PATHS

Granting Program: Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP)
The purpose of this competitive undergraduate scholarship grant program is to increase the multicultural diversity of the food and agricultural scientific and professional workforce, and advance the educational achievement of all Americans by providing competitive grants to colleges and universities.

PATHS: Partnerships for Agrosecurity Training, Health, and Science

NIFA Award Number #:

Project Summary

Oklahoma State University (OSU), a land grant university (LGU), in partnership with Northeastern Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College (NEO), a two-year Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI), will collaborate to provide five American Indian students with scholarships. Scholars will begin their studies at NEO continue with a seamless transfer to OSU in order to complete their Bachelors with dual degrees in Plant and Soil Science and Entomology. The goals are to develop a strong pipeline of American Indian students transferring from two-year NASNTI institutions to four-year LGUs, and to provide American Indian students with degree options benefiting not only the student, but their tribal communities as well. This program will enhance the diversity of students seeking careers in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH). OSU will achieve these goals by meeting three objectives. Objective 1: Develop a global perspective for how anthropods impact agrosecruity and health through interactions with international researchers and study abroad. Objective 2: Provide practical experiences with public and private entities to stimulate questions in future professionals to investigate and engage with insects transmitting diseases. Objective 3: Develop qualified students who will positively impact agricultural security. Students’ experiential learning will begin at NEO with “hands-on” learning experiences. Once students have successfully transferred to OSU, students will have the opportunity to participate in a research-based trip to Brazil. This proposal will result in five scholars obtaining their baccalaureate and utilizing their experiences and knowledge from this program to cultivate and educate their tribal communities in FANH. 

PROVIDE

Granting Program: New Beginning for Tribal Students (NBTS)
This grant program supports land-grant colleges and universities to assist in supporting Tribal students on their path to higher education.

PROVIDE: Plant resistance of vectors, insects, and disease education.

NIFA Award Number #: 2020-70411-32780

Project Summary

Oklahoma State University (OSU), a land grant university (LGU), in partnership with Northeastern Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College (NEO), a two-year Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI), will collaborate to provide four American Indian students with scholarships to complete their Bachelors with dual degrees in Plant and Soil Science and Entomology. The overall goal is to develop a strong pipeline of American Indian students transferring from two-year NASNTI institutions to four-year LGUs, and to provide the necessary support systems to enable students to complete the baccalaureate. This will simultaneously increase the diversity of LGU agriculture programs and food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH) diversity while providing tribal nations with citizens possessing the necessary skills to improve agrosecurity. OSU will achieve this goal by meeting four objectives. Objective 1: Develop and provide hands-on learning for American Indian scholars through inquiry-based learning and research internships. Objective 2: Increase interactions with NASNTI institutions by providing students at two-year colleges with a path to the baccalaureate. Objective 3: Develop qualified students who can contribute to agrosecurity while increasing the number of American Indian students graduating from LGU. Objective 4: Provide the necessary support structure to transfer American Indian students to increase the retention and persistence rate at LGU agricultural programs. Scholars will have opportunities to engage with the community and visit agriculture research stations sites such as the Chicago Field Museum. It is anticipated that this project will enhance retention of American Indian students through its innovative course content and hands-on learning experiences.