**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 PROPOSED BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES (BSU- REEU) SEEKS TO DEVELOP A PATHWAY FOR MINORITY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THAT LEADS TO CAREERS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SECTORS AS WELL AS GRADUATE PROGRAM. THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH EXPOSURE TO AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INTERNSHIP AS WELL AS DOMESTIC RESEARCH . THE BSU-REEU WILL BE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH EGERTON UNIVERSITY, KENYA FOR A TOTAL OF EIGHT WEEKS IN SUMMER. A TOTAL OF SIX (6) STUDENTS PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS (2020- 2025) WILL BE IMMERSED IN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION EXPERIENCES YIELDING PARTICIPATION OF A TOTAL OF THIRTY (30) STUDENTS. ANOTHER (100) ONE HUNDRED STUDENTS PER YEAR (TOTAL 500) WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT BY INFUSION OF RESEARCH IN THE GENERAL BOTANY CURRICULUM. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE ACHIEVED BY I) INVOLVING PREDOMINANTLY MINORITY STUDENTS IN A SUMMER INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE MAKING THEM COMPETITIVE IN A GLOBAL SECTOR; II) EXPOSINGPREDOMINANTLY MINORITY STUDENTS TO A SUMMER INTERNATIONAL EXTENSIONEXPERIENCE IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE; III)INFUSING AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INTO THE STEM CURRICULUM THAT WILL DELIVER SCIENCE BASED KNOWLEDGE, IV) DEVELOPING STUDENT TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, PROBLEM SOLVING AND PRESENTATION SKILLS THROUGH LAB ACTIVITIES, WEEKLY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, RESEARCH FORUMS, AND CONFERENCES; AND V) INCREASING STUDENTS' INTEREST IN PURSUING GRADUATE STUDIES. DEVELOPING THIS PATHWAY WILL LEAD TO AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SUITABLY SKILLED LABOR WHICH IS VITAL IN OPTIMIZING US'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND ENHANCING INNOVATION, STRENGTHENING COMPETITIVENESS, BOOSTING RESILIENCE AND A DEVELOPING A LARGER CAPACITY FOR THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY.