Dr. Charles A. Onstad, Director, Southern Plains Area, represents Agricultural Research Service on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Leadership Group. It is the vision of the USDA/HACU Leadership Group to achieve, through interdisciplinary teamwork and collaboration with the public and private sectors, significant and equitable improvements in equal employment and educational opportunities to the Hispanic community. This partnership enables USDA and HACU to jointly carry out common goals of promoting opportunities and delivering quality services effectively and equitable to the Hispanic community.

In this endeavor, the Hispanic Employment Program Manager for the Southern Plains Area works very closely with the USDA Liaison Officers to Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in recruiting students for employment opportunities and various programs within ARS and in coordinating programs and activities of mutual interest between the HSI consortium and ARS. Several Specific Cooperative Agreements have been entered into between ARS and the HSIs; several cooperative education programs have been initiated between ARS and the HSIs; and ARS continues to participate in HACUs E. Kika De La Garza Internship Program, which provides HSI college students the opportunity to gain experience and explore employment opportunities with ARS.