Apply now! Become a Scholar in the Cultivate ACCESS program
What is the Cultivate ACCESS program?
This is an innovative program that can help connect current high school freshmen, sophomores and junior students with mentors (via distance) and help them discover and find a place for themselves within the agricultural industry. The program is designed to help Nebraska students from diverse backgrounds and who have a particular interest/aptitude in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and agriculture-related areas to discover career path possibilities and network with current industry professionals and university students.
Who should apply?
Ideal Scholars are any high school student who is open to learning more about careers in STEM. Scholars do not need to have a background or prior experience in STEM. This program is designed to target students who belong to groups of people that are underrepresented in the STEM-ag career fields, which includes women and cultural and/or ethnic minorities.
Scholar applications open in the summer for the next academic year.
Who are the Scholars?
Scholars are high school sophomores or juniors who are interested in learning more about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) from professionals who are like them and working in these areas. Each year, scholars will be selected to participate in the Cultivate ACCESS program.
Who should apply? Ideal Scholars are any student who is open to learning more about careers in STEM. Scholars do not need to have a background or prior experience in STEM. This program is designed to target students who identify with groups of people that are underrepresented in the STEM-ag career fields.
High School Scholars
What did past Scholars have to say about the program?
What was most rewarding with Scholars
As important as it is to be surrounded by peers and professionals, it’s also equally important to be surrounded by people younger than you. [Cultivate ACCESS] was like passing the baton backwards. [What was rewarding about working with CA scholars] was being a guide for them and a lifeline if they need it or if they have any questions about their future. It was the relationship building with them.
Diverse workforce
Cultivate ACCESS is awesome because you get to work with people all over the state and all over the university. [Cultivate ACCESS] gave me the importance of diversity and how people from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences can come together and share views and advice.
What was rewarding with Mentors
[What was rewarding with mentors was] building relationships and communication with them. A few have been really helpful for coming to see what they do every day, what doing STEM is like in education, or agriculture, and it was a great basis for figuring out jobs and careers.
Ambassador expectations
[Cultivate ACCESS] has been interesting. I got to meet a lot of kids outside my home community and within Nebraska. I have really enjoyed it and I think team has done a great job guiding us to be the best ambassador we can be. I really enjoyed working with [Cultivate ACCESS] team. I found them to be interactive and committed to making the program better than what it was when it started. I learned from everyone and they learned from us.
Leadership Team
[The Cultivate ACCESS leadership team] are the most incredible team to work with because they are all committed to the program. They smile, make jokes, they were really into the program. Also, they were trying to see how we can develop as ambassadors. The leaders were invested in us and helped us to utilize the experience for our development.