FIU takes D.C.

FIU agroecology students Bianca Bonilla, Nall Moonilall, Kristine Matos, Haydee Borrero, Eric Betancourt and Ayman Elyasin pose in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Students from the FIU Agroecology Program visited Washington, D.C., to take part in the Multicultural Scholars (MSP) and National Needs Fellows (NNF) Programs Project Directors Annual Meeting in March.

The conference was sponsored by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The undergraduates from the Earth and Environment Department, led by Krish Jayachandrian, had the opportunity to tour USDA headquarters, network with other students and industry leaders, and present their current research during a poster session. They also made time to explore the nation’s capital and its famous landmarks.

“I had never been to D.C. before, so my favorite part of the trip was visiting the historic spots, like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial,” said Eric Betancourt, a senior majoring in environmental studies.

FIU is a partner in NIFA’s Multicultural Scholars Program and the National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Program. These programs provide funding and training to students from underrepresented groups in the food and agricultural sciences.

“I was very proud to represent FIU and the agroecology program at the conference,” said Nall Moonillal. “It was great sharing information about our program and school with other students there. Going to Washington was a unique experience; we were exposed to many wonderful sights that our country has to offer. I just felt very proud to represent FIU in the capital.”