The 11-member Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Chapter at Texas Tech University's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has been awarded a $1,000 grant from the CHS Foundation, funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc, a farmer-owned cooperative and diversified company that provides grain, food and energy resources to businesses and consumers around the world.

The grant is being utilized to assist the Tech students with travel expenses related to last November's Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Leaders Conference in Kansas City, said Ever Macias, CASNR's Coordinator of Diversity. "We're extremely grateful for this grant that has allowed students to take advantage of this professional development opportunity, and network with industry leaders," he said.

The CHS Foundation is focused on developing a new generation of agriculture leaders for life. As part of that effort, the CHS Foundation supports projects like this to cultivate opportunity through university partnerships and support students studying agriculture.

Student leaders in the MANRRS chapter include:
• President – Rohan Brown, a graduate student from St. Catherine, Jamaica
• Vice President – Dane Rivas, a junior from Tahoka, Texas
• Treasurer – Ellora Vela, a sophomore from Penitas, Texas
• Secretary – Pierce Nibaud, a graduate student from Côte d'Ivoire (Africa)

The AFA provides personal and professional development programs to college students and young professionals in agriculture, Macias said. These efforts address 21 core competencies that AFA and its partners have identified as key skills for agriculture professionals.

The Michigan-based MANRRS organization supports endeavors that foster and promote the agricultural sciences and related fields in a positive manner among ethnic minorities. Program officials note the non-profit organization attempts to provide networks to support professional development of minorities, as well as offer a springboard for their entry into and advancement in careers where they otherwise could be lost in the sheer number and established connections of mainstream participants.

CONTACT: Cindy Akers, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu

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