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Release No. 0337.10
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Contact:
Maria Goldberg (202) 720-6506
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USDA Selects 2010 Class of E. (Kika) De La Garza Fellows
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2010 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program office announced today the names of the 20 members of the 2010 class of E. (Kika) de la Garza Fellowship participants.
"Programs like the de la Garza fellowships help ensure that USDA reflects the needs and perspectives of all its stakeholders," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The fellows announced today will strengthen USDA's connection with the rich knowledge and experiences of communities with diverse agricultural practices and relationships to food and farming."
The 20 fellows, highly accomplished staff and faculty members at Hispanic-Serving Institutions from across the nation, were selected based on the compatibility of their research interests with USDA mission areas as well as the value their experiences during the fellowship will add to their institutions' educational capacities.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI's) are accredited and degree-granting institutions of higher education with a full-time Hispanic student enrollment of 25 percent or more. Through partnerships fostered by the fellowship program, USDA and HSIs are better prepared to address educational challenges faced by the Hispanic community and to promote services and employment opportunities offered by USDA agencies while diversifying the Department's workforce.
The 13th class of the E. (Kika) de la Garza Fellowship is divided into three categories, each specially tailored to meet the fellows' interests and provide them with an enriching experience. The education and high school fellows experience first-hand the policymaking process by meeting with USDA personnel and connecting with federal agencies such as the Department of Education, Housing and Urban Development, and the National Science Foundation. The science fellows collaborate with leading scientists from the Agricultural Research Service, USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency, and learn about state-of-the-art agricultural research that solves problems affecting the Hispanic community on a daily basis.
The 2009 E. (Kika) de la Garza Fellows are:
High School Fellows - 2
Carly Chavez, Fontana High School, Fontana, Calif.; Janis Lentz, Weslaco East High School, Weslaco, Texas.
Science Fellows - 3
Barbara Nèmeth Rhode, Woodland Community College, Woodland, Calif.; Laura Sanders, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois; Cris Wells, GateWay Community College, Phoenix, Ariz.
Education Fellows - 15
Amod Choudhary, CUNY Lehman College, Bronx, N.Y.; Teri Erickson, Otero Junior College, La Junta, Colo.; Karen Ivy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; Adrian Lopez, Yuba Community College District, Marysville, Calif.; Stacey Lyle, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas; Rosario Martinez, Laredo Community College, Laredo, Texas; James Ortez, University of California, Merced, Merced, Calif.; Ron Presley, South Plains College, Levelland, Texas; Carlos Ramos, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, Calif.; Ryan Rhoades, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas; Abner Rodriguez, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez, Mayaguez, P.R.; Suzanne Valery, Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria, Calif.; Rojelio Vasquez, Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, Calif.; Raquel Zaldivar, Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, Fla.; Felix Zuniga, California State University - San Bernardino, San Bernardino, Calif.
For more information on the E. (Kika) de la Garza Fellowship program, visit: http://www.hsi.usda.gov/Programs&Services/fellowship.htm.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
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