** 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 NUTRITION AND FOOD WORKFORCE PATHWAYS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS PROJECT FOCUSES ON AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA 3 FOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH. LED BY CSUN AND LAMC FACULTY, THIS INNOVATIVE THREE-YEAR PROJECT WILL ALLOW 30 UNDERREPRESENTED LAMC STUDENTS TO COMPLETE A NEW NUTRITION AND FOOD SKILLS CERTIFICATE STARTING IN SPRING 2023. THIS NEW INDUSTRY-ACCEPTED CREDENTIAL WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO WORK IN ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS IN THE FIELD OF NUTRITION AND FOODS SO THEY CAN EARN WHILE THEY LEARN AND COMPLETE THEIR ASSOCIATE DEGREE COURSEWORK TO CONTINUE TO MORE ADVANCED CAREERS IN NUTRITION/DIETETICS, FOOD SCIENCE, OR FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT.THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO ALLOW 30 CSUN NUTRITION STUDENTS TO SERVE AS PEER MENTORS TO THE LAMC STUDENTS.THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE FIELD OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS THROUGH WORKFORCE TRAINING. THE SUPPORTING OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) INCREASE AWARENESS AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED HIGH SCHOOL AND FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CAREERS AND EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS IN NUTRITION AND FOODS; (2) RECRUIT UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO TAKE AND COMPLETE THE NUTRITION AND FOOD SKILLS CERTIFICATE; AND (3) INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN AND COMPLETION OF THE ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE FOR TRANSFER (AS-T) DEGREE IN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS. THE ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGIES PROPOSED TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) OUTREACH TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS (2) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, (3) PEER MENTORSHIP, (4) FINANCIAL SUPPORTS, (5) COMPLETION OF INDUSTRY-ACCEPTED CREDENTIAL, (6) INTERNSHIP/JOB PLACEMENT WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.ABSTRACTTHE U.S. POPULATION IS BECOMING MORE RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE YET THIS DIVERSITY IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WHEN A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IS FROM THE SAME ETHNIC BACKGROUND AS THEIR PATIENT, THERE IS BETTER PATIENT COMPLIANCE AND IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES. GIVEN THAT MINORITY GROUPS LIKE LATINOS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS EXPERIENCE A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF DIET-RELATED PROBLEMS LIKE OBESITY, DIABETES, AND HYPERTENSION, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE NUTRITION AND DIETETICS WORKFORCE BETTER REFLECT ITS PATIENT BASE IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE EXISTING HEALTH DISPARITIES. THE NUTRITION AND FOOD WORKFORCE PATHWAYS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS PROJECT AIMS TO EXPAND WORKFORCE AND CAREER PATHWAYS IN NUTRITION, DIETETICS, OR FOOD SCIENCE FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS. SUPPORTING OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) INCREASE AWARENESS AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED HIGH SCHOOL AND FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN NUTRITION AND FOODS; (2) RECRUIT UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO TAKE AND COMPLETE THE NUTRITION AND FOOD SKILLS CERTIFICATE; AND (3) INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN AND COMPLETION OF THE ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE FOR TRANSFER (AS-T) DEGREE IN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS. THESE OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED BY IMPLEMENTING THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: (1) OUTREACH TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNI,TY COLLEGE STUDENTS (2) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, (3) PEER MENTORSHIP, (4) FINANCIAL SUPPORTS, (5) IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC CERTIFICATE, AND (6) INTERNSHIP/JOB PLACEMENT WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS SO STUDENTS CAN EARN WHILE THEY LEARN. UNDERREPRESENTED HIGH SCHOOL OR FIRST-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT AND UNIVERSITY NUTRITION STUDENTS TO SERVE AS PEER MENTORS.