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A UTSA-led research coalition has been selected to receive a four-year, $1M grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to establish the #EcoJEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) program, a citywide collaboration facilitating career readiness in food and agriculture sciences (FAS).
The project will target historically marginalized, underserved populations through science literacy and storytelling to build an education pathway to USDA careers, beginning in high school and continuing on to higher education.
The #EcoJEDI program seeks to bolster recruitment, graduation and career readiness in FAS and establish a career pipeline with the USDA by prioritizing the inclusion of underserved student groups into experiential learning opportunities during the academic year and summer terms. Three Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs)—UTSA, Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) and Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU)—will collaborate to offer the program.
The #EcoJEDI program will integrate writing and other communication skills into existing science courses through a facilitated process called communication-enriched curriculum (CEC) that will include counter-storytelling, a method that chronicles the untold stories of underrepresented groups and communities.
EcoJEDI is framed in an approachable learning style that is culturally inclusive to augment science students’ power skills in communication and writing. Participants will spotlight local ecological concerns through science narratives, stories that draw from a student’s background and cultural heritage. This storytelling is more inclusive and increases engagement in leadership, outreach and community building.
Nearly half of the project’s grant funding is dedicated to driving student success, including funding #EcoJEDI scholars to engage in environmental science and natural resource learning opportunities that will hone the communication and leadership skills that are crucial for career readiness. The remaining funds will support university initiatives such as summer enrichment activities, nature-immersion research, mentoring, workshops and training. That money will also fund faculty pay and stipends to support these activities.
