, developed their essential skills in resume writing, communication, and teamwork. Students gained knowledge of other FANH fields, career opportunities, and tools to explore their career pathways. Students had access to paid internships and participated in application sessions to develop resumes and cover letters with career development personnel. From May 22 to August 16, 2 interns worked at Nourish Bridgeport, 1 intern at Food Rescue, 1 intern at New Opportunities, 1 intern at Fairgate Farms, 2 interns at Arome Science, 2 interns at Brass City Harvest, 1 intern at Nanionix, 1 intern at Foot Traffic Stats, 1 intern at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, and 1 intern at Ideas + Impact. Two internships that began in the summer will have students continuing their work throughout the 2024-2025 academic year at Green Our Planet and VAW Global Health. USDA HSI liaison, Mina Gomez, held two workshops at the Stamford campus based on navigating the USAJOBS website, finding internships and pathways programs within the USDA as well as a federal government resume workshop. We also held two application sessions for our summer internship program. Students developed a sense of community within the CAHNR Fellows Program and established connections with faculty and staff on their campus. Three of our cohort students expressed interest in pursuing careers within the FANH fields and the federal sector following various workshops attended this year. "CAHNR Fellows helped me with my resume and cover letters through workshops and personal support from our teacher. Additionally, it helped me build friendships because the class size is small, and we are the only ones taking this class, so we are always together" -- Crystal Quiros, CAHNR Fellows Cohort 1, Sophomore Allied Health Sciences How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We participated in campus open houses and various tabling events, engaging with high school students and their families. These events increased awareness of the program's presence at the Stamford and Waterbury campuses. By promoting the program, we ensured that more students knew about the support available to them, and the effort to foster an environment where they can thrive and explore potential career paths in FANH fields. During the spring job fair at the Stamford campus, one student, Sasha Noboa, who interns with our partner Green our Planet was able to learn about the internship listing from our coordinator and expressed interest in applying for the position she has now received. Our internship application sessions were instrumental in helping cohort 1 students, Crystal Quiros and Sydney Volovski, prepare for their internship applications and build strong application materials. Additionally, our CAHNR Fellows Preview Day, introduced three incoming cohort members--Ayana Armstrong, Izzy Taylor, and Jesuan Concepcion, who attended the spring event and were accepted into CAHNR Fellows cohort 2, to the program and 1 credit seminars. Another interaction with cohort 2 member, Evan Williams, occurred in the fall during survey distribution and at our internship application tabling on the Waterbury Campus. At the spring open house, new fellow, Kaylee Strawson's, family also attended and learned about the opportunities available through the CAHNR Fellows Program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the upcoming reporting period, we aim to expand our efforts and continue building on the successes achieved so far. We anticipate participating in the E. Kika de la Garza Fellowship in Washington, D.C. this July, to gain insights into how other programs facilitate connections among their student populations and careers within the USDA. This experience will also help inform our plans to sustain equitable programming beyond the current grant. Since the launch of our internship program, we have placed 19 students and aim to expand these partnerships for next summer, particularly with organizations closer to the USDA. Students within the cohort have completed interest forms with aim at the possibility of tailoring internship placements within USDA agencies. Additionally, we hope to support students in attending USDA summits and events in Washington, D.C., despite previous limitations due to short notice and prior commitments. To enhance community engagement and showcase our student's progress, we hope that after the cohort's second year to organize annual showcases open to campus students and community members. These events will highlight internships and academic achievements, share available resources, and promote the benefits of participating in our program and pursuing majors in the FANH fields.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Scholarships: In year 1, 11 students (Cohort 1) were provided a scholarship to cover in-state tuition with the potential to receive this scholarship for four years, 72% of students were URM and 72% were first generation students. This financial support reduced the burden of debt and having to work to support their undergraduate education costs. "Being a CAHNR Fellow has been an extraordinary privilege. Since my father is retired, I am solely responsible for the majority of my tuition fees so, any kind of ease of that burden I can get is tremendously helpful. The program has granted me access to many unique opportunities that have allowed me to understand the diverse roles of agricultural employment better. " - Michael Iwanicki, CAHNR Fellows Cohort 1, Junior, Allied Health Sciences Internships In year 1, 16 students completed summer internships averaging 20 hours a week supported by a $5,000 stipend.Organizations like Nanoionix, Green Our Planet, NOURish Bridgeport, and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital have benefited from student involvement in various roles. At Green Our Planet, students help evaluate program impacts on STEM academic achievement. At NOURish Bridgeport, tasks include pruning plants, addressing plant issues, using food-grade hydrogen peroxide, and understanding pH and nutrient differences. Other opportunities involved outreach, operating a printer, translating Spanish, drafting letters, and creating flyers. At Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, students provided general assistance to staff and patients. Many partners have appreciated the student connections and the quality of work over the summer: Leah Kuzio, Data and Impact Analyst at Green Our Planet, said, "I am blown away by her work ethic, attention to detail, and passion for her project. She is reaching every milestone and exceeding expectations." Dana Totir from Nanoionix, "Matthew did an exceptional job on his internship project. We were very impressed with his performance.s. We would be interested in hosting UConn summer students in 2025. This was a great experience for Nanoionix, and we are grateful for the USDA NextGen Grant that made this internship possible." Students highly valued the internships for the professional skills they acquired. Here are some quotes from our students: "I was responsible for putting together NourishedRx's Supplier Diversity Program. This was a taxing but rewarding process. My experience this summer taught me a lot about what I want to do in the future and what I don't want to do. I also learned about the importance of flexibility and accountability. I enjoyed my experience at NourishedRx and I am very grateful for the CAHNR Fellowship program!" - Erin Corbett, Junior, Allied Health Science "The CAHNR Fellows program's application system was straightforward, which is always preferred, which made the process smooth. My internship experience has been incredibly enriching, providing hands-on opportunities to apply my skills in real-world scenarios. This experience has significantly contributed to my professional growth, enhancing my communication skills, and overall confidence in real world settings." -Giselle Acosta, Junior, Allied Health Science "The CAHNR Fellows program was great. It gave me an opportunity, I would never have received on my own. Furthermore, as a younger student it gave me a chance to prove myself when no one else would. I worked hard to show my usefulness, and I liked that the CAHNR Fellows program did not restrict what I could do. I really worked with my company to fulfill their needs while gaining valuable experience. It was a great experience." - Matthiew Li, Junior, Biomedical Engineering "This is experience was great. This job helped me get into the routine of a work like schedule. It's different from school and sometimes it's easy to get lost because there isn't always a lecture or specific instructions. It gave me the ability to think beyond just the theory and apply what I know in the real world. This could be when I was doing calculations for concentrations or figuring out how to package different kits. There were many skills I gained that I will continue to use." - Neha Hemanth, Senior, Biomedical Engineering

Publications