Rhode Island Nursery And Landscape Institute

LEAD APPLICANT, THE RHODE ISLAND NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE, THE NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ARM OF THE RHODE ISLAND NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION, AND CO-LEAD PROJECT DIRECTOR RHODE ISLAND FOOD POLICY COUNCIL ("THE PARTNERSHIP") ARE COLLABORATING WITH COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, STATE AGENCIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS - IN AN INNOVATIVE PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP - TO DEFINE, DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT CURRICULUM FOR A TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE FOCUSED ON AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND. THE GOAL OF THIS ALLIANCE IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH CROSS-DISCIPLINARY EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES GROUNDED IN SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY WITH CURRICULUM THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BASED ON INDUSTRY INPUT AND DEMAND FOR A WORKFORCE TRAINED FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.OUR ANTICIPATED PROJECT AUDIENCE WILL BE DRAWN FROM GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS WELL AS UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS. THE PROJECT PARTNERS ARE COLLABORATING WITH ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING THESE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS' WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND VALUE THEIR EXPERTISE IN WORKING IN URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL SETTINGS AND BUILDING CLEAR LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND PROGRAMS THAT STRUCTURALLY DEMAND STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.THIS 2-YEAR DEGREE WILL LINK TO EXISTING HIGHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND AND ALSO STRENGTHEN PIPELINE CONNECTIVITY TO THE RI NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION'S AWARD-WINNING AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES JOB-BASED TRAINING WHERE PARTICIPANTS CAN EARN WHILE THEY LEARN. RHODE ISLAND'S SMALL SCALE MAKES IT A PERFECT LABORATORY FOR TRIALING NEW STRATEGIES AND IMPROVING EXISTING STRATEGIES, WHICH CALL FOR CREATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR ADOPTION BY OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS.PROJECT TITLE:GROWING A 2-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE: STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY CREATING CAREER PATHWAYS TO LIVING WAGE JOBS IN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS.PRIMARY AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY (1):AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY.PROJECT DURATION:3 YEARS.PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:SHANNON BRAWLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RHODE ISLAND NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE AND RHODE ISLAND NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION - LEAD APPLICANT AND CO-LEAD PROJECT DIRECTOR.NESSA J. RICHMAN, NETWORK DIRECTOR, RHODE ISLAND FOOD POLICY COUNCIL- CO-LEAD PROJECT DIRECTOR.SUBMITTING ORGANIZATION:RHODE ISLAND NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE.OTHER ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN PROJECT:DR. ROSEMARY COSTIGAN, VICE PRESIDENT ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, AND DR. CHRISTINE TURENIUS-BELL, CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY, COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND.DR. JOHN KIRBY, DEAN, COLLEGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND LIFE SCIENCES, AND DR. DEBORAH SHEELY, ASSOCIATE DEAN, COLLEGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND LIFE SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND.SCOTT JENSEN, DIRECTOR, AND LAURA HASTINGS, REAL JOBS GRANT ADVISOR, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING.SUE ANDERBOIS, DIRECTOR OF FOOD STRATEGY, STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.STEPHEN OSBORN, CHIEF FOR INNOVATION, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.JANET COIT, DIRECTOR, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, AND KEN AYARS, CHIEF, DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.ANDREW CORTEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND.PROJECT TO BE ADMINISTERED ATCOMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND AND UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND. NUMBER OF ANTICIPATED PARTICIPANTS PER YEAR:YEAR 1: N/A; YEAR 2: N/A AND YEAR 3: 200 (SEE NOTE AT "OUTPUTS")