** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOOD PRODUCTION IS A MAJOR DRIVER OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, WITH NEGATIVE EFFECTS FELT MORE STRONGLY IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. THE LACK OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) AGRICULTURAL TRAINING PROGRAMS RESULTS IN POOR REPRESENTATION IN PROFESSIONAL AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WHERE SOLUTIONS ARE OFTEN DEVELOPED. OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS ENTERING THE PROFESSIONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF A SUMMER PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA THAT LEVERAGES THE GROWING INTEREST IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS FOR TRAINING IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. OVER THE LIFE OF OUR FIVE-YEAR REEU SITE, OUR SOAR (SUSTAINABILITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH) PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE 53 PARTICIPANTS A STRUCTURE TO ENGAGE IN SUSTAINABLE HORTICULTURE RESEARCH AND DEVELOP CULTURAL COMPETENCY SKILLS AND AWARENESS VIA A SERIES OF COMMUNITY-BASED EXPERIENCES FOCUSING ON EQUITY IN THE FOOD SYSTEM. OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) DEVELOP PARTICIPANT KNOWLEDGE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL SKILLS, AND CAREERS IN STEM, THROUGH A HIGHLY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE-BASED MENTORED RESEARCH PROGRAM HOSTING 10-11 PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY; 2) DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT ACTION-LEARNING WORKSHOPS CONNECTING STUDENTS TO ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCATING FOR WORKFORCE DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS AND A PANEL OF FOOD SYSTEMS INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES; 3) INCREASE MENTORING CAPACITY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POST-DOCS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF A 5-SESSION MENTOR TRAINING WORKSHOP SERIES. IMPACT OF OUR PROJECT INCLUDES DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBUST TRAINING PROGRAM, FOR BOTH PARTICIPANTS AND MENTORS, TO CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP IN THE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.