NextGen
Building The Future U.S. Workforce
Hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the NextGen program is a collaboration of four universities committed to creating a pipeline for the next generation of professionals in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences through leadership development, international experiential learning, outreach and engagement.
From Learning to Leading, Cultivating the Next Generation of Food and Agriculture Professionals, or “NextGen” program, enables these institutions to engage, recruit, retain, train and support students interested in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences (FANH) careers, which includes the future U.S. Department of Agriculture workforce. This NextGen effort is led by partner institutions: UMES, Florida A&M University, South University A&M College and Kentucky State University.
This project will be primarily carried out through United States and international experiential learning, outreach and engagement programs.
NextGen Broad Goals
Develop and nurture partnerships between the universities and organizations to build the future workforce in FANH and allied disciplines.
Establish and maintain effective and responsive outreach and engagement projects including student career development activities, and an understanding of the processes and pathways of federal employment.
Develop innovative recruitment, training and retention initiatives, including student scholarship projects and leadership development activities to attract more students to FANH fields.
Design and implement paid, impactful experiential learning projects for students to better understand the wide array of opportunities across the FANH and allied disciplines while developing their professional skills and academic training.
NextGen Summer Research Program
The UMES NextGen program is offering paid research internship opportunity to undergraduates this summer.
The paid internships ($3,000 stipend + housing + meals) offer opportunities to conduct faculty-mentored research, build oral and written communication skills, attend professional development workshops and seminars, and engage in peer mentoring and networking.
Students will be required to report their research at the end of summer symposium. These activities will enhance your undergraduate academic experience.
Program Dates
The UMES NextGen summer research program will run for 10 weeks, from Monday, June 1, 2026 to Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. All participants must be present and active during the entire 10-week period.
Program Requirements
To successfully complete the program AND receive the full summer stipend, each participant must fulfill the following requirements:
- Attend Summer Research Orientation.
- Attend weekly program meetings, including professional development workshops.
- Participate in mentored research and program activities (25-30 hours per week, with 25 hours as the minimum recommended)
- Submit bi-weekly research training records.
- Present (oral and poster) at the REU Research Symposium.
Eligibility
To be considered for participation in the summer research program, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:
- Declared major in an eligible Agriculture or related STEM discipline at UMES
- Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Be in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Have completed at least two semesters of college at the time of application
(Preferential consideration is given to undergraduate students who have no previous research experience.)
Application Instructions
- Complete the application at University of Maryland Eastern Shore NextGen REU – Summer 2026 – Fill out form
- Submit required essay explaining why you want to participate in the NexGen Program and how participation in this program will impact your STEM degree/pathway and future career goals.
- Submit your resume
- Submit unofficial copy of most recent transcript
- Arrange to have a faculty member complete a letter of recommendation on your behalf. The letter should be completed by a STEM professor who knows you well and who is familiar with your academic performance and STEM-related career goals. The recommendation should be emailed to Dr. Tracy Bell, tdbell@umes.edu by the due date.
- An interview (online or in-person) may be required.
Application Deadline
Friday, March 25, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. (Incomplete applications will not be considered.)
Contact
Dr. Tracy Bell, NextGen Program Coordinator, at tdbell@umes.edu
NextGen Impact
The NextGen program aims to fulfill its mission of cultivating the next generation of FANH professionals with these metrics:
- Partnerships
- Students Pathways to Federal Employment
- Student Recruitment and Retention
- Curricula Development
- Data Management
- Program Evaluation
More On NextGen
Science Research Sizzles at UMES Summer Symposium
Contact Us
Dr. Stephan Tubene
Phone: 410-651-6168
Email: sltubene@umes.edu
NextGen work is supported by funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act. NextGen is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
