Progress 03/15/19 to 03/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:This project's target audience is four multicultural scholars recruited to start the Food Science program with a minor in Food Safety in the fall of 2019. The scholars have engaged in several activities and mentoring training for the past four years. Changes/Problems:Our advising leadership team also lost two faculty members during the project duration. This led to the faculty members leaving the university, to pivot in how the program is normally run.This project was disseminated during the global pandemic. As we were starting the project, the impact of the global pandemic led to many activities being canceled (i.e., community and educational programs, training workshops, Conferences, summer research activities, and study abroad programs); thus, the Scholars did not have the chance to participate in these experiences. All the coaching group, advisee-advisor, and focus group meetings were converted from an in-person to a virtual format to provide the scholars with the scheduled learning opportunities. Due to this, there was a form of disconnect between the scholars and the advising leadership team. Another change the program experienced was the parting of our male students throughout this process. During the duration of the project, we lost three male students. Onestudentexpressed that he was leaving due to personal issues, which became more pronounced with the pandemic. Two of the students expressed wanting to change their major to align with their career passion.When these scholars left the program, they were provided with an exit interview. The advising leadership team also made sure the students were able to transition to a program that aligned with their passion. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During both the fall and spring semesters during the duration of this project, the scholars attended bi-weekly meetings. Some sessions were open discussions about their academic skills and research projects. Three to four times in the semester, the advisors identified guests to speak to the scholars about related topics. The topics included intercultural competencies, multicultural organizations on campus, health and wellness, statistics, and international travel. Another form of professional development offered to the scholars was to attend a national meeting. One scholar joins the Insitute for Food Technologists (IFT) virtual meeting during the global pandemic. Another scholar presented research sponsored by this funding at three conferences: the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), Iowa State University Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE), and Iowa State University Annual Ronald McNair Symposium. In 2023, two of the scholars attended the Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) annual meeting. During these meetings, they were able to connect with faculty, students, and professionals in agriculture. For conferences like MANRRS, the scholars were able to experience representation in the professionals and speakers of the conferences. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I have presented about the Cyclone Scholars- Multicultural Scholars Program at the project directors meeting. I was recently invited by the program leader to present about the program at a webinar series on February 26, 2024. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The outlined objectives for this project were: 1) To build on the existing successful Cyclone Scholars program to further increase enrollment of underrepresented students in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU that intensify interaction with students from different cultural backgrounds. Throughout this project, we have maintained four (4)scholars per year. The final update on these scholars are, first two of the scholars graduated, one in thespring of 2022 and the other in the spring of 2023.The spring 2022 graduate is a graduate student at theUniversity of Tennessee, majoring inFood Science. She is in the doctoral program. The other scholar who graduated in thespring of 2023 spent a semester in the meat industry as a quality & process control supervisor at Hormal. She later decided to return to ISU as a graduate student in Animal Science. We have one scholar who was part of a concurrent program and is wrapping up her Master's in Business Management Administration (MBA) through ISU College of Business. The fourth scholar is a Senior double majoring in Chemical Engineering and Food Science. 2) To establish a research training experience for the recruited Scholars by providing experiential learning practice that will aid them in discovering a more defined path to their career. Each year, the scholars were assigned to match up with faculty members in the department to perform research in their labs. The faculty members were given funds that could go towards the scholar's salary or the research project. After the project, the scholars had experience in the areas of food microbiology, food safety extension, dairy science, meat science, and marketing. Which helped shape the two scholars to enter graduate school. And 3) To ensure retention of students in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU through extensive mentoring strategies, training workshops, professional development, and other activities that will congeal their future in scientific research and/or industry work. During both the fall and spring semesters during the duration of this project, the scholars attended bi-weekly meetings. Some sessions were open discussions about their academic skills and research projects. Three to four times in the semester, the advisors identified guests to speak to the scholars about related topics. The topics included intercultural competencies, multicultural organizations on campus, health and wellness, statistics, and international travel.
Publications
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Progress 03/15/22 to 03/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:This project's target audience is four multicultural scholars recruited to start the Food Science program with a minor in Food Safety in the fall of 2019. The scholars have engaged in several activities and mentoring training for the past four years. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? As mentioned previously, all Cyclone scholars completed a research experience spring of 2023 under the supervision of faculty members that have agreed to serve as their mentors. Listed below are the current scholar and faculty mentor match up as well as the area of research that are currently exploring: Cyclone Scholar Faculty mentor, Department Area of research Yuremi Carvajal Dr. Stephanie Clark, Food Science Evaluation of consumer dairy preference Celeste Chadwick Dr. Shannon Coleman, Food Science Development of in-person training for small food processors in Iowa Jessica Fuertes-De Acros Dr. Aubrey Mendonca Evaluation of antimicrobials in juices Jazmin Laberstson Dr. Joey Talbert Discussed options for multi-disciplinary research Scholars are encouraged to attend and present their research results internally within the university. As a result, Celeste Chadwick and Yuremi Carvajal presented their work in an oral presentation competition as a part of the McNair program at ISU. The Scholars have also joined professional societies and have become involved in some activities geared toward their professional development. These societies have long-lasting peer networks that will significantly benefit them in their career. AOCS, SACNAS, and IFT are the organizations chosen by the scholar based on their interest. It is planned for the scholar to attend the Minorities in Agriculture and Natural Resources and Related Science (MANRRS) national conference spring of 2023. All scholars have been encouraged to attend the career fairs (Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall Career Day, Engineering Fall Career Fairs) with encouraging results. For example, Yureni and Jazmin both secured a summer internship in Cargill and Land O' Frost, respectively the summer of 2022. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to wrap up the last cohort members. We have one member graduating. The group will attend the MANRRS conference spring of 2023. All scholars plan to attend study aboard spring break and summer of 2023.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: One of the scholars graduated spring of 2022. She was accepted and now attends the University of Tennessee, majoring in Food Science. She is in the doctoral program. There is one senior graduating spring of 2023. One scholar is continuing a concurrent program to obtain her Master's in Business Administration. One sophomore scholar plans to have her first industry internship in the summer of 2023. Objective 1: ............ intensify interaction with scholars from different cultural backgrounds Scholars met with the Assistant Dean of Diversity for the College of Agriculture, Dr. Theressa Cooper, during our bi-monthly meetings. Dr. Cooper presented about cultural competencies and how they relate to their academic and professional careers. A BIPOC food industry professional attended one of the bi-weekly meetings and discussed her experience in the food industry and how her status as a BIPOC professional was impacted. Advisors held reflection sessions where scholars reflected on their research and academic career. Objective 2: To establish a research training experience for the recruited Scholars by providing experiential learning practice that will aid them in discovering a more defined path to their career Scholars engaged in research projects with various faculty in the department spring of 2022. Objective 3: To ensure retention of scholars in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU through extensive mentoring strategies, training workshops, professional development, and other activities that will congeal their future in scientific research and/or industry work. Scholars must attend the bi-weekly meeting, determined at the beginning of each semester. All scholars were transitioned to faculty advisors over the past year. The majority of the scholars were assigned to the group advisor, Dr. Coleman.
Publications
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Progress 03/15/21 to 03/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project is four multicultural scholars recruited to start the program in Food Science with a minor in Food Safety in fall 2019. During the two past years, the scholars have engaged in several activities and mentoring training with junior and senior Cyclone Scholars and other peers at the Department and Institution. Changes/Problems:During the summer of 2021, COVID-19 led to many canceled or transitioning to virtual activities. Many students were not allowed to get a summer internship: study abroad and research opportunities. For the summer of 2022, two of the students have secured an internship. The goal for the students next year is to have to register and apply for summer study abroad in the fall of 2022. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The students have also joined professional societies and have become involved in activities geared toward their professional development and the building of long-lasting peer networks that will greatly benefit them in their careers. During the fall of 2021, the students could engage with this professional organization's leadership on campus. Representatives who presented at the fall meeting were: Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS); Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS); Institute of Food Technologist (IFT); International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) came to the bi-weekly meeting and presented on the organization. The group planned to attend the National SACNAS meeting (link: https://www.sacnas.org/conference) for Fall 2022 using the program funding. PIs and advisors hope that the students can present at this national conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At the end of spring 2021, the scholars participated in a focus group led by the ISU Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE). It is planned that focus groups will take place on April 2022 to collect information on the program's effectiveness. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Next year, the scholars will continue their learning in the experiential research activity. During this time, we will engage them in discussions about the importance of developing communication and presentation skills during the bi-weekly coaching group meetings. We expect the scholars to attend a national conference to present their work and practice networking skills. The leadership team will encourage scholars to apply for summer research experiences at universities and food industry internships. Furthermore, the University planned to reinstate the study abroad programs in 2021. Celeste has arranged to attend a study abroad course for summer 2022. The rest of the scholars will make arrangements to participate in the study abroad course for summer 2023.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As a result of the MSP grant program, we have been able to continue providing support to the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at ISU to increase the number and retention of URM through diverse activities and strategies. Objective 1: ............ intensify interaction with students from different cultural backgrounds Advisors continued to work with students belonging to underrepresented groups, enrolled in the program, and complied with the Cyclone Scholars Program requirement. The current cohort comprises 1) Yureni Carvajal; 2) Jazmin Lambertson; 3) Celeste Chadwick; and 4) Carlos Merlos. Three of the students are in their junior year, and one is classified as a sophomore. They have transitioned from advising support from Ms. Anne Oldham to faculty advisors. The students continue to work with their faculty advisors to develop plans for all the courses and activities they will undertake until the end of their program. Objective 2: To establish a research training experience for the recruited Scholars by providing experiential learning practice that will aid them to discover a more defined path to their career Last year, students were presented with the idea of the experiential learning activity, particularly the lab research experience planned for their sophomore year. The team also introduced the scholars to critical thinking and problem-solving skills, among others, during the spring of 2021. Three of the four scholars have worked with faculty members on various research projects. The list of students and faculty mentors are listed below: Student Faculty Mentor (Spring 2021) Faculty Mentor (Fall 2021) Yureni Carvajal Rodrigo Tarté, Ph.D. Stephanie Clark, Ph.D. Jazmin Lambertson Xiaolei Shi. Ph.D. Xiaolei Shi. Ph.D. Celeste Chadwick Nuria Acevedo, Ph.D. Aude Watrelot, Ph.D. One student, Carlos Merlos, has had difficulty identifying a faculty mentor due to various conflicts. The PIs and advisors will continue to work closely with Carlos to find the best fit. The PIs periodically check in with the faculty mentors to discuss the progress of the Cyclone Scholars in their research. One of the four students participated in internships with food companies in the summer of 2021. The list of students and faculty mentors are listed below: Student Food company Celeste Chadwick Kent Corporation - Pet food industries One of the students, Yureni Carvajal, remained on campus at ISU and worked at the ISU Creamery on the production line. As a result, Yureni was promoted to student production manager based on her achievement. One scholar, Jasmine Lambertson, was allowed to shadow a production supervisor from the Ferrara Candy Company. She also utilized funds to attend the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual virtual conference. Objective 3: To ensure retention of students in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU through extensive mentoring strategies, training workshops, professional development, and other activities that will congeal their future in scientific research and/or industry work. The student group continued to meet bi-weekly coaching group meetings together as a cohort. The objective of these meetings is to foster a culture of learning and growth mindset and promote team building andimprove leadership effectiveness among scholars. Several of the meetings included panels of faculty members invited to share insights on their research areas and ISU Cyclone Scholars alumni invited to talk about their experiences during college and in the workforce. Below are the topics discussed at meetings tailored for the success of the students in the program: Mock Interviews Career fair day - join advisors to visit the exhibits Alum panel - Theme the first six months post-grad Kiara Roberts (Madison Chemicals); Leah Reever (ISU); Brenda Zavala-Livengood (Kemin); Jessa Schaumburg (HyVee) SACNAS representative Professional Organizations - Institute of Food Technologist (IFT) & International Association for Food Protection (IAFP)
Publications
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Progress 03/15/20 to 03/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience:This project's target audience is four multicultural scholars recruited to start the Food Science program with a minor in Food Safety in fall 2019. During the past two years, the scholars have engaged in several activities and mentoring training with junior and senior Cyclone Scholars and other peers at the Department and Institution. Changes/Problems:Similar to last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, many activities were canceled (i.e., community and educational programs, training workshops, Conferences, summer research activities, and study abroad programs); thus, the Scholars did not have the chance to participate in these experiences. All the coaching group, advisee-advisor, and focus group meetings were converted from an in-person to a virtual format to provide the scholars with the scheduled learning opportunities. Another change the program experienced was the parting of two scholars, Daniel Acuna and Kaden Bowie that Celeste Chadwick and Carlos Merlos replaced. When these scholars left the program, they were provided with an exit interview. One scholar expressed that he was leaving due to personal issues, which became more pronounced with the pandemic. At the same time, the other Scholar decided to pursue a different major and future career path. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As mentioned previously, all Cyclone scholars are currently researching under the supervision of faculty members that have agreed to serve as their mentors. Listed below are the current scholar and faculty mentor match up as well as the area of research that are currently exploring: Yuremi Carvajal - Dr. Rodrigo Tarte: Animal Science- Gels as animal fat replacers in processed meat products Celeste Chadwik -Dr. Nuria Acevedo: FSHN- Oleocolloids for fat mimetics in foods Carlos Merlos - Dr. Buddhi Lamsal: FSHN - Functionalization of plant proteins for food and non-food applications Jazmin Laberston - Sr. Xiaolei Shi: FSHN - 3D printing of foods Scholars are being encouraged to attend and present their research results internally within the university. As a result, Celeste Chadwick and Yuremi Carvajal will present their work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) (https://www.cur.org/what/events/scholars/ncur/2021/) and the Symposium on Undergraduate Research & Creative Expression (SoURCE) (https://www.undergradresearch.iastate.edu/for-scholars/present-your-work/symposium-on-undergraduate-research-and-creative-expression/how-to-apply), respectively. The Scholars have also joined professional societies and have become involved in some activities geared toward their professional development. These societies have long-lasting peer network that will significantly benefit them in their career. AOCS, SACNAS, and IFT are the organizations chosen by the scholar based on their interest. It is planned for the scholars to attend the IFT Annual Meeting 2021(https://exhpo.com/int/ift/) that will take place this summer in Chicago. Additionally, Celeste Chadwick will attend the virtual 2021 AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo. All scholars have been encouraged to attend the career fairs held virtually (Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall Career Day, Engineering Fall Career Fairs) with encouraging results. For example, Celeste Chadwick has already secured a summer internship in Kent Corp. the other scholars are in the process of applying and interviewing. All Cyclone scholars are currently being assisted to ensure all of them land a summer position. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At the end of spring 2020, the scholars participated in a focus group that was led by the ISU Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE). March of 2021 the scholars will participate in year 2 of a focus groups. The purpose of the focus group is to collect information on the program's effectiveness of the program. Since the number of scholars is reduced, we have decided to analyze the data and present our findings at the 2023 IFT Annual Meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?For the next year, the scholars will continue their learning in the experiential research activity. During this time, we will engage them in discussions about the importance of developing communication and presentation skills during the bi-weekly coaching group meetings. We expect the scholars to attend a national conference to present their work and practice networking skills. The leadership team will continue to encourage scholars to apply for summer research experiences at universities and/or food industry internships. We expect that as the COVID-19 pandemic situations get. Many educational and community-based programs re-launch Scholars will participate and take advantage of these opportunities while also resolving them. Many academic and community-based programs re-launch. Scholars will be able to participate and take advantage of these opportunities while also supporting the community. Furthermore, the University planned to reinstate the study abroad programs in 2020. Therefore the Cyclone Scholars will start the registration process in 2021. The team will recommend that the scholars attend multicultural meetings such as the Society Advancing Chicanos/Hispanic & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) or Minorities in Agriculture, National Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) to engage with a diverse community of professionals that can assist them in their introduction as professional in the workforce.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As a result of the MSP grant program, we have continued providing support to the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at ISU to increase the number and retention of URM through diverse activities and strategies. Objective 1: ............ intensify interaction with students from different cultural backgrounds In the Fall of 2019, four scholarss completed the cohort of scholarss that started the program. At the end of Spring of 2020, the cohort lost two scholarss due to two scholarss' departure (Daniel Acuna and Kaden Bowie) decided to leave the program to pursue other career paths. We were able to identify scholarss belonging to underrepresented groups, enrolled in the program, and complied with the Cyclone Scholars Program requirement. The scholars' current cohort comprises the following scholars 1) Yuremi Carvajal; 2) Jazmin Lambertson; 3) Celeste Chadwick; and 4) Carlos Merlos. All scholars are currently in their sophomore year. They are continually receiving support from Ms. Anne Oldham to plan all the courses and activities they will undertake until their program. All the scholars completed the courses corresponding to the first year of their degree program. The junior and senior Cyclone Scholars have been serving as peer mentors since the new cohort of scholars started and are acting as a role model and guiding them through the program in an environment that fosters teamwork and open communication. Objective 2: To establish a research training experience for the recruited Scholars by providing experiential learning practice that will aid them to discover a more defined path to their career Scholars were presented with the idea of the experiential learning activity during the past year, particularly the lab research experience planned for their sophomore year. The team also introduced the Scholars to the concepts of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. During the past year,the PIs and program coordinator led discussions related to their preparation for the upcoming research experience for their sophomore year. The PI and co-PIs invited faculty members to join one of the group meetings to present their research expertise and potential projects. After that, scholars were encouraged to reach out to other faculty members to find a faculty mentor that will serve as an advisor through research projects during the last three years of the program. In fall 2020, the scholars identified a faculty mentor and started their lab research experience through the current semester, Spring 2021. During the bi-weekly meeting, the PI and co-PIs discuss the scholars' progress of their research. Despite all, many of the scholars applied and were accepted to summer research experience or internships for summer 2020. Due to the global pandemic with COVID-19, these opportunities were canceled. It is expected all scholars will experience research experience or internship during summer 2021. Most undergraduate research activities for the upcoming summer continue to be suspended. Thus scholars are currently in the process of applying to industry internships. Objective 3: To ensure retention of students in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU through extensive mentoring strategies, training workshops, professional development, and other activities that will congeal their future in scientific research and/or industry work. The scholars have continued with the bi-weekly coaching group meetings and junior and senior scholars of the previous cohort. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the couching group meetings continued with a virtual format throughout fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The objective of these meetings is to foster a culture of learning and growth mindset and promote team building andimprove leadership effectiveness among scholars. Several of the meetings included panels of faculty members invited to share insights on their research areas. ISU Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition alumni and some ISU Cyclone Scholars alumni were invited to talk about their experiences during college and in the workforce. Listed below are topics tailored for the success of the scholars in the program and to their professional development: What is research? Faculty research panel Project-Based Learning 101: Essential Project Design Element Career fair preparation and One-on-one resume update session Project Base Learning STEP 1: A challenging problem or questions Young professional food industry panel - FSHN recent graduates that will share their experiences before and after graduation Project Base Learning Step 2: Sustain inquiry Additionally, scholars were engaged in the diversity and inclusion programming with ISU Extension and Outreach. For example, they attended the workshops entitled "Navigating Difference" (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/navigating-difference) designed to help the scholars expand their skills in working with a different audience. All Cyclone Scholar's previous and current cohorts were encouraged to attend the meetings and actively participate. The full training is a two day 8 hour long training.
Publications
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Progress 03/15/19 to 03/14/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project was to recruit four multicultural scholars for fall 2019, which began their first-year academic career in Food Science with a minor in Food Safety. During this first- year, the new cohort of scholars has engaged in several activities and mentoring training with junior and senior Cyclone Scholars and other peers at the Department and Institution. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on the planned activities for the students during the summer as summer research and internships programs were cancelled. As a result, students did not have the chance to obtain these experiences. Nevertheless, the team expects being able to provide the students with all learning opportunities during the upcoming semesters. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Scholars were explicitly encouraged to apply to summer research experience to gain research exposure during the summer of 2020. Some coaching group meetings were dedicated to discuss resume development techniques and how to navigate the university career fair. All the Cyclone scholars were encouraged to attend the career fairs around campus (Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall Career Day, Engineering Fall Career Fairs); however, despite the scholars werenot able to land an internship, they practiced professional communication skills. The cohort of students will participate in at least one professional meeting during their second year. The team is recommending that the scholars attend multicultural meetings such as the Society Advancing Chicanos/Hispanic & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) or Minorities in Agriculture, National Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). The students will attend the IFT20 Virtual Experience meeting to be held on July 12, 2020. These experiences will give the students the opportunity to meet students and leaders in the FS field as well to obtaincareers information and inspiration. During this past year, scholars also applied for the study abroad experience "Cathedrals, Castles, Culture and Cuisine-sustainable, Safe & Nutritious Food in France." The Cyclone scholars were not accepted in this program due to the fact of their first-year status; thus, they will apply again for summer 2021. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At the end of spring 2020, the scholars participated in a focus group that was led by the ISU Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE). The focus group collected information and will measure the effectiveness of the program in meeting its goals of preparing students to succeed after graduation by providing research experiences, professional development seminars, and networking opportunities. The findings of the focus group will be submitted as an abstract to be presented at the Institute for Food Technology Annual Meeting 2021. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Beginning year two, the scholars will start engaging in discussions about lab research during the bi-weekly coaching group meetings. Each student will be matched with a faculty that will serve as a mentor in the experiential learning. We hope that scholars will start working in research laboratories by the end of the fall 2020 semester. During year two, scholars will attend a professional meeting. The team will continue to encourage scholars to apply for summer research experiences at universities and/or food industry internships. As part of their educational program, we will engage our Scholars to participate in community-based programs that will not only provide educational experiences for the Cyclone scholars but also will bring a largebenefit to the community.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The MSP grant program has had an enormous impact on the undergraduate program of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at ISU. Specifically, it has allowed to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) students in the department and thus, increased racial diversity, student interactions, and the learning of new research and experiential directions. Objective 1: build on the existing successful Cyclone Scholars program cohort to further increase enrollment of underrepresented minority (URM) scholars in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU. The program will intensify interaction with students from different cultural backgrounds. Drs. Acevedo, Coleman and MacDonald, worked along with program coordinator Anne Oldham to recruit four URM scholars interested in the Food Science degree program at ISU to start fall 2019. Our existing faculty connections and collaborations with minority schools were fully utilized for selecting and inviting candidates to campus for successful recruitment. Four URM scholars have recruited as the new cohort of Cyclone Scholars: 1) Yuremi Carvajal; 2) Jazmin Lambertson; 3) Daniel Acuna; 4) and Kaden Bowie. During the first weeks of their freshman semester, Ms. Anne Oldham assisted the scholars with course selection of a Food Science degree program with an option of Food Safety minor. All the students completed the courses corresponding to the first year of their degree program. The scholars engaged in the welcome back event for the first-years student learning community. They also received personal email inviting them to the departmental welcome back picnic. The junior and senior Cyclone Scholars served as peer mentors to the first-year scholars. The objective of this approach is mentoring students with intention, which consists of setting student's outcomes first, and then considering how mentors can help to achieve them. Objective 2: To establish a research training experience for the recruited Scholars by providing experiential learning practice that will aid them to discover a more defined path to their career. During year one, the PIs and program coordinator introduced scholars to opportunities to prepare them foractivities related to research experiences in year two. Scholars were explicitly encouraged to apply to summer research experience to gain research experience during the summer of 2020. One of the scholars, Daniel Acuna, applied for the Cornell Summer Scholars program at Cornell University and Yureni Carvajal was accepted for an internship program. However, many of these summer research experiences were canceled due to the pandemic outbreak with COVID-19. The other scholars were encouraged to attend the career fairs held on campus; however, they were not able to secure an internship since they are still in the first year of the program. The team recognizes that experience is key. Moving forward, the team will focus on providing research experience for scholars starting the fall of 2020. In preparation for the next school year, the PIs set the dates for the bi-weekly meeting for scholars and decided on themes of each session. For the first year of the program, the bi-weekly meeting focused on professional development. During the past year,the PIs and program coordinator led discussions related to their preparation for the upcoming research experience for their sophomore year. The team will start to introduce to the scholars the concepts of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, among others, the fall of 2020. In addition, some sessions will be dedicated to discussing the potential research areas of interest. The team will invite faculty members to join the meeting time to explain their expertise. By the end of the semester, scholars will identify which faculty member will serve as a suitable mentor that will provide valuable experiential learning opportunities. Objective 3: To ensure retention of students in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programs at ISU through extensive mentoring strategies, training workshops, professional development, and other activities that will congeal their future in scientific research and/or industry work. Since the start of the program, the first-year scholars attended bi-weekly coachinggroup meetings along with junior and senior scholars of the previous cohort. The junior and senior Cyclone Scholars served as peer mentors to the first-year scholars. The objective of this approach is mentoring students with intention, which consists of setting student's outcomes first, and then considering how mentors can help to achieve them. The two were matched up during sessions to encourage discussion between the groups. Peer mentors were encouraged to share their experiences on campus with the first-year scholars to assist with navigating college. The meeting sessions focused on professional development opportunities such as: Preparing for career fairs and networking with professionals Identifying strengths using the CliftonStrengths assessment Engaging in crucial or difficult conversations Further developing leadership and career management skills Resume review and triage. Additionally, scholars were engaged in the diversity and inclusion programming with ISU Extension and Outreach. For example, they attended the workshops entitled "Navigating Difference" (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/navigating-difference) that are designed to help the students expand their skills in working with differences audience. All Cyclone Scholar's previous and current cohorts were encouraged to attend the meetings and actively participate. Furthermore, the coughing group meeting continued in a virtual format at the end of the spring semester to continue the connection with students during the transition to online learning because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Publications
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