THE THREE-YEAR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATES TO PREPARE THEM TO ENTER AGRICULTURE AND HEALTH CAREERS. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS (>60%) WILL BE RECRUITED FROM ACROSS THE NATION, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS AT OUR PARTNERING 1890 INSTITUTIONS. EACH SUMMER, 10 SCHOLARS WILL SPEND 8 WEEKS ON THE ISU CAMPUS ENGAGED WITH ONE OF THE 14 EXPERIENCED, RESEARCH-BASED FACULTY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN NUTRITION. SCHOLARS WILL PERFORM A DEFINED RESEARCH PROJECT THAT ADDRESSES CHALLENGES OF REDUCING THE RISK OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND PROVIDING A SAFE AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD SUPPLY. THROUGH WEEKLY MEETINGS AND SYMPOSIA, SCHOLARS WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO EXPLORE THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES OF FOOD SAFETY, FOOD SECURITY AND CHILDHOOD OBESITY TO GAIN A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON THESE CHALLENGES. COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDE REAL-WORLD CONNECTIONS AND EXPERIENCES, AND PEER MENTORS WILL PROVIDE ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOLARS TO ENHANCE THEIR LEARNING, INCLUDING WEEKEND TRIPS TO EXPLORE THE VARIED ASPECTS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM IN IOWA FROM PRODUCTION TO CONSUMER. THERE IS NO INTERNATIONAL COMPONENT. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY STUDENT LEARNING, WILL BE ASSESSED CONTINUALLY AND THE CAREER PATHS OF THE SCHOLARS WILL BE TRACKED.