MARYSVILLE – Two Yuba Community College District (YCCD) employees have been selected to participate as fellows in the 2010 Class of the E. (Kika) De La Garza Fellowship Program.

They are Woodland Community College’s (WCC) biology professor, Dr. Barbara Rhode, and Yuba Community College District’s (YCCD) director of Public and Governmental Relations, Dr. Adrian Lopez.

The fellowship is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) National Program and offers faculty and staff from HSIs the opportunity to work collaboratively with USDA to gain insight and understanding of the federal government.

HSIs are accredited and degree-granting institutions of higher education with a full-time Hispanic student enrollment of 25 percent or more.

This uniquely tailored experience brings together HSI staff and federal executives to address the spectrum of challenges faced in the development of a well prepared Hispanic workforce.

Fellows spend two to four weeks in Washington, D.C. to increase their understanding of USDA and other federal agencies, particularly at the national level, and be able to identify mutual collaborative interests.

Through the partnership fostered by this 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, science, education and high school fellowships, each specially tailored to meet the interests of fellows and provide them with an enriching experience.

“On behalf of the entire Yuba Community College District and our Board of Trustees I would like to congratulate Dr. Rhode and Director Lopez for their selection into this prestigious fellowship program,” said Dr. Nicki Harrington, YCCD chancellor. “Their participation in this program will benefit all of our students, our institution, and the North Central Valley Region as they expand their respective knowledge base and bring back more tools to support our agricultural region and our growing Hispanic communities.”

This year three science fellows were selected, including Professor Rhode. The science fellows are highly accomplished faculty members at HSIs from across the nation and were selected based on the compatibility of their research interests with USDA mission areas and the value their experience with the Department would add to their institution's curriculum.

The science fellows collaborate with leading scientists from USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) – one of the world's premier scientific organizations. Participants learn about state-of-the-art agricultural research that solves problems affecting Hispanic Americans and the rest of our nation on a daily basis.

Fellows share their expertise with students at their respective institutions – motivating Hispanic students to pursue careers in agriculture, science, research, and technology. Science fellows were selected based on the needs and interests of HSIs and USDA-ARS. Participants attend a mandatory orientation in Washington, D.C., in addition to collaborating with an ARS Research Center within the country.

“Immigrating to the U.S. from Argentina to come to college and being a woman in science have given me unique life experiences which I truly believe enable me to relate closely with the challenges facing our female and minority students pursuing careers in the STEM fields,” said Professor Rhode.

“The USDA fellowship is an excellent opportunity for me to expand my own research skills and to forge professional relationships to develop research and continuing education opportunities for my students at WCC,” Rhode continued. “I look forward to collaborating with USDA scientists throughout the country to inspire and mentor our students to become future biologists and botanists.”

Dr. Rhode holds a bachelor's of science degree in Biology from William Smith College and a master’s and doctoral degree from Miami University in botany.

“The faculty and staff at Woodland Community College are very proud that Professor Rhode was selected for this honor and we look forward to learning about her research experience,” said Dr. Angela Fairchilds, WCC president. “I know our students will directly benefit from her participation in the fellowship program.”

In addition to the science fellows, 15 education fellows were also selected from throughout the U.S. this year, with Dr. Lopez representing the 8 county YCCD region.

Education fellows experience firsthand the education policymaking process and build linkages to research and funding opportunities.

In addition to meeting with USDA personnel, fellows connect with other federal agencies and organizations such as the Department of Education, Housing and Urban Development, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Department of State.

Education fellows contribute and develop their skills in areas such as government relations, grants/funding procurement, partnership development and student outreach and retention.

“I’m extremely excited about this fellowship and the opportunities it presents not only for my professional development, but also for our community college district and the growing number of Latino students we serve,” said Lopez. “As a Mexican immigrant and first generation college student, I know first-hand the unique obstacles which our Latino students face. This fellowship will enable us to better serve our students and procure more resources for our largely rural and agricultural based communities.”

Lopez holds bachelor of arts degrees in political science and economics from the University of California, Davis and received his Juris Doctorate degree from UCD as well.

The Yuba Community College District spans eight counties and nearly 4,200 square miles of territory in rural, north-central California. It has colleges in Marysville and Woodland, an educational center in Clearlake, and will be adding outreach facilities in Sutter and Colusa counties as part of the Measure J facilities bond.

For more information about YCCD please visit our Web site at www.yccd.edu. For more information on the E. (Kika) de la Garza Fellowship program visit www.hsi.usda.gov/Programs%26Services/fellowship.htm.