PROJECT'S OBJECTIVES AND IMPACT: OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO INCREASE NUMBERS OF ETHNIC MINORITIES AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS WHO PURSUE A GRADUATE DEGREE OR CAREER IN PRECISION LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION. SPECIFICALLY STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM WOULD COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES, PREPARING THEM TO ENTER THIS FIELD:1. PREPARATION OF A WRITTEN STRATEGY FOR PURSUING THEIR CHOSEN CAREER PATH IN PRECISION LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.2. DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS NECESSARY FOR ENTERING GRADUATE SCHOOL OR A CAREER IN PRECISION LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.3. GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE WITH A COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION INVOLVED WITH PRECISION LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.ACTIVITIES: IN THEIR FIRST SUMMER, STUDENTS AND THEIR TWO CO-MENTORS WILL DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL AND CAREERS IN PRECISION LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, PARTICIPATE IN SEMINARS FOCUSED ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WORK ON A RESEARCH PROJECT, AND DISSEMINATE RESULTS AT A POSTER DAY ON CAMPUS AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM. IN THEIR SECOND SUMMER, STUDENTS WILL COMPLETE AN INDUSTRY OR GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP FOCUSED ON PRECISION LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.STUDENTS TO BE RECRUITED: ETHNIC MINORITIES AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED NATIONALLY, WITH A FOCUS ON TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY. GREATER THAN 50% OF STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED FROM OUTSIDE THE HOST INSTITUTION.RELEVANCE TO AFRI ELI FELLOWSHIPS GOALS: THE PROJECT WOULD (1) BUILD SKILLS NECESSARY FOR GRADUATE STUDIES, (2) ALLOW STUDENTS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN ACADEME, BUSINESS, AND GOVERNMENT, AND (3) FORGE MENTORSHIPS WITH PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS AND FACULTY.