WASHINGTON, June 3, 2014 – The USDA today announced the 15 members of the 2014 class of the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program.
The 15 fellows, highly accomplished staff and faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) from across the nation, were selected based on the compatibility of their interests with USDA mission areas, as well as the value their experiences will add to their institutions’ educational capacities.
HSIs 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 17th 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 USDA’s Agricultural Research Service–one of the world’s premier scientific organizations–and learn about state-of-the-art agricultural research.
The 2014 E. Kika De La Garza Fellows are:
Education Fellows – 10
Bronwen Steele, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, AZ; Imelda S. Dudley, California State University, Fresno, Fresno, CA; Lynn Marie Wright, Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA; Karri Hammerstrom, Reedley College, Reedley, CA; Sandra Camarena, Sacramento City College, Sacramento, CA; Jorge C. Gibert, Miami Dade College —Wolfson Campus, Miami, FL; Aaron Cortes, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL; Marie Montes-Matias, Union County College, Cranford, NJ; Edward A. Martinez, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM; Kurt Krause, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX.
High School Fellow – 1
Ellie Honardoost, Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, CA.
Science Fellows – 4
Yiannis Ampatzidis, California State University at Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA; John Barimo, Miami Dade College, Homestead Campus, Homestead, FL; Alicia Gonzalez Quiroz, Laredo Community College, Laredo, TX; Alison Bray, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, TX.
For more information on the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship program, visit: www.hsi.usda.gov/HSIs/fellowship.htm