DOVER, DE- Delaware State University held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday to celebrate the opening of its Agilent Hub for Agriculture, Innovation, and Extension.
The $20 million hub, nearly a decade in the making, was made possible through a combination of funding: Agilent Technologies donated $5 million in instrumentation and $4 million in scholarships, the USDA contributed $7.6 million toward construction, and the state of Delaware added $1.5 million.
Students, staff, and community members gathered to welcome the new center, which focuses on emerging technologies and the future of farming.
The center will support advanced research and foster innovation across academic disciplines, encouraging individual and collaborative projects. DSU leaders say it will give students access to state-of-the-art equipment, robotics, and other technologies previously unavailable on campus.
STEM graduate student Destiny King, one of the scholars at the event, says the long-awaited hub is already transforming research.
"We have some of the best equipment on the East Coast in that room over there. And it's not just for agriculture — different departments come together."
King added that the hub opens new doors for students, supporting future research opportunities.
"One of the machines over there can detect particles parts per trillion, which is amazing. So we could definitely look into more experiments."
Delaware State University merged its sciences and agriculture programs several years ago, laying the foundation for the hub.
Cherese Winstead, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology at Delaware State University, says the hub fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration and prepares students in technology and STEM for the future of farming.
"You see the Computer Science students working with the Agriculture students. They use AI to create what we call the 21st-century agriculture. And those are the ones that are going to come up with the solutions for tomorrow."
Winstead says the hub will benefit students with research and technology while supporting local farmers and the broader community.
"It's really important that we understand and make the community aware that they are open and willing to bring in soil and water samples — that is community engagement. That support helps our local farmers and stakeholders."
Sally Frank, of Agilent Technologies, says supporting Delaware’s leading industry and student research is vital for the future of farming and technology.
"It is a game-changer. The fact that these students can get on these instruments — it's really helping the greater community because farmers, local farmers can come."
Earlier this year, DSU opened the Early Childhood Innovation Center (ECIC) in June. This state-of-the-art facility serves as a hub for early learning, workforce development, and childcare across Delaware.
The Agilent Hub for Agriculture, Innovation, and Extension's opening today marks the second major new building on DSU's campus in more than a decade.