**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE IS SIGNIFICANT UNDERREPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES IN UPPER-LEVEL CAREERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE FOR POSITIONS REQUIRING ADVANCED DEGREES. AGRICULTURE, IN PARTICULAR, POULTRY PRODUCTION AND THE ALLIED INDUSTRIES THAT SUPPORT POULTRY PRODUCTION IN DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA AND PENNSYLVANIA, IS ONE OF THE TOP EMPLOYERS OF THESE STATES, AND HIGHER LEVEL POSITIONS IN THIS INDUSTRY TYPICALLY REQUIRE ADVANCED DEGREES. A MAJOR PERCEIVED ISSUE AFFECTING THE ASPIRATION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS TO ATTAINING THESE CAREERS IS THE CONCEPTUAL LEAP OF BEING A STUDENT TO BEING A SCIENTIST, RESPONSIBLE FOR A RESEARCH PROJECT, FOR DATA COLLECTION, DOCUMENTATION AND IMPORTANTLY, REPRESENATION TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC, AT LARGE.TO ADDRESS THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED AND ARE CONTINUING TO EVOLVE THE UD ENVISION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM RECRUITS AND INVITES APPLICATIONS FROM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO SEEK THE UD ENVISION SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM VIA AN ONLINE APPLICATION FROM STUDENTS ATTENDING REGIONAL HBCUS, AS WELL AS UD UNDERGRADUATES IN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. STUDENTS SELECT RESEARCH AREAS OF INTEREST AND THOSE THAT ARE ACCEPTED ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP A RESEARCH PROJECT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FACULTY MENTOR. PARTICIPANTS ARE GIVEN TRAINING IN LABORATORY SAFETY, SCIENTIFIC ETHICS AND IN HOW TO PRESENT SCIENTIFIC RESULTS IN VIDEO AND POSTER FORMATS, FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES. EACH PARTICIPANT MAKES A VIDEO OF THEIR PROJECT AT THE LEVEL THAT SEEKS TO RELATE THEIR SCIENCE TO A GENERAL PUBLIC AUDIENCE. IT IS THIS EXERCISE, THE RELATING OF RESEARCH TO A LAY AUDIENCE, THAT HELPS THE STUDENT ENVISION THEMSELVES AS A SCIENTIST. THIS CHANGE IN PERCEPTION, WE FEEL, IS KEY TO FURTHER SEEKING OF CAREERS IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. MOREOVER, THE INTERACTIONS WITH THE REGIONAL HBCUS ESTABLISHES STUDENT PIPELINES AND FACULTY CONTACTS FOR DEVELOPING MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS.