TENNESSEE OFFERS FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TUITION FOR INTERESTED STDUENTS SO THAT THEY CAN OBTAIN SKILLS NECESSARY TO SECURE TECHNICALLY ADVANCED JOBS. FREE TUITION IS AN ENABLING OPPORTUNITY FOR TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES, FIRST-TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS. HOWEVER, HIGH-TECH STEM AND FANH JOBS OFTEN REQUIRE AT LEAST A B.S. DEGREE. COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO MATRICULATE AT 4-YEAR SCHOOLS ARE TYPICALLY NOT PROVIDED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES, WHICH HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HELP DEVELOP TECHNICAL, ADVANCED LEADERSHIP, AND OTHER DESIRABLE "SOFT SKILLS." THE AGRO-INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS (ARECCS) INSTITUTES A RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS. THE 8-WEEK PROGRAM INCLUDES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY AND TRAINING IN LEADERSHIP AND OTHER SOFT SKILLS. OUR EVALUATION PLAN WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS TO STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES, AND THE EXPERTISE OF OUR TEAM, THE DOCUMENTED SUPPORT OF TENNESSEECOMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS, AND OUR TEAM'S SHARED EXPERIENCES WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS WILL ENSURE SUCCESS.LEVERAGING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLS, WE WILL (1) TRAIN STUDENTS IN CHEMICAL HYGIENE AND BIOSAFETY, RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH, AND SAFE OPERATING PROCEDURES, (2) PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH LECTURES, FIELD TRIPS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS, AND (3) EVALUATE STUDENT GAINS AND PROVIDE THOSE RESULTS TO PARTNERING COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY. THE PRIMARY PRODUCTS OF THE ARECCS PROGRAM INCLUDE (1) EXPOSURE OF TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO RESEARCH EXPERIENCES AT A CARNEGIE R1 INSTITUTE, (2) QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA PERTAINING TO STUDENT GAINS, AND (3) TRADITIONAL RESEARCH PRODUCTS, INCLUDING POSTERS AND MANUSCRIPTS, FROM NON-TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE AUTHORS.A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT OUTCOME WILL IMMEDIATELY IMPACT THE LIVES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN TENNESSEE. AS MANY OF THEM ARE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS, THE IDEA OF ATTENDING A LARGE UNIVERSITY CAN BE DAUNTING. THESE STUDENTS WILL BE THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT ADDITIONAL STUDENTS WILL LOOK TO WHEN DECIDING WHETHER TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL SCHOOLING. AS MORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS CHOOSE TO ATTEND 4-YEAR UNIVERSITIES, OUR PROGRAM WILL BE A USABLE FRAMEWORK TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND LOCAL UNIVERSITIES. PROVIDING RESEARCH EXPERIENCES LOCALLY TO INTERESTED STUDENTS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ATTRACT ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS AND PROVIDE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FROM 2-YEAR TO 4-YEAR SCHOOLS. ULTIMATELY, ADDITIONAL GRADUATES EQUIPPED WITH B.A. AND B.S. DEGREES WILL BE REQUIRED TO FILL THE EVER-INCREASING HIGH-TECH AGRO-INDUSTRIAL JOB MARKET IN THE SOUTHEAST AND THE US. AS INDUSTRIAL SUCCESSES IN FIELDS SUCH AS BIOREFINING DEVELOP, ADDITIONAL HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF GROWING INDUSTRY. OUR PROGRAM SERVES AS A LINK BETWEEN FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AND HIGH PAYING AND REWARDING CAREERS IN AGRO-INDUSTRY.