Delaware State University (DSU) has officially opened the doors to its new Agilent Hub for Agriculture, Innovation, and Extension, a $19 million facility that promises to reshape agricultural research and training at the historic HBCU.
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The 10,500-square-foot building, located on the former DSU baseball field, was unveiled on Sept. 22 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony packed with students, faculty, state leaders, USDA officials, and corporate partners from Agilent Technologies.
A Powerful Public–Private Partnership
The project reflects an unprecedented collaboration:
- Agilent Technologies has invested $10 million, including $4M in scholarships, $5M in state-of-the-art instrumentation, and $1M for DSU’s first endowed professorship.
- USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) contributed $7.6M, strengthening DSU’s role as one of the nation’s 1890 Land Grant institutions.
- The State of Delaware added $1.5M in support.
DSU President Tony Allen praised Agilent’s rapid commitment, calling the hub “the best instrumentation in the country” for agriculture-focused HBCU research.
Strengthening Black Excellence in STEM
Dr. Cherese Winstead, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, emphasized how rare it is for HBCUs to receive such physical infrastructure investments:
“Not many federal agencies put dollars into physical infrastructure at minority-serving institutions. USDA NIFA made this day happen for DSU students, research, and extension.”
During the event, nearly 20 Agilent Scholars, students receiving scholarships from Agilent Technologies, stood before the crowd as living proof of the partnership’s impact.
National Impact
USDA Deputy Director Rubella Goswami noted that DSU has received $70 million in USDA grants since 2015. “We are investing in the next generation of leaders in food, agriculture, and innovation,” she said.
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Donald Clifton added:
“What is going to be done here will impact not only Delaware, but the nation and globally as well. We don’t know what we don’t know, but soon we will.”
Why It Matters
- For students: Expanded opportunities in agriculture, science, and technology.
- For Delaware: Strengthened research with statewide and national implications for farming, food safety, and environmental sustainability.
- For Black higher ed: A major win for HBCUs, proving how corporate and federal partnerships can level the playing field in research capacity.
The Agilent Hub cements DSU’s place as a national leader among 1890 Land Grant institutions, where cutting-edge innovation meets the mission of empowering diverse and underserved communities.
