**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE US MEXICO BORDER IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY (LRGV) PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP A STEM-RELATED WORKFORCE THROUGH VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. IN PARTICULAR, THE DEEP SOUTH REGION OF TEXAS REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURE AND RANCHING AREAS IN THE STATE AND ALSO BOASTS THE BUSIEST AGRICULTURAL LAND PORTS IN THE COUNTRY. THIS AGRICULTURAL BOUNTY ALSO PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES THAT THREATEN AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL SECURITY--CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY, AND A DIVERSE AND QUALIFIED WORKFORCE. IN RESPONSE TO BOTH THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES, WE PROPOSE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY (UTRGV). WE LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES AND MISSION OF VARIOUSPARTNERS INCLUDING FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY (TEXAS INTERNATIONAL PRODUCE ASSOCIATION (TIPA); PHARR INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE), GOVERNMENT (USDA-ARS; USDA-APHIS; US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION (CBP); US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE), WORKING WITH UTRGV TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION. MEXICO BRINGS IN A HUGE AMOUNT OF PRODUCE TRAFFIC, PRIMARILY MEDIATED THROUGH THE PRIVATE BRIDGES IN THE VALLEY (E.G., PHARR INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE). ROUGHLY 15,000 PRODUCE SEMI-TRUCKS PER WEEK MOVE PRODUCE THROUGH ONE OF THESE BRIDGES, AND ACCORDING TO OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS, ONE OF THE LIMITING FACTORS IS A SHORTAGE OF A SKILLED WORKFORCE WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO IDENTIFY AND CONFIRM THAT EACH SHIPMENT MEETS FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS AS REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS. STUDENTS WILL WORK WITH SCIENTISTS AND AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS AND DEVELOP WORKING KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ATTRIBUTES TO HELP FORGE A PATHWAY TO CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD. UTRGV WILL SERVE AS A HUB FOR THIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, LEVERAGING OUR NEWEST PROGRAMS, DEGREE PLANS AND FACULTY HIRES IN AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND FOOD SECURITY. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UTRGV SUCCESSFULLY HIRED MORE THAN TEN FACULTY MEMBERS WITH EXPERTISE IN AGRICULTURAL-RELATED SCIENCES (FOUR FACULTY ON THIS PROPOSAL). THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE PDS WILL SUPERVISE AND MENTOR AT LEAST 35 STUDENTS WITH ACADEMIC MENTORSHIP COMPLEMENTED WITH PRACTICAL, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN THE FORM OF EXTERNSHIPS. ENROLLED STUDENTS WILL WORK AS PAID EXTERNS (SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM) UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION WITH IDENTIFIED COUNTERPARTS (I.E. USDA ENTOMOLOGISTS, CBP AGRICULTURAL SPECIALISTS, US FISH, AND WILDLIFE ECOLOGISTS, ETC). OVER THE COURSE OF 5 YEARS, WE WILL TRAIN 35 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH SIX MONTHS LONG EXTERNSHIPS WITH ONE OF THESE PARTNER AGENCIES AND WILL CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE PROGRAM BOTH EXTERNALLY AND INTERNALLY. STUDENTS WILL ENVISION THEIR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WHILE ACQUIRING THE HANDS-ON SKILLS REQUIRED TO EXCEL IN AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND MERGING OF CLASSROOM THEORY WITH PRACTICAL SKILL SETS WILL, THEREFORE, ENABLE OUR PRIVATE-UNIVERSITY-GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP TO ESTABLISH A PIPELINE FOR STEM STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THIS JOB SECTOR. THE FINAL OUTCOME WILL BE A TRAINED WORKFORCE TO MEET A CRITICAL SHORTFALL IN QUALIFIED JOB CANDIDATES WHILE ADDRESSING LOCAL ISSUES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.