GO-START-NOW, or “Getting Occupational Student Training in Agricultural Research Through NOvel Workshops”

provides an opportunity for University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus students to participate in summer and research internship experiences in Soil, Plant and Environmental Sciences.

GO-START-NOW is a United States Department of Agriculture National Institutes of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) competitive funded program to Texas A&M University Kingsville (TAMUK) as lead and University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez (UPRM) and Florida International University (FIU) as collaborative institutions.

Hispanic Americans with technical skills in science and research are largely underrepresented in the agricultural labor force. One way to improve undergraduate Hispanic participation in agriculture, is through experiential learning in Soil Science, Plant Science, and Environmental Science through outside the classroom learning activities in research, internships, demonstration activities, and career workshops. Field-based research and demonstrative experiences in GO-START-NOW will complement the on-going educational and academic programs at UPRM and assist undergraduates to be more competitive upon graduation.  The program will further increase participation of Hispanics in graduate degree programs and in leading positions within the agricultural and food industry fields. The program offers students a unique and positive experience in their fields of interest.

GO-START-NOW at UPRM will host two cohorts consisting of a minimum of 6 students (5 undergraduates and 1 graduate student per two-year period). The graduate student will provide support as mentor for undergraduates throughout this period. Each student must participate in 1) a summer 10-day occupational-intensive workshop located in Costa Rica, followed by 2) fall or spring semester work and research experience under the direction of UPRM faculty mentors, and 3) an internship with a USDA agency or University in mainland US during the second summer.

FIVE undergraduate students will be selected to participate in the GO-START-NOW 2024-2025 program.

Selected students will participate in the program during a 2-year period in the following activities:

• A 10-day summer agricultural- and environmental-sciences trip to Soltis Center for Research and Education, Costa Rica | summer 2024 (Yr 1)
• Research experience with UPRM faculty mentor | Fall or Spring 2024-2025 term (Yr 1)
• USDA agency/University internship – Two students will participate in mainland US and three will participate in Puerto Rico. | Summer 2025 (Yr 2) *subject to change*.
• Group participation in faculty-coordinated career-enhancing professional and academic workshops throughout the academic year | (Yrs 1 & 2)
• Group training for ASA-SSSA professional exams in Crop and Soil Sciences | (Yr 2)
• Two undergraduate students will participate in one professional scientific meeting | (Yr 2)