CISC HBCU Fellowship Program

Developing
the Next Generation
of Ag Professionals

A partnership with the Inter-Institutional Network for Food, Agriculture and Sustainability (INFAS, hosted at UC Davis), will augment ongoing Tuskegee University efforts to develop the next generation of Ag Professionals. Selected candidates pursuing advanced degrees in agriculture, natural resources, or related fields will receive $6,000.00, mentoring, and professional development opportunities as part of this program. The development of this opportunity is part of CISC’s efforts to leverage partnerships with various entities to meet mutual goals around the development of the agriculture sector.

The Partnership Between CISC and INFAS

Pairs students with faculty and collaborators to support the development/refinement of food systems research
Leverages networks to identify strategic presentation and extracurricular opportunities inclined towards student goals

Hones best practices for institutional and organizational partnerships designed to
Cultivates the next generation of Black leaders in food and agriculture

Lisa Maffia standing posing for the camera

2024-25 CHFP

The 2024-25 CHFP brought a talented applicant pool of 40 scholars from 9 HBCUs. Our fellowship acceptance rate for 2024-25 was 45% for the Fellows and Honorees. In total, the CISC selected 8 fellows and 10 honorees. Our fellows represent 5 different HBCUs, 6 disciplines, and include 2 PhD candidates, 5 Master’s candidates, and 1 Juris Doctor candidate. Our honorees represent 5 different HBCUs, 9 disciplines, and include 2 PhD candidates and 8 Master’s candidates.

Honorees and Fellows presented their research via poster and oral presentations at the Professional Ag Workers Conference (PAWC) in November 2024 with expenses paid by the CHFP Fellowship. Two of our Fellows, Joel Alabi of the North Carolina A&T State University, and Johnpaul Kagulire of Tuskegee University, both won third place in both the poster and oral presentations during the Gamma Sigma Delta Student Competition.

Email Us: chfp@tuskegee.edu

The 2024–2025 CHFP Fellows are sowing bold futures in agriculture, even as the soil grows more contested.

Across HBCU campuses and the food systems they study and serve, these fellows rise — graduate students who are researchers, organizers, storytellers, and visionaries.

This year’s CHFP cohort brings together Master’s and PhD students from across the South and beyond — each pursuing degrees in agriculture, food systems, and natural resources. They’ve been selected not only for academic rigor, but for a commitment to transforming food and land systems through a lens of equity, history, and hope.

Through the Carver Integrative Sustainability Center (CISC) at Tuskegee University and the Inter-Institutional Network for Food, Agriculture and Sustainability (INFAS) at UC Davis, this fellowship provides financial support, mentorship, and a platform for these students to amplify their research and roots. With guidance from INFAS faculty mentors and CISC’s ongoing professional development, these Fellows engage a year-long journey that deepens their impact and hones their vision.

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Castanea HBCU Fellowship Program | 2024–2025 Cohort

Current Fellows 2024–2025

The 2024–2025 CHFP Fellows are emerging leaders spanning legal, scientific, and community disciplines, committed to transforming food systems through research, policy, and advocacy. They bring diverse expertise to tackle challenges in equity and sustainability.

Previous CHFP
2023–2024 | 2022–2023

Current Honorees

Our Honorees advance food sovereignty, equity, and justice through groundbreaking research and leadership across microbiology, agroecology, and nutrition.