Source: CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY submitted to
NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS TO HARVEST SUCCESS: LEVERAGING SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF DIVERSE AGRICULTURAL LEADERS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1030721
Grant No.
2023-70440-40143
Project No.
CALW-2022-11786
Proposal No.
2022-11786
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
NEXTG
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2023
Project End Date
May 31, 2028
Grant Year
2023
Project Director
Dundore-Arias, J.
Recipient Organization
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY
100 CAMPUS CENTER
SEASIDE,CA 93955
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project addresses the NEXTGEN program's primary goal of preparing a diverse and highly qualified emerging FANH workforce pipeline. The main goal is to strengthen and expand the Agriculture Plant and Soil Science (AGPS) program at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, by leveraging learning communities and building social capital to attract, train, retain, engage, graduate, and guide Hispanic, first-generation, and low-income students into careers in the agricultural industry and USDA. The proposed objectives are to 1) Expand the FANH workforce pathway through strategic financial support, career development, and just-in-time inclusive mentoring for critical transitions; 2) Increase the scientific proficiency, leadership, and visibility of highly qualified students through multidisciplinary experiential learning opportunities; 3) Augment and refine the agricultural sciences curriculum to leverage recruitment, upskilling, and preparation of a future-ready food and agricultural workforce. The proposed approach will leverage the AGPS cohort-based learning model as the key to student retention and success, by easing transfer experiences, building a sense of belonging, and promoting peer mentoring and accountability. Scientific identity and improved technical, leadership, and employability skills will be developed through career-focused experiential learning opportunities, including industry and USDA internships, Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, and agricultural problem-solving Service Learning. Student recruitment will be centered around community outreach and networking, fostering partnerships with regional community colleges and high schools, and developing clear and cohesive pathways with intentionally aligned learning outcomes, while supporting students at critical transitions through academic advising, social connectedness, and student involvement.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
10224103020100%
Goals / Objectives
Objective 1: Expand the food and agricultural sciences workforce pathway through strategic financial support, career development, andjust-in-time inclusive mentoring for critical transitions.Objective 2: Increase the scientific proficiency, leadership, and visibility of highly qualified students through multidisciplinary experiential learning opportunities.Objective 3: Augment and refine the agricultural sciences curriculum to leverage recruitment, upskilling, and preparation of a future-readyfood and agriculturalworkforce.
Project Methods
Objective 1. Activities: Financial Assistance and Academic and Professional Success Support. Providefinancial support coupled with community building, college transition aid, and opportunities to prepare for post-secondary pathways by connecting students to campus resources and mentors. Up to 62 students beginning their junior year will be selected for the 2-year NEXTGEN Ag Cohort Educational Assistance Award Program and receive a need-based financialaward aimed at helping cover tuition, campus-specific fees, and/or cost of attendance. Information about the award will be advertised at community colleges offering Agriculture Plant Science Associate Degree for Transfer, as well as atoutreach eventsand AGPS sophomore courses at CSUMB.Award recipients will participate in the Success Scaffold and enrichment activities, including college readiness and career development workshops. Students will also participate in theAg-Mentoring Program aimed at connecting student participants withAGPS alumnus/alumna and role model mentors working in the regional agricultural industry or USDA agencies.Objective 2. Activities: Career-focused experiential learning. Develop and supportlinked experiential learning activities in the form of professional internships and independent research experiences. An existing summer internship program will be expandedto create a regional pipeline to facilitate internship placement with local USDA and industry partners, as well as strengthen student social capital, visibility, and connections with food and agricultural employers. Undergraduate research experiences will be developed to enhance, facilitate, and encourage students' early participation and exposure to scientific research. Up to 70 summer internships will be offered as part of theSprouting Ag Leaders Program, which will match incoming transfer and already enrolled in AGPS students with mentors will include regional government and industry partners, including USDA agencies (ARS, NRCS). Participating students will also participate in the bridgeAg-Bootcamp internship training program to develop the personal and professional understanding and skills needed for their specific internship position and future career goals. During the academic year, the Ag-Researchers Program will provide support for up to60 studentsto work with CSUMB faculty, USDA, UCCE, or, community partner mentors conducting agricultural-related research, and/or continuing developing the products of their summer research placements. Recruitment and coordination of student research placement will be in collaboration with theCSUMB Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center.Objective 3. Activities: Curricular Revision and Augmentation. Enhance student recruitment, preparation, and retention efforts by strengthening the AGPS transfer pathway, and refining the curriculum to ensure that students are acquiring the desired knowledge and skills that meet the food and agricultural industry and USDA needs. In partnership with regional communitycolleges, clear and cohesive pathways with strong advising structures will be established in order to ease the process of transferring credits and fulfilling the requirements for students interested in the AGPS major.Revisionand alignment of upper-division courses across the AGPS curriculum aiming at strengtheningcourse transitions and activating and elevating the student's prior knowledge while synthesizing and organizing new information. Developing and executingAgTech-themed CURE modules focusingon controlled environments to promote curriculum alignment, revision, and iteration, while also creating opportunities for students to transfer their knowledge across courses. Additionally, through service learning experiences, participating students will gainproblem-solving, visibility, and leadership skills by participating in high-impact public outreach, community building, and related recruitment activities. AGPS SL modules and existing community partnerships will be revamped to ensure they foster higher-order thinking skills among students, strengthen community ties, and expose students to new career possibilities in public service and federal conservation programs.The Leadership Team, consisting of PD, Co-PD and key personnel) will work together with community and academic partners, and ensure the execution and evaluation of the proposed student academic and career success efforts. An Advisory and Stakeholder Committeeincluding members of USDA agencies, the agricultural industry, regional high school academic advisor(s), and local Community College partners, will be established with the goal of monitoring program performance, recommending development processes, and providing guidance on core decisions. The Advisory and Stakeholder Committee will review the project evaluations and recommend additional modifications needed to accomplish the proposed outcomes and to address changes in community needs and industry and USDA employment priorities.This project will implement an internal-external evaluation that will allow for quantitative analysis of the 5-Year Measurable Objectives, as well as analysis of the project's implementation fidelity and progress toward achieving desirable outcomes.The PD will work with the internal evaluation team to meet all federal reporting requirements, and to ensure the Advisory and Stakeholder Committee feedback is shared and incorporated into project revisions. An external evaluatorwill prepare and provide detailed reports to the Leadership teamthat include recommendations to improve the validity and value of data as needed. The assessment will track the implementation of the proposed project plan, provide formative feedback for project improvement, and assess progress toward achieving the goals and objectives shared through evaluation reports. Afinal summative evaluation report at the end of the grant will examine the effectiveness of project strategies and will provide an overall assessment of how well the project has met its goals.

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

Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, the primary focus was on CSUMB undergraduate students, mainly supporting first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented individuals within the FANH fields, particularly those enrolled in the AGPS degree. During the 2023- 2024 academic year, our AGPS program enrolled 105 students. Among them, a significant majority--65%--identified as Hispanic, reflecting the overall CSUMB demographics and designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Furthermore, over two-thirds--67%--were first-generation college students, and 40% were from low-income backgrounds. These numbers underscore our commitment to fostering inclusivity and providing opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education through the NextGen grant efforts. In addition to serving our student population, we also engaged with various community stakeholders, including high school and community college students, their families, educators, and industry representatives from the Tri-County region. This region encompasses Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties, including predominantly agricultural and rural areas such as the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys. By extending our outreach efforts to these communities, we aimed to create pathways to higher education and career opportunities, particularly within the agricultural sector, thereby contributing to regional economic development and social mobility. Changes/Problems:Changes: -The proposedAg-Researchers Program, initially planned for Fall and Spring semesters, couldn't be implemented in year 1 due to student availability issues and logistical challenges in matching them with research mentors. Consequently, the budgeted funds were redirected to support a larger number of full-time 10-week summer internships. -The proposedposition for the Internship and Recruitment Coordinator remained unfilled due to difficulties in finding qualified candidates. Instead, during year 1, the Program Director oversaw recruitment processes for students and mentors, job/internship placements, and progress tracking, while theAcademic & Career Enrichment (ACE) Coordinator provided support for student internship and professional preparation, including post-evaluations. Additionally, an undergraduate student assistant was hired to handle administrative tasks and logistical duties. Problems: The execution of our planned activities was influenced by various factors, with one significant challenge being the hurdles students faced with their FAFSA applications in 2023-2024 academic year. These difficulties affected the ability of many prospective students to commit to pursuing higher education without the certainty of receiving financial aid. This situation forced some students to postpone their higher education goal and transfer to CSUMB, consequently resulting in them missing the application window for the AGPS scholarship or internship programs. Despite these challenges, we were able to achieve our proposed goals. Moving forward, the processes we established in the first year will enable us to proactively communicate these opportunities and enhance the application experience in the coming year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During year 1, we provided numerous training and professional development opportunities. These included six academic and professional development workshops (Campus Academic and Career Advising; Campus Student Enrichment and Wellbeing Programs; On-campus Tutoring and Student Disability and Accessibility Services; Resumes & Cover Letters, Professional Networking; and Demystifying Internships). Additionally, we offered a semester-long course, AGPS 302, focusing on careers in agriculture and featuring professionals in academic, industry, and government careers. Furthermore, we conducted over 70 one-on-one advising meetings with the ACE Coordinator. These meetings involved reflections on career and professional goals, discussions on internship interests, and assistance with resume and personal statement revisions, as well as interview preparation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The outcomes of our initiatives have been effectively communicated through a variety of outreach and engagement activities. More than 8000 individuals, including high school and community college students, family members, educators, and community members, have been reached through college tours, open houses, school visits, workshops, demonstrations, course presentations, guest lectures, and tabling events. During these engagements, attendees gained insights into the AGPS major, career opportunities in agriculture, experiential learning opportunities, scholarships, campus resources, and student success programs. Information about scholarships, internships, and career fairs was disseminated through a range of channels, including printed and digital materials, e-newsletters, and emails. These communications were distributed to CSUMB students, student applicants from high schools and community colleges, as well as industry and USDA partners. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next year / reporting period, we will maintain the activities conducted in year 1 while also initiating new efforts to further bolster student success. This includes facilitating experiential learning opportunities, financial assistance, academic and career enrichment interventions, expanding outreach and recruitment efforts, and continuing to build and strengthen partnerships with industry representatives and USDA agencies. Specifically, we will: Objective 1: -Award scholarships to returning cohort 1 (seniors) and the new cohort 2 (juniors), and continue advertising and improving the application process for cohort 3. -Continue offering academic, professional and well-being enrichment activities, including launching the Ag-Mentoring Program matching scholarship recipients with AGPS alumnus/alumna and mentors and role models working in the regional agricultural industry or USDA agencies. -Conduct exit and focus group interviews with graduating scholarship recipients. Objective 2: -Offer the Ag-Bootcamp and assess its impact on CSUMB AGPS students -Host the AGPS NextGen poster session at the Undergraduate Research Festival on campus, August 9, 2024 Mentor student interns in submitting and presenting poster presentations at national conferences (SACNAS NDiSTEM 2024) -Monitor and distribute the internship experience survey to participating students, and complete data analysis on the internship experience. This will also be accomplished with the support of the external evaluator. -Recruit CSUMB undergraduate students and community partners to participate in the internship program in year 2 Objective 3 -Continue to participate in campus recruitment events and outreach activities with local Community Colleges and High Schools from the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys, and explore opportunities to expand engagement with community colleges across California through target in-person and virtual opportunities. -Organize an in-person Cultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders Career and Internship Fair for CSUMB and Community College students, as well as students from local high schools and other regional Hispanic Serving Institutions. We will also work on recruiting additional regional employers to participate in the event. -Continue to work on developing and offering AgTech-themed CURE modules and assess their impact.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective1 -HiredAcademic & Career Enrichment (ACE) Coordinator. -16 incoming 3rd year (Junior) AGPS students were awarded AGPS NextGen scholarship. Scholarship recipients participatedin success- scaffold efforts, including 6 academic and professional development workshops. These workshops aimed to enhance student awareness and foster connections with various academic success and student well-being campus resources, as well as foster can-do attitudes through professional networking and clarifying internship opportunities. Enrichment activities fostered cohort relationships, peer camaraderie, and a supportive environment. These activities included welcome/onboarding sessions, opportunities to get to know each other better, study sessions, and a celebration marking the end of the semester. Feedback from student surveys indicated that the workshops were highly beneficial, with over 75% of students expressing appreciation for the new information and insights gained. Some testimonials from these surveys include: "AGPS NextGen scholarship has helped me tremendously, not only financially but also by exposing me to various resources for academic success," "Being a recipient of the AGPS NextGen Scholarship has supported my journey and success in the AGPS program, thanks to the scholarship, I have been able to focus more on school and not worry about financial stress as much," "Thanks to NextGen, I secured my dream internship with the NRCS, which I previously applied for but was not selected. This opportunity brings me closer to my goal of eventually joining the USDA workforce." -Scholarship recipients benefited from personalized one-on-one advising meetings with the ACE Coordinator. During these sessions, students received guidance on career goals, academic progress, performance, and internship interests, while also receiving assistance with revising and updating resumes and personal statements. -Created a tailored application system for administering thescholarship to incoming students. This new platform simplified the application process and provided direct guidance and technical support from financial aid advisors. We received a total of 20 applications, awarding 15 scholarships. Objective2 -We hired a student assistant to provide administrative assistance. -We did extensive outreach to industry partners to secure internship placements for our students, resulting in agreements with 14 new companies. Additionally, we maintained active communication with USDA partners, collaborating closely with the USDA OPPEregional liaison. - We organized the Cultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders Career and Internship Fair featuring agricultural career opportunities and internships. Employers included USDA agencies (ARS, NRCS, Forest Service) andprivate companies(D'Arrigo, Taylor Farms, Monterey Mushrooms, Dole,Driscoll's, among others). Local agricultural extension agenciesalso participated. Participation surveys revealed that over 85% of the employers expressed interest in joining the AGPS NextGen internship program, with 45% eventually offering internship positions available to students funded by our grant. -We developed a dedicated webpage (https://rb.gy/637anh) to promote internship opportunities. It featured comprehensive details such as project descriptions, company information, internship locations, as well as application requirements, qualifications, and roles/responsibilities. This webpage attracted substantial student interest, with over 50 unique visitors and more than 200-page visits within approximately 90 days. -Students explored internship options through various channels: career fairs, AGPS courses, the website, and targeted sessions. After selecting their top 3 choices, they met with the ACE Coordinator for resume updates and application preparation. Our team matched students with placements and arranged tailored interviews, receiving positive feedback for enhancing readiness and minimizing logistical challenges. - We exceeded our first-year internship goal by over 200%, facilitating and supporting a total of 26 10-week full-time internship placements. These placements included 35% with USDA agencies (ARS 66% and NRCS 33%), 54% with agricultural companies (7% Nature Rewards, 7% Plant Science, 7% Braga Fresh, 7% Vilmorin Mikado, 7% Monterey Mushrooms, 7% Enza Zaden, 15% D'Arrigo, 21% Taylor Farming, 22% SAKATA), and 11% with CSUMB faculty conducting agricultural research in collaboration with USDA scientists. -We also redesigned the AGPS 394 - Agriculture Internship course, now available in the summer term, lightening the senior year course load for grant-supported interns. Additionally, we developed the Ag-Bootcamp curriculum to equip all interns with essential skills and knowledge, making it mandatory for all participants. We also created resources like a Slack channel and Canvas site to enhance peer communication and collaboration among interns. Objective3 -We hired a graphic design student assistant to develop a range of materials aimed at informing, recruiting, and marketing the AGPS program, and featuring details about the AGPS NextGen scholarships and internship opportunities. -We reached out and established new recruitment agreements and collaborations with 17 community colleges across California. Our collaborations involved participating in specific informational sessions and delivering guest lectures. Additionally, we met with academic counselors to ensure the effective articulation of academic programs and to share information about the AGPS program. We also engaged in recruiting efforts and marketing initiatives to promote the AGPS program, highlighting details about the AGPS NextGen scholarships and internship opportunities. -We conducted extensive outreach efforts aimed at engaging with various high school communities. Through activities such as college tours, open houses, and school visits, we reached out to over 300 high school students from institutions such as Rancho Cielo, Rancho San Juan, Everett Alvarez, Watsonville High, and Hollister High. During these interactions, students were introduced to the wide array of career opportunities available in agriculture, as well as the benefits of the AGPS program and the opportunities provided by the NextGen grant. -We hosted campus visits for students from Cabrillo College and Hartnell College in November and December 2023, respectively, and for Evergreen Valley Community College and College of the Sequoias in January and February 2024, respectively. These visits included presentations on the AGPS Program and our NextGen Initiatives, highlighting scholarships and internships to inform prospective students. We also provided insights into available campus resources for transfer students, led campus tours, and facilitated poster presentations by AGPS student researchers showcasing their work in labs at CSUMB and USDA ARS. -Weparticipated in key events such as the 2023 CSUMB Open House, Otter Admitted Day, and Otter Transfer Day. During these events, AGPS program representatives warmly welcomed attendees, offering insights into the AGPS program, personalized financial aid guidance, and class registration opportunities. Additionally, participants learned about AGPS NextGen scholarship and internship opportunities. Our engaging presentations on application processes led to several on-site applications, showcasing the high interest generated by our program. -Four AGPS studentsattended the 2024 NextGen/Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, DC, in February 2024. Beyond the excitement of visiting the US capital for the first time, students gained comprehensive insight into the organization and operations of the USDA, networked with fellow NextGen students and USDA leadership at USDA Headquarters, visited the renowned USDA's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and USDA National Agricultural Library, and actively participated in the 2024 Agricultural Outlook Forum.

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