** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT AIMS TO EMPOWER UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWS TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE AGRISCIENCES BY BUILDING THEIR RESEARCH SELF-EFFICACY, SCIENTIFIC COMPETENCIES, AND EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY WILL REALIZE POSITIVE OUTCOMES BY PURSUING AGRISCIENCE CAREERS. BUILDING ON A PREVIOUS REEU, THE CROP GENETICS AND GENOMICS II PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT FIFTY FELLOWS FROM UNDERPRIVILEGED COMMUNITIES IN GEORGIA AND THE SOUTHWEST OVER FIVE YEARS. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO INCREASE DIVERSITY OF FELLOWS, MENTORS, AND THE REEU SUPPORT COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE MENTOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. FELLOWS WILL UNDERTAKE HANDS-ON RESEARCH IN CROP GENETICS AND GENOMICS AND WILL BE TRAINED IN RESEARCH ETHICS AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION. FELLOWS WILL ATTEND PLANT BREEDING AND ORGANIC FARM FIELD TRIPS TO LEARN DIFFERENT CROP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND HOW GENETIC AND GENOMICS RESEARCH IS USED TO IMPROVE CROPS. FELLOWS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONNECTION BETWEENRESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND CROP PRODUCTION. FELLOWS WILL INCORPORATE THEIR RESEARCH AND SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCES INTO A PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH BLOG, AND WRITE ARTICLES FOR THE UGA EXTENSION NEWSLETTER TO DISCUSS THE FARM-TO-TABLE CONCEPT. A WEEKLY CAREER COUNSELING SERIES WILL EXPOSE FELLOWS TO CAREER OPTIONS IN EXTENSION, INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIA, INCLUDING MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT PLANT GRADUATE STUDENT COMMUNITIES. FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS, INTERVIEWS, SKILLS ASSESSMENTS, AND PRE-/POST-PROGRAM SURVEYS WILL YIELD EVALUATION DATA USEFUL FOR MAKING IMPROVEMENTS AND DOCUMENTING OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ADVISORY GROUP.