Grant Program: From Learning to Leading – Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals – Bergen NextGen Program
Funding Source: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Total Funding: $4,500,000
Project Period: June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2027
Description:
The Bergen Nextgen project builds the College’s capacity to prepare students for future USDA and regional workforce needs within diverse industries supporting food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences and career clusters. The project, a partnership with Rutgers University, its Cooperative Extension, and 4-H clubs, will increase awareness and interest in FANH and career pathways in agricultural and food system industry occupations in the region among secondary and post-secondary students, including Hispanic, other underserved minority and disabled individuals. The project will align Bergen’s curriculum with 4-year degree programs in agriculture, culinary arts, food science supply chain management and supports student experiential learning and employer engagement leading to employment and career advancement opportunities for students. Additionally, by improving community access to sustainable farming practices, the project hopes to address food insecurities by helping residents to source their own grown food products and for Bergen Community College to provide nutritious, student campus grown, harvested and prepared options for its food pantry to help address the hunger needs of peers.
The project will provide multiple educational advancement and career pathway opportunities for students over the five-year grant period. It will also develop pre-employment training and support services to increase paid employment and/or career pathway opportunities in FANH related occupations for individuals who are disabled, including neurodiverse youth and adults enrolled in Bergen Community College and community partner programs and services.
Project Director: Barbara Brown-Abolafia, 201-879-027. Email: [email protected]