** 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 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWS IN PLANT HEALTH AND PROTECTION PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN 2017 WITH THE AIM TO PROVIDE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS WITH NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE. WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE IN OUR WORK AT A DIVERSE PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY, WE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE MANY STUDENTS INTERESTED IN BIOLOGY, BUT NO PRIOR EXPOSURE TO AGRICULTURAL AND PLANT CAREERS. WE ALSO AIMED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONFIDENCE AND PRIVILEGE GAPS THAT CAN KEEP LESS-ADVANTAGED STUDENTS FROM ENTERING STEM CAREERS, AND FIND WAYS TO EXPOSE MORE STUDENTS TO FIELD ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THE PLANT HEALTH FELLOWS IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CAREERS IN UDERREPRESENTED GROUPS WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF MAKING IT A SELF SUSTAINED PROGRAM. BIPOC AND URM STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED FROM SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY, THE NEW HAVEN PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION, AND UNIVERSITY-BASED MINORITY-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THROUGH A NATION-WIDE SEARCH. 10 FELLOWS PER YEAR WILL LIVE ON CAMPUS AND WORK IN SMALL LABORATORIES ON RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO PLANT HEALTH, WITH A MENTORSHIP FOCUS ON BUILDING BASIC RESEARCH SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING. WEEKLY ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE LUNCH MEETINGS, A GROUP PLOT PROJECT, FIELD TRIPS AND WORKSHOPS DESIGNED TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND CAREER PREPAREDNESS. FELLOWS WILL GIVE A SHORT ORAL PRESENTATION AT A FINAL SYMPOSIUM AND PRESENT A DISPLAY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES) PLANT SCIENCE DAY. THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROGRAM, INTERNS WILL GAIN CONFIDENCE AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL AND SOFT SKILL THAT WILL ASSIST THEM IN OBTAINING FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES IN SCIENCE.