COSSATOT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, AN HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION, WILL DESIGN A 2-YEAR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE PROGRAM - INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE - THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND INFUSED WITH DEI BEST PRACTICES. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1) MODIFY CURRENT COURSE/CERTIFICATION OFFERINGS TO CREATE A NEW DEGREE/CERTIFICATION PATHWAY DESIGNED TO TEST AND ACQUIRE INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS; 2) ADDRESS KNOWN BIAS AND/OR SYSTEMIC BARRIERS IN AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE TRAINING TO INCREASE PLACEMENT OF HISPANIC STUDENTS IN SENIOR-LEVEL CAREER TRACKS; 3) CREATE AND CODIFY COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES , INCLUDING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WITH UP TO THREE RELEVANT INDUSTRY PARTNERS; AND 4) CREATE PATHWAYS OF IMMEDIATE CREDENTIALING UPON COURSE COMPLETION. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) SURVEY OF AREA EMPLOYERS TO DETERMINE MOST PRESSING NEEDS AND SKILLS FOR UNFILLED INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE POSITIONS; 2) CURRICULA AUDIT OF CURRENT AGRICULTURE OFFERINGS TO DETERMINE REALIGNMENT OR REFINEMENT OF COURSEWORK; 3) INFUSION OF DEI BEST PRACTICES TO INCREASE ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS OF HISPANIC STUDENTS; 4) EXPLORATION AND CODIFICATION OF POTENTIAL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE DEGREE PATHWAY; AND 5) INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF PROGRAM, INCLUDING SUBMISSION OF A FY23 USDA AFRI AWT IMPLEMENTATION GRANT. NO PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RECRUITED WITHIN THE 12-MONTH DESIGN PERIOD. THE INTENDED IMPACT OF IT IS DESIGN PROJECT IS DEVELOPING PATHWAYS (AWT PRIORITY) FOR FIRST GENERATION HISPANIC STUDENTS TO GAIN APPLICABLE SKILLS IN EMERGING AGRICULTURE DISCIPLINES - BOVINE INSEMINATION, UNMANNED AERIAL PILOTING, AND GEOSPATIAL DATA COLLECTION AND MAPPING - TO CREATE A NEW GENERATION OF AGRICULTURAL LEADERS IN ARKANSAS THAT MORE FULLY REFLECT THE MAKEUP OF ITS LABOR FORCE.