** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** BRIDGING THE GAP II: SUMMER EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN FOOD AND NUTRITION IS BUILT UPON OUR SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE, POSITIVE RESULTS AND FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS AND PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS FROM OUR LAST REEU PROJECT. THIS PROJECT WILL ENGAGE STUDENTS IN A 10 WEEK RESEARCH EXPERIENCE EITHER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (UCONN) OR AT NEARBY COMMUNITY SITES. FELLOWS WILL BE HOUSED TOGETHER ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AND WORK AT THEIR RESEARCH SITE 4 DAYS/WEEK. EACH FRIDAY, THERE WILL BE A GROUP ACTIVITY WHERE STUDENTS GATHER TOGETHER TO SHARE EXPERIENCES, PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND INTERACT WITH OTHER FACULTY AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ABOUT OTHER NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES RESEARCH AND THEIR OWN WORK. FIELD TRIPS TO COMMUNITY SITES, LOCAL FARMS, AND FOOD COMPANIES WILL PROVIDE FURTHER EXPERIENTIAL RESEARCH EXPOSURES. STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED PRIMARILY FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UCONN REGIONAL CAMPUSES, AND SECONDARILY, FIRST-YEAR AND SECOND-YEAR UNDERGRADUATES AT UCONN MAIN CAMPUS. RECRUITMENT WILL TARGET STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED RACIAL/ETHNIC AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUPS, AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS. PARTICIPATION IN THIS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING SUMMER PROGRAM WILL ENHANCE FELLOWS' SCIENCE SELF-EFFICACY, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, COMPLETION OF DEGREE PROGRAMS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TRANSFER TO THE UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATION IN FIELDS RELATED TO FOOD AND NUTRITION. THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WILL GAIN FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AND/OR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE AREAS OF FOOD, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH, PREPARING STUDENTS AS A WORK-READY LABOR FORCE FOR 21ST CENTURY AGRICULTURE.