MEMBER ADVISORY

January 12, 2021

USDA accepting applications for the 2021 E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program has announced that the application process for the 2021 Class of the E. Kika De La Garza Fellows Program is now open.

The purpose of this fellowship is to connect participants to USDA and other federal resources while focusing on student development. Fellows will receive access to long-term collaboration opportunities, and then share what they learned with students and colleagues at their home institutions. Applicants must be faculty or staff at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) or Hispanic-Serving School District (HSSD) to qualify.

Available Fellowships:

Note: All applicants must fully commit to the defined fellowship dates.

Education Fellowship and High School Education Fellowship:

Education Fellowships are for faculty and staff at HSIs. High School Fellowships are for Secondary Education superintendents, principals, agricultural and/or district level teachers working for a Hispanic-Serving School District. Participants attend a one-week program in Washington, DC.

Science Fellowship:

Science Fellowships are for science faculty at HSIs. Science fellows collaborate with leading scientists from either USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) or Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Participants attend a one-week mandatory orientation in Washington, DC, in addition to collaborating with a USDA Research Center within the country for an additional week.

Application Requirements:

Completed Application Form: Handwritten applications will not be accepted, please complete electronically.

Essay: A statement describing your interest in the USDA and how you envision the fellowship will impact you, your institution’s program, and your work with your institution and its community. Finally, describe how you plan to share information acquired during your fellowship with colleagues, students, and other interested individuals.

Resume: Submit a three to four page resume, including educational and professional accomplishments.

Letter of Reference:  Please provide a letter of reference from someone capable of detailing your work and how this fellowship would stand to benefit you and the institution. This should be submitted directly by your reference. It is your responsibility to notify the designated individual of the need to supply this reference and to ensure that they do so before the application’s deadline. 

Statement of Institutional Support:  A statement provided by your institution's President, Chancellor, or equivalent individual capable of making the statement of behalf of your institution, stating their commitment to pay salary and benefits during your participation in this program. This letter should briefly establish that the institution supports your participation in this fellowship and, if applicable, intends to continue those salary and benefits, which would typically be provided during the fellowship period. This should be submitted directly by the individual designated to supply it. It is your responsibility to notify the designated individual of the need to supply this statement and to ensure that they do so before the application’s deadline.

Signed Application Certification Form:  Submitted with your application form, essay, and resume.

Important Dates:

Application Cycle:

March 1, 2021 (all materials must be received by 11:59pm PST on this date)

Fellowships are awarded:

May 2021

Travel to Washington, DC:

June 20, 2021

Education and High School Fellowships:

June 21 – June 25, 2021

Science Fellowship:

June 21 – July 2, 2021

For detailed application instructions, specific qualifications, and application forms, please review the forms and instructions available at https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/12/15/usda-announces-2021-lincoln-leaders-fellowship-opportunities or https://www.usda.gov/partnerships/hispanic-serving-institutions.

Applications should be submitted to hsinp-osec@usda.gov.  For questions, you may also contact Dan Wueste, Fellowship Program Manager, at 202-302-2913 or via email: daniel.wueste@usda.gov.

HACU Member Advisories are a service of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)