NMSU part of $20 million grant to prepare Hispanic students for agricultural careers

A five-year program dedicated to training Hispanic students to become the next generation of agricultural leaders is now underway at NMSU.

The program, funded by a $20 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, brings together a coalition of four Hispanic-serving institutions under a mission to prepare Hispanic students for agricultural science careers in the federal workforce. The collaborating schools include NMSU, Texas State University, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez and Texas A&M University-Kingsville, which serves as the grant’s lead institution.

“It comes down to helping Hispanic students learn the skills they’ll need to enter the workforce in ag-related careers, specifically with USDA,” says Clint Löest, animal science professor and grant co-director.

In addition to student mentoring, the program provides experiential learning opportunities such as internships, educational tours, leadership conferences, paid research opportunities and professional development seminars. It also provides scholarships and graduate assistantships to help students cover tuition costs. 

“Our goal is to increase opportunities for Hispanic students to pursue studies in agricultural sciences or related fields in hopes of establishing a federal employment pipeline,” says Shannon Norris-Parish ’13, agricultural and extension education assistant professor and grant collaborator.