Adding Agritourism: With more than $245,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National
Institute of Food and Agriculture, the College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism will add offerings in research and an academic course focused on the growing agritourism
industry. The funding is part of the USDA's $14 million overall investment to advance
learning experiences in the agricultural and human science sectors at Hispanic-Serving
Institutions.
Diversity in Science: Faculty in the College of Science earned two different grants aimed at increasing the diversity of students pursuing
studies in the sciences. Funded by a $75,000 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant, chemistry
faculty members Molly Atkinson, Adriana Corrales and Rebecca Weber are studying ways to build more equitable educational pathways in chemistry for underserved communities. Physics faculty members Yuan Li and Ohad Shemmer are
collaborating with faculty from the University of Texas at Dallas to launch a post-baccalaureate
bridge program and organize monthly colloquia and annual symposia to broaden the participation
of underrepresented groups in astronomy.