The useful question is what changes for users, developers or buyers, and whether the announcement stays industry context or becomes something people can actually use.

Joy Rutledge, a Spelman College graduate, used the program to merge her computer science skills with environmental research, studying how flooding in the Tulare Lake basin improved air quality and public health. The fellowship, developed with Spelman and Tuskegee, offers stipends, housing, and graduate school support, including UC system funding for doctoral students. Rutledge will begin a Ph.D. at Berkeley this fall, combining her dual interests in climate and environmental justice.

The program, now in its sixth year, has expanded beyond food systems to include urban ecology, forestry, and water justice. Fellows participate in field trips, such as one to Allensworth, a historically Black farming community, where Rutledge’s research on the lake’s reappearance and its health impacts began. The fellowship cohort of seven students in 2026 reflects its growth from four in 2022, with alumni supporting each other during and after the program.

Fellows gain hands-on research experience while receiving year-round mentorship, including workshops on graduate school applications and networking. Evan Fewell, a Tuskegee student, conducted jumping spider research and credited the program with clarifying graduate school pathways, including funding options and application timelines. Fewell, an Army ROTC cadet, now considers a career in wildlife research and graduate studies on the West Coast.

Ryan Riley, a Morehouse student planning to lead his own lab, used the fellowship to gain his first formal research experience, studying Argentine ants in California. The program’s structure—combining research, mentorship, and graduate school preparation—has helped fellows navigate academic and career transitions, regardless of their prior graduate school intentions. Berkeley researchers also benefit from collaborating with HBCU students, enhancing their mentorship skills.