We have designed the Women and Minorities in STEM-Addressing Climate-Smart Solutions (WAMS-ACS2) program to work in partnership with faculty at Butte College to guide and inform Butte College students through experiential learning about career opportunities in food and agriculture, enhance their transfer to a food and agriculture major at UC Davis (or other 4-year institution), and provide experiential research in plant sciences, viticulture and enology, food sciences, agricultural biotechnology, or postharvest biology.

WAMS-ACS2 scholars have an opportunity to collaborate with UC Davis and Butte College faculty, and to share their knowledge with their peers at Butte College and the local community in Butte and Glenn Counties.

Ultimately, we hope to develop future agricultural leaders who will bridge and strengthen these connections. 

Specifically, our program seeks to…

• Provide educational experiences that address the needs of a diverse and changing world. Butte College scholars will engage in experiential learning that supports preparation for diverse careers in food and agriculture.
   
• Enable impactful, multidisciplinary research that supports a healthy planet, people, and communities. Scholars in the WAMS-ACS2 program will participate in cutting-edge research in areas of food and agriculture that focus on feeding a global population in sustainable and equitable ways. UC Davis is a leader in global agriculture, ranked as the #1 U.S. agricultural school, and 2^nd in the world.
   
• Embrace inclusive excellence and equity, cultivate the open interchange of ideas, and promote innovation, inclusiveness, and collaboration. Scholars will participate in research, workshops, and training experiences that support development of leadership skills, creation of inclusive communities of belonging, and opportunities for sharing of diverse experiences and knowledge with peers. 
   
• Support impactful partnerships. The WAMS-ACS2 will enhance understanding of educational requirements for transfer and develop student leaders who can return to Butte College as Ambassadors to support understanding of career paths in food and agricultural disciplines.
   
• Create an environment that extends the benefits of research activities beyond the boundaries of the university. In keeping with UC Davis’ mission to engage in local communities, at the end of the summer internship experience, scholars, UC Davis research mentors, and Butte College collaborators will host a community workshop at Butte College to foster robust idea exchange.