CISC HBCU Graduate Fellowship Program

Developing
the Next Generation
of Black Ag Professionals

A new partnership between the Carver Integrative Sustainability Center (CISC) of Tuskegee University’s College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and the Inter-Institutional Network for Food, Agriculture, and Sustainability (INFAS hosted by UC Davis) will enhance Tuskegee University’s efforts to develop the next generation of Black Ag Professionals. This fellowship is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Selected candidates attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are pursuing graduate degrees in food systems, agriculture, natural resources, or related fields receive $6,000 along with mentoring and professional development opportunities as part of this program. The development of this opportunity is part of CISC’s efforts to leverage partnerships with various entities to meet mutual goals around the development of the Black agriculture sector. We have selected applicants who have completed at least one quarter or semester of a Master’s or Doctoral program and who currently attend a HBCU.

The Partnership Between CISC and INFAS

Pairs students with faculty and collaborators to support the development/refinement of food systems research
Leverages networks to identify strategic presentation and extracurricular opportunities inclined towards student goals

Hones best practices for institutional and organizational partnerships designed to
Cultivates the next generation of Black leaders in food and agriculture

2022-23 Pilot Year

The 2022-23 pilot year brought a talented applicant pool of 27 scholars from 11 HBCUs. Our fellowship acceptance rate for 2022-23 was 29.6% with a 44% rate of scholarship recognition via our CHFP Fellow and Honoree awards.

In total, the CISC selected 8 fellows and 4 honorees. Our fellows represent 7 different HBCU’s, 6 disciplines, and include 1 PhD candidate and 7 masters candidates. Our honorees represent different 3 HBCU’s, 4 disciplines and include 3 PhD candidates and 1 masters candidate. Honorees and Fellows presented their research via poster and oral presentations at the Professional Ag Workers Conference (PAWC) in November 2022 with expenses paid by the CHFP Fellowship. One of our honorees, Chinedu Ahuchaogu of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, won third place in the Gamma Sigma Delta Student Competition.

Email Us: chfp@tuskegee.edu

Fellows Will:

Propose a food systems/agriculture related project, related to their graduate work, that they can largely complete within the academic year
Receive a financial stipend of $6,000 (paid in two installments based on milestones)
Meet with their INFAS mentor(s) at least 4 times over the fellowship

Fully participate in professional and personal development classes hosted by the CISC once a month
Disseminate their project work in a final virtual presentation
Be invited to join the Inter-Institutional Network for Food, Agriculture, and Sustainability (INFAS hosted by UC Davis)

Fellows

Alyson Whitted

1st year || M.S. in Environmental Studies
Kentucky State University

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Asya Montgomery

1st year || M.S. Food and Nutritional Science
Tuskegee University

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Bernard Iwegbu

2nd year || M.S. in Agricultural Regulations
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff

Christopher Iweriebor

2nd year || PSM in Urban Agriculture
University of the District of Columbia

a man wearing glasses posing for the camera

Kevaughn Prout

2nd year || M.S. in Biotechnology
Alcorn State University

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Manoj Paudel

1st Year || M.S. in Environmental Studies
Kentucky State University

Miriam Hagan

2nd year || PhD in Nutritional Sciences
Howard University

Natilee McGruder-Kyle

Food Systems and Equity Consultant, Growing Green LLC

Tanisha Felton

2nd year || M.S. in Marine Science
Savannah State University

Mentors

a person standing in front of a brick building

Brandy Phipps

Assistant Professor – Agricultural and Life Sciences
Central State University

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Dr. Lindsey Lunsford

Assistant Professor for Food Systems Education and Policy Tuskegee University

Kamyar Enshayan

Director, Center for Energy & Environmental Education
University of Northern Iowa

Kareem M. Usher

Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning
Ohio State University

Lacey Gaechter

Community & Public Health Coordinator, Division of Kinesiology & Health
University of Wyoming

Lesli Hoey

Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning
University of Michigan

Marcia Ostrom

Associate Professor of Sustainable Food and Farming Systems Director, Food Systems Program
Washington State University

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Matthew R. Sanderson

Randall C. Hill Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work & Professor of Geography and Geospatial Sciences
Kansas State University

Psyche Williams-Forson

Professor and Chair of American Studies
University of Maryland College Park

Rachel Soper

Assistant Professor of Sociology
California State University, Channel Islands

Shoshanah Inwood

Associate Professor of Community, Food and Economic Development
Ohio State University

Honorees

Chinedu Ahuchaogu

2nd year || PhD in Food and Agricultural Sciences
University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Kingsley Bentum

3rd year || PhD in Interdisciplinary Pathobiology
Tuskegee University

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Lydia Olagunju

4th year || PhD in Applied Science and Technology
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

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Micah Talbert

2nd year || M.S. Food and Nutritional Sciences
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Tuskegee University is a top ranked HBCU!

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