WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the selection of 20 undergraduate and graduate students as the 2024 winners of the USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture program. The selected students hail from land-grant universities and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI).
“The Future Leaders Program is at the heart of our efforts to cultivate an agricultural workforce as diverse as America itself,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These students represent the exciting future of agriculture, and USDA is committed to fostering their development which is essential to ensuring a robust and sustainable food system.”
Now in its 17th year, the USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture program is aimed at undergraduates and graduate students majoring in agriculture-related subjects, including business, economics, communications, nutrition, food science, and pre-veterinary studies. The program seeks students who exhibit leadership at their university or in their community. For their applications, undergraduate students wrote essays on “Agriculture as a Career,” while graduate students explored “The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”
Program winners will travel to Washington, D.C., in February to tour the nation’s capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. They will also participate in several USDA briefings, gaining numerous opportunities for career development with leaders at USDA.
Dedicated to building and sustaining the next generation of agriculturalists, the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program is supported by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Farm Credit and USDA agencies.
The 2024 Future Leaders Program winners are:
Undergraduate
|
Name |
Hometown |
University |
University Type* |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alaina Brock |
Raleigh, N.C. |
North Carolina A&T State University |
1890 |
|
Jaclyn Bryant |
Frederick, Md. |
Purdue University |
1862 |
|
Emma Chaplin |
Camp Hill, Pa. |
Pennsylvania State University |
1862 |
|
Hugh Clarke |
Spokane, Wash. |
Oregon State University |
1862 |
|
Alan Cruz |
Yuma, Ariz. |
University of Arizona Yuma |
HSI |
|
Donovan Grady |
Mardela Springs, Md. |
University of Maryland Eastern Shore |
1890 |
|
Kylee Henneberry |
Hartford, Wisc. |
West Texas A&M University |
HSI |
|
Johanna Hibma |
Winton, Calif. |
California State University, Stanislaus |
HSI |
|
Kaitlynn Hughes |
Royse City, Texas |
Texas A&M University |
HSI |
|
Jayland Jones |
Lufkin, Texas |
Prairie View A&M University |
1890 |
|
Terrell Mason |
Lake Charles, La. |
Southern University |
1890 |
|
Kevin Painchaud |
Bedford, Va. |
Virgina Tech |
1862 |
|
EmmaRae Parsons |
Moscow, Idaho |
University of Idaho |
1862 |
|
Randall Pickering |
Orangeburg, S.C. |
South Carolina State University |
1890 |
|
Benjamin Steller |
Tucson, Ariz. |
Northern Arizona University |
HSI |
Graduate
|
Name |
Hometown |
University |
University Type* |
|---|---|---|---|
|
John Bagwell |
Rome, Ga. |
University of Georgia |
1862 |
|
Katie Dames |
Flossmoor, Ill. |
Tuskegee University |
1890 |
|
Danielle Klawitter |
Santa Cruz, Calif. |
University of California Santa Cruz |
HSI |
|
Lidia Komondy |
Grand Rapids, Mich. |
Cornell University |
1862 |
|
Zachary Williams |
Lanham, Md. |
University of Maryland Eastern Shore |
1890 |
(*1862 land-grant universities, 1890 land-grant universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions)
Learn more about the Future Leaders Program and register for the 2024 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production and fairer markets for all producers. USDA is dedicated to ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers. In order to reach these goals, USDA encourages the use of climate smart food and forestry practices. USDA is making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and is committed to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.