** 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 OBJECTIVE OF THE I-BELIEF PROGRAM IS TO TRAIN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND FEMALE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN BEEF CATTLE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION TO ADDRESS THE FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA OF ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO ADDRESSES THE PRIORITY AREA OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES BY EQUIPPING STUDENTS FOR CAREER SUCCESS IN BEEF CATTLE AND ANIMAL FEED INDUSTRIES BASED IN RURAL AREAS. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM THE FOUR ILLINOIS UNIVERSITIES WITH AGRICULTURES PROGRAMS WILL FUNCTION AS A COHORT DURING THE TWELVEMONTH-PROGRAM. THE I-BELIEF PROGRAM WILL TRAIN STUDENTS IN THE DESIGN AND HANDS-ON CONDUCTING OF HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN RESEARCH THROUGH ACADEMIC PLANNING AND TRAINING SESSIONS AND A TEN-WEEK SUMMER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN THE BEEF CATTLE RESEARCH PROGRAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, AND WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. THE SUMMER LAUNCH EVENT IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE INCLUDES TRAINING ON THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN, THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH AND RESEARCH ETHICS, COHORT BUILDING, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. THE SUMMER CAPSTONE EVENT WILL PROVIDE FELLOWS WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO LEADING BEEF INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND FOCUS ON CAREER-ORIENTED COMMUNICATION SKILLS. IN THE LATE FALL, FELLOWS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A SCIENTIFIC WRITING WORKSHOP TO HONE THEIR RESEARCH RESULTS IN AN ABSTRACT. FELLOWS WILL DEVELOP VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS BY PRESENTING THEIR RESEARCH FINDINGS IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH COMPETITION AT SCIENTIFIC MEETING THE FOLLOWING SPRING. THE I-BELIEF PROGRAM WILL INSPIRE UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO ATTEND GRADUATE SCHOOL AND ADDRESS THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMPLEX PROBLEMS FACING THE BEEF INDUSTRY AND GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY OF PROTEIN FOODS.