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Kristina Edwards learned about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 National Scholars Program her senior year in high school. One year later, she was named an 1890 Scholar and remained one for the entirety of her time at Prairie View A&M in Texas. “Receiving this honor made me proud of my accomplishments,” she said. “I was excited and relieved. The scholarship made me feel financially secure and enabled me to confidently focus solely on my education.”

Since 1998, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recognized highly accomplished staff and faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Hispanic-Serving School Districts through E. Kika De La Garza Fellowships. Participants travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with leaders at USDA agencies and learn about opportunities available to their respective institutions and students.

Syndia Nazario-Cardona, acting chancellor/associate VP of government affairs and community relations at Ana G. Mendez University in Florida, describes how her experience is helping her to support the next generation and make a difference in the educational realm.

Even as a child, Camille Pierre was interested in agriculture. She first learned about the industry from her uncle, who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). With that seed of interest planted, she took agriculture classes throughout high school, grew and maintained her garden, showed livestock, and cross-bred tomatoes. She eventually got her degree in agriculture from Prairie View A&M University with a concentration in plant and soil science.

Dr. Samuel Discua is a postdoctoral researcher at University of Arizona Yuma in the Department of Entomology, where he studies the ecology and management of insect pests associated with leafy greens and melons in Arizona cropping systems. Yuma and the rest of the state lead national lettuce crop production. His research currently focuses on the role of host plants in the transfer of insect-transmitted diseases in lettuce and melons. He also teaches a series of courses at University of Yuma on Agricultural Systems Management and Crop Production.

Kaitlyn Hampton is ambitious and goal oriented. As she embarked on her journey as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 National Scholar, she simultaneously assumed other responsibilities, such as pursuing her master’s degree. The 1890 Scholars Program complemented her goals, allowing her to pursue her passions through internships and job placements that provided experience.

I am the director of agriculture programs at the University of Arizona Yuma (UAZ Yuma), a regional Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) that offers tailored degree programs that meet regional workforce's needs. The student population is approximately 70% Hispanic and first generation.

Dr. Kristal Southern can remember being certain of two things as a child. “By the age of 4, I knew I wanted to be a vet,” she said. “And by age 13, I knew I wanted to attend a historically black college or university.”

The United States Department of Agriculture Digital Service (USDA DS) is a program designed to cultivate and grow a community of multidisciplinary teams to create human-centered solutions that deliver simple, seamless, and secure technology and customer experiences across USDA. USDA DS seeks to attract diverse, talented senior technologists, and strategists to further the wide-ranging missions of USDA mission areas, agencies, and staff offices.

As an associate professor of beef cattle nutrition and metabolism at Texas Tech University’s Davis College, Dr. Jhones Sarturi combines his teaching and research responsibilities with public service. For over ten years, he has taught a course on cattle feeds and feeding that combines classroom instruction with field-based learning that directly benefits agricultural producers.

Alan Cruz is a senior at University of Arizona in Yuma studying agricultural systems management. He was recently named a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Future Leader in Agriculture and will be attending USDA’s 100th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C., held February 15-16, 2024.