Mariaelena Marcano Selected for National USDA Partnership Fellowship

Mariaelena Marcano, internship compliance coordinator and general studies faculty member,  was selected as one of 25 faculty and staff from Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the nation as a 2021 E. Kika De La Garza Fellow. This week she begins the prestigious summer fellowship program that offers experiences in policymaking and research through direct interaction with every USDA agency.

“I hope to find new funding avenues and partnerships to sustain and support applied academic learning experiences for future and current students, and alumni,” Marcano said. “My interest and vision are to expand funding opportunities and build relationships within USDA to support Cal State East Bay.” 

Marcano is specifically interested in gaining resources for early learning experiences for high school students, bridging the gaps through STEM internship opportunities, and developing an urban agriculture program with farm-to-table applied learning experiences for students and community members.

The Education Fellows will experience firsthand the education policy making process and build linkages to research and funding opportunities. In addition to meeting with USDA personnel, Marcano and other fellows will connect with federal agencies and organizations such as the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Marcano is an advisor to multicultural and Latinx-centered Greek organizations at Cal State East Bay, and a committee member in the Chicanx Latinx Staff & Faculty Association (CLSFA). She oversees compliance for the CSU EO1064 internships for academic credit guidelines, CSSP summer internship placement program, Internship Week, Summer Internship Boot Camps, and Career Success Week. She is also the co-principal investigator for the Cal State East Bay WIOA grant in partnership with Ohlone College.