By Mark Muckenfuss

CSUMB’s agricultural plant and soil science program has received a $5 million grant to expand and offer an enhanced career path to graduating students.

Andrew Lawson, CSU Monterey Bay’s dean of the College of Science, and Jose Pablo “J.P.” Dundore-Arias, assistant professor of plant pathology, were among a group of educators and researchers gathered at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, June 21. They were there to hear Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announce nearly $265 million in grants to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals across the nation.

“We need to ensure our youth have the education and training they need to accelerate the development of an agricultural system that is climate-smart, sustainable, profitable and equitable,” Vilsack said. “This historic investment from the Biden-Harris Administration in our nation’s Minority-Serving Institutions brings us closer to building a workforce that represents the richness and diversity of all the communities we serve.”

The grant is one of 33 issued under the From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals program, also referred to as NEXTGEN. It is part of the American Rescue Plan’s Inflation Reduction Act passed last year. 

“We are in a region with deep connections to agriculture and innovation,” said CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones. “With this grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, we can expand access to diverse students who will drive the future of food production in our state and nation with our degree in Agricultural Plant and Soil Sciences. We are always grateful for federal support that moves our mission forward and aligns with our value of expanding equity and inclusion through education.”

Dundore-Arias, coordinator for the APSS program, said when the application period opened last year, it seemed a good fit for CSUMB. 

“When the call went out, immediately Andrew and I knew it was almost written for our program,” Dundore-Arias said. “The idea was to create opportunities to train and to develop the agricultural workforce to lead the USDA into the future.” 

Already having a strong collaboration with the USDA helped distinguish CSUMB from a pool of several hundred applicants, but Lawson said evaluators also liked the thoroughness of the college’s proposal and, especially, its target. 

“The focus is on the students,” Lawson said. “The funding is either directly going toward the students or will be used to support efforts to improve their technical, leadership, and employability skills.” 

Over the five-year period of the grant, Dundore-Arias said 62 students (currently there are 100 in the program) will receive scholarships. During the academic year, the grant will support 12 students per year in ag-related field and lab research projects. Seventy full-time summer internships with local industry and the USDA will be paid for through the grant. Two new staff members will be supported by the grant to coordinate internships, provide workshops, coordinate scholarships and provide outreach in an effort to recruit more students.

The grant money is available only for third- and fourth-year students. Hartnell College received a similar grant that will support students who plan to transfer to either CSUMB or the University of Arizona, Yuma.

Over the last several years, Lawson said, the College of Science has averaged $6 million to $8 million per year in grants. 

“So $5 million is a big number,” he said. 

Implementing the grant will mean forming stronger ties with the USDA and the agricultural industry in the tri-county region. Doing so, Lawson said, will benefit students in other fields of study. 

“Having a strong, highly visible program that’s meeting regional needs, elevates the profile of the institution and ultimately helps all of CSUMB’s programs,” Lawson said. “These companies, they hire accountants, they hire computer science majors. As we develop these working relationships, the industry understands that CSUMB is a good partner. You get a reputation that you’re graduating students who meet the local industry’s needs.” 

Dundore-Arias said he is excited about the future of the agricultural plant and soil science program. 

“It feels really great,” he said. “Having been here since the inception of the major, I’m aware of the challenges our students experience, but also the tremendous opportunities they have when they graduate from this program. Being able to stick around and help their families is a major motivator for them. To be able to expand that opportunity is a major personal motivation for me.”

The grant, he said, is a milestone in the ongoing development of the agricultural plant and soil science program and a reflection of the effort and energy injected devoted to it. 

“The hard work we put in over the last couple of years has paid off,” he said.