USDA Nutrition and Food Workforce for Underrepresented Students (2023-2026)
At the Marilyn Magaram Center, CSUN, we are dedicated to enhancing the skills, knowledge, and career growth of students through comprehensive training and development programs. Our 2023-2026 initiatives are designed to support professional growth, foster collaboration, and drive innovation in the food and agriculture sector.
Project Objectives
- Attract and support students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for food and agriculture careers.
- Increase the number of underrepresented students at LAMC who complete the "Nutrition and Food Skills Certificate of Achievement"
- Provide information and access to food, agricultural and related careers through collaboration with the USDA FNS, FSIS, and WIC as well as job placement in the field of nutrition with a community partner.
- Increase enrollment in and completion of the Associate of Science for Transfer (AS-T) degree in nutrition and dietetics among underrepresented students at LAMC.
Target Population
Undergraduate students currently enrolled at Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) are selected as "fellows" based on:
- Need (being in underrepresented group and/or financial hardship);
- Achievement (past academic, extracurricular activity, and/or work performance);
- Personal statement (motivation and commitment to career in nutrition/foods).
Events
9 LA Mission College mentees were able to attend the 2025 California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Conference in Long Beach. Students were able to attend presentations by various professionals, network with other students, and attended a student reception.
The MMC celebrated the end of the school year with a Pinning Ceremony for students who had completed their programming and internships. The Peer Mentoring Program invited both mentees and mentors to showcase their recipes which they had developed as part of the program.
Each year, student participants of the USDA Nutrition Workforce Pathways Program of Los Angeles Mission College have the opportunity to visit the CSUN’s Marilyn Magaram Center for a tour of their facilities. Students learned about the academic programs CSUN offers in Nutrition and Food Science, student opportunities at CSUN and the MMC, and explored the MMC’s facilities such as the SMART Garden, WIC office, and Body Composition Room. This experience provided valuable experience and inspired the students to pursue higher education in the fields of nutrition and food science.
Mentors
 Visetana Ong |
 Kimberly Aparicio |
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 Pardis Payami |
 Jessica Cabot |
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 Maribel Briones Gonzalez |
 Megan Barcelos |
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 Aracely Siordia |
 Adrian Rubalcava |
|
 Beatriz Viduarre |
 Leslie Marquez |
 Ruby Rodriguez |
 Alexandra Duta |
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 Orlando Monroy |
 Whitney Gibson |
|
 Rebecca Callo |
Staff
 Annette Besnilian, EdD, MPH, RDN, CLE, FAND |
 Jenica Smith, MS
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 Sheri Barke, MPH, RD, CSSD |
 Emely Ordoñez, BS |
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Possible Job & Internship Locations
- Consulting Nutritional Services
- Chef Ann Foundation
- MEIRxRS Food Smart Strategies
- Project Angel Food, and more!
Tours
Resources
- Pathways Presentation
- Pathways Brochure (PDF)
- Pathways Informational Powerpoint (PDF)
- USDA Student Employment Opportunities
- MyPlate Musical Poster (PDF)
Publications
CSUN Today
Magaram Center Nationally Recognized for Efforts to Promote Diversity in Nutrition Careers
CSUN USDA Pathway Students Continue to Shine and Persevere
Graduate and undergraduate fellows in the “Pathways to Success” program attended the 15th annual conference for the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) in Costa Mesa, California on March 5th-7th with Annette Besnilian, Executive Director of the Marilyn Magaram Center (MMC).
Pathways to Success Wins National Award at UEDA Summit
We are thrilled to announce that the Marilyn Magaram Center’s “Pathways to Success” program was selected as the winner in the Talent + Place category for the University Economic Development Association’s (UEDA) 2020 Awards of Excellence!
Get Involved
To learn more about our programs or to participate in upcoming events, please contact us at magaram.center@csun.edu
This work is supported by Nutrition and Food Workforce Pathways for Underrepresented Students [grant no. 2023-67037-40097] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.