UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez have signed a memorandum of understanding that paves the way for a wide range of collaborative programs between the two institutions.

A Penn State delegation of nine recently visited Puerto Rico to formalize the agreement and meet with their counterparts at UPR-M.

"Partnerships such as this strengthen both institutions and often lead to unique and creative programs," says Robert Steele, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. "We're excited about the scientific, educational and cultural exchanges that this will make possible."

The five-year, renewable agreement will facilitate cooperative initiatives in teaching, research and outreach, according to Cathy Lyons, the college's assistant to the dean for diversity. "We have had links with UPR-M for nearly 30 years," Lyons says. "This agreement cements our relationship and opens the door to expanded opportunities for our respective students and faculty members."

One of the first exchanges under the new agreement will be participation by Puerto Rican students in Penn State's Summer Research Opportunity Program. The program, initiated in 1986 by the Big Ten Conference's Committee on Institutional Cooperation, is aimed at encouraging talented undergraduates -- primarily from under-represented ethnic minorities -- to pursue graduate school in agricultural and related science disciplines.

For the next three years, at least three undergraduates from UPR-M will travel to Penn State to participate in summer research under a faculty mentor in the College of Agricultural Sciences. "UPR-M has exceptional students, and past participants have fared very well in our graduate programs," says Ann Dodd, the college's assistant dean for strategic initiatives. "In fact, several faculty members and department heads at UPR-M received their graduate training in our college."

The relationship between the two universities also has benefited Penn State undergraduates. Since the 1970s, students in a course titled "Problem Solving in Tropical Agriculture" have traveled to Puerto Rico for 10 days during the spring semester to partner with UPR-M students and study local agricultural operations, culminating in the completion of a needs assessment called a participatory rural appraisal. "This course helps prepare our students for work with international businesses, the Peace Corps or government agencies," says Lyons.

Dodd notes that in addition to student and faculty exchanges, the new agreement could lead to joint research projects in such areas as horticulture, entomology, plant pathology, agronomy and soil science. "Each institution will be able to take advantage of the other's strengths, enhancing opportunities for both," she says.

Adds Deanna Behring, director of international programs for the College of Agricultural Sciences, "Our partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, one of this country's foremost Hispanic-serving institutions, will also augment the work of our Latino Agricultural Resource Center by affording us new capability in the form of jointly developed programs to serve a range of Spanish-speaking audiences."

In addition to Dodd and Lyons, members of the college's delegation that visited Puerto Rico to culminate the agreement were Wilma Aponte-Cordero, graduate student in entomology; Barbara Christ, head of the Department of Plant Pathology; Gary Felton, head of the Department of Entomology; Marcos Fernandez, associate dean for undergraduate education; Isabel Hanson, program coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean; Richard Marini, head of the Department of Horticulture; and David Sylvia, head of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.

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Chuck Gill 814-863-2713 cdg5@psu.edu