2023-2024 Innovation of the Year Award Winner: Merced College

The AgTEC Innovation Center

Merced College’s AgTEC Innovation Center is a groundbreaking initiative. This state-of-the-art facility integrates cutting-edge meat, nut, fruit, and vegetable processing, complemented by advanced nutrition facilities linking research and development to end products. A forthcoming retail farm market will enrich our community. Industry relevance takes center stage with autonomous equipment crafting value-added agriculture products. This visionary initiative adopts competency-based education, developed collaboratively with six other California Community Colleges that are part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Campaign. Working closely with industry leaders, the curriculum is finely tuned to address our community's and industry's evolving needs. In the rapidly expanding field of advanced manufacturing, the AgTEC Innovation Center seamlessly merges education, technology, and community impact.

Innovators

  • Jill Cunningham, Vice President, External Relations, and Executive Director, Foundation
  • Garrick Grace, Dean, Innovation
  • Cody Jacobsen, Director, Agricultural Innovation
  • Bryan Tassey, Dean, Career Technical Education
  • Chris Vitelli, Superintendent/President
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