Progress 06/01/23 to 05/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The impact of grant spans different levels of undergraduate students in ways that match their skill set and developmental trajectory. We have intentionally positioned students to gain as much from their experiences as possible. As such, the target audience for the scholars program and Living Learning Community (LLC) is primarily incoming first-year students who have an interest (major or minor) in environmental science. Current first or second-year students were also accepted to maximize the number of scholarships and participation in the program. Because of their experience, upperclassmen ESS students assumed leadership roles (peer mentor, LLC coordinator) and obtained academic scholarships and internships. Transfer students from local community colleges were recruited for the program and will receive transfer scholarships if eligible. How members of the target audience(s) are reached, recruited, and retained in the context of the project activities To engage as many students as possible in ways that maximize the benefits to each student, the project team has diversified its approach to recruitment and retention. High school outreach Dr. Salas and Prof. Bynum speak directly with interested students primarily in San Antonio University Preview Days Dr. Salas and Prof. Bynum promote the program and distribute materials to interested students and parents attending these events held for incoming first-year students(??). Social Media TExAS FAST has multiple social media pages promoting events, activities, and spotlighting students promoted and highlighted. These social media pages highlight the benefits of participating in the Living Learning Community and the experiences that potential students can expect if they apply and are accepted into the program. Interdepartmental coordination Dr. Salas & Prof. Bynum work with the offices of recruitment, admissions, residence life, and student affairs to effectively promote the project to all potential and incoming students. Innovative recruitment, retention, and initiatives that attract students to majors and career paths in FAHN sciences. The primary innovation that has emerged from our efforts is the Associate TExAS FAST Scholars program, which is used for students who want to participate in the program but are not eligible to receive stipends and scholarships either because they are far advanced in their undergraduate program or because they are international students. Through this program, students receive mentoring, social experiences, research experiences as other participants; however, they do not receive the stipends/scholarships due to ineligibility. There is currently one student in the Associate TExAS FAST Scholars program with the goal of adding more to advance retention. Additionally, a new course was created for Fall 2024: BIOL1409 - Environmental Science & Sustainability I. This course means OLLU's ESS program, appropriately, now has a full year of introductory Environmental Science & Sustainability as part of its ESS major and minor programs. Changes/Problems:With every project, there are unforeseen complications that make implementation more difficult than anticipated. In our case, we have come to realize the following: Faculty Workload: The faculty working on the grant do not have enough time to devote to the project to execute it as intended. Insufficient USDA-specific Program Activities: Our students have called attention to the need to increase the number of opportunities for them to participate in discipline-focused activities. Communication with Partners: We have experienced some difficulty getting a response from the local NRCS office. Connecting students with summer experiential learning activities: We recognize the tremendous value students derive from these activities, but it has been more challenging than expected to connect students with these opportunities. Students need more hands-on help with finding and applying to these opportunities. Additionally, our students were rejected from several of the programs they applied to, or still haven't heard back (in late May) How we have addressed the challenges We have learned a great deal during this past year and have recognized the obstacles that stand in the way of optimizing implementation. This has led to the following steps to mitigate those issues: Hired a full-time Gants Activities Manager (GAM) We are in the final stages of bringing this person on board. As a full-time staff member, the GAM will have time to connect with USDA contacts and to spend with students researching and applying to summer experiential learning opportunities. Actively focus on more USDA programming in the next year We will be bringing in USDA contacts from internships to give virtual seminars. We will also provide virtual seminars by Dr. Brian Washburn (Wildlife Research Biologist USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Ohio) and Alex Toder (Soil Conservationist/Scientist with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service in West Texas). Explanation of actual vs. estimated outcomes Overall, we have made substantial progress in achieving our goals. However, we only had 7 scholars in Year 1, which fell short of our goal of 15. This was due to receiving the grant June 1st. With that timeline we only had until August 14th to recruit students, make, implement, and review applications, and onboard new scholars. We have made up the difference in Year 2 by accepting 23 scholars instead of 15, which still gives us a total of 30 scholars for cohorts 1 and 2. I should be noted that recruitment for Cohort 2 began immediately (~September 2023) and the efforts were very successful. We ended up with 27 applications for cohort 2, which would have been highly competitive had we only had the intended 15 spots to award. Additionally, because of the timeline of the program roll out, we had to push the CURE workshop from May 2023 to May 2024. Due to that, faculty are implementing CURE curriculum in academic year 24-25 (instead of 23-24), which explains why we have not purchased all laboratory equipment and consumables related to curriculum changes. We also would like to note that some outcomes cannot be reported at this time (summer research experiences, for example) because the first cohort has only completed Year 1 and many activities expected to affect outcomes are scheduled for Years 2-4. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A core element of our theory of change is that students who are exposed to professional development activities will experience psychosocial changes that, when combined with knowledge and skill development, and networking will result in increased perseverance, a greater commitment to USDA-careers, and better chances of graduating in a USDA-related discipline. We have put this logic into action and, when possible, provided developmentally appropriate opportunities for program participants to organize and lead the activities. Some of our accomplishments thus far include: Texas Academy of Science Conference 2024 - Odessa, TX: The PIs, Dr. Salas and Prof. Bynum, presented about the TExAS FAST scholars' program, which allowed for the dissemination of knowledge we have accrued because of this project. In addition, 5 scholars attended the conference. Follow-up focus group data indicated that this event significantly impacted their eagerness to engage in research and their self-efficacy in doing so. BIOL3100 - Careers in Environmental Science Seminar: Ten ESS students were enrolled in the course, which featured 10 seminar speakers in Environmental Science careers. Focus group participants also remarked that the speakers had a robust influence on their satisfaction with the TExAS FAST program. Workshops via Center for Career Development and Testing: Three workshops were held, giving students professional development opportunities interviewing, resume development, and internship identification. These workshops gave students the soft skills necessary to confidently compete for potential internships. CURE/IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility) workshop for faculty: A critical element of our project design is ensuring that the personnel carrying out grant activities are doing so with a culturally responsive orientation. To this end, 25 interdisciplinary faculty, the Center for Teaching Excellence Director, and the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs/Professor of Chemistry were trained in IDEA-based Classroom-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) methodologies with the goal of completing curriculum redesigns for their 2024-2025 classes. AgOutlook Forum 2024: Rachel Dzuiba, who completed an internship with Dr. Gianna Short USDA-FPAC, traveled to attend the forum in Washington, DC. This exposure inspired Rachel to continue her studies in Environmental Analysis and made her excited about a future career in FAHN work. SuSAINTSability Day: Two students (Lauren Daniels and Alexandra Treviño) who are part of the scholar's program collaborated with the grant team and university staff to hold this annual celebration of sustainable and green initiatives in San Antonio. SuSAINTSability?(like sustainability)?Day?is an Earth?Day?celebration that the ESS program held on April 22, 2024 from 12PM-2PM at OLLU. Local organizations that attended had tables set up for students to visit and ask questions. This was an opportunity for local businesses to be able to highlight their sustainable or eco-friendly practices and gain student exposure. This event exposed students on our small campus to the wealth of opportunities available to them in the seventh biggest city in the country. Elmendorf Lake Community Clean-up Day: This community-engaged activity was envisioned, organized, and run by program scholars. Volunteers participated by cleaning up garbage around the lake adjacent to our campus. It was very successful, and scholars plan to hold this event biannually from now on. This event allowed students to realize the power they have as individuals to make an environmental difference in their community. Creation of urban community garden on campus: Due to high demand and interest by program scholars and participants, the project team worked with Issac Norris (Urban Conservationist, USDA-NRCS) to renovate and upgrade the demonstration and community garden on campus. The scholars will run the garden and learn about small business management, urban agriculture, and community relations. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The value of a funded grant is measured in its impact both on the receiving institution and the field generally. To disseminate lessons learned, we have created the following: TExAS FAST Scholars Program website (https://www.ollusa.edu/academics/enrichment-programs/texas-fast-scholars-program/index.html) Environmental Science & Sustainability LLC Website (https://www.ollusa.edu/campus-life/residence-halls-dining/ess-llc.html) TExAS FAST scholars program Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/ollu_texasfast/) TExAS FAST Youtube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJ1EvUl_xjX-lhk7ghCOdQ) In addition, the PIs have engaged students, colleagues, and community members by: Attending 14 recruitment/informational events which touched 1,500+ potential students. Hosting 3 meetings with the community college partner. Presenting about the project at the 2024 Texas Academy of Sciences Conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Consistent with the timeline specified in our grant proposal, we will advance project goals via the following activities, aligned with each project goal: Goal 1: Increase the number of students who declare an ESS major or minor to build a sustainable pipeline of highly qualified persons (HQP) for USDA employment. Activity A: Onboard 23 new TExAS FAST scholars for the 2024-2025 academic year (Cohort II). Activity B: Recruit 15 new scholars for the 2025-2026 academic year (Cohort III) Goal 2: Increase engagement of ESS students through development of an Living Learning Community (LLC), experiential learning opportunities, and employability skills in preparation for USDA careers. Activity A: Hold at least 10 non-formal education activities that cultivate interest in and exposure to careers across FAHN disciplines among youth and other communities of learners on non-traditional academic and career paths, 3 of which will be USDA-focused. Activity B: Cohort 1 scholars participate in Summer 1 experiential learning program (held July/August 2024) to include 5 or more nature immersion events and 3 or more employability skills preparation workshops. Cohorts I and II take classes together in Fall 2024 and build rapport. Goal 3: Retain and graduate ESS students through scholarship, mentorship, equity-driven, and research-focused approaches to STEM education, and internships. Activity A: Dispense a total of 23 TExAS FAST scholars with room & board and educational assistance awards for the 2024-2025 academic year (23 have been offered as of 5/21/2024) - Year 1 of 2 for Cohort II Activity B: Dispense an additional 20 ESS students with academic scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year (20 have been awarded as of 5/21/2024) Activity C: Recruit 15 new TExAS FAST scholars and award each student room & board scholarships and educational assistance awards for the 2025-2026 academic year (Cohort III) Activity D: Award an additional 20 students with academic scholarships for 2025-2026 Activity E: Onboarding 5 peer mentors, 1 living learning community coordinator, and 2 ESS student workers. Activity F: At least 5 courses will be redesigned using CURE designs. Activity G: Project team will coordinate academic and peer mentoring to ensure student retention across ESS program. Activity H: Engage cohort I students in summer 2024 internships with USDA, Southwest Workers Union, and San Antonio River Authority (SARA). Activity I: Work with cohort I students (n=8) to place them into Summer 2 research experiences for Summer 2025.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The grant activities were designed to manifest the goals specified in the narrative. As we demonstrate below, we have made significant progress in implementing those activities, especially given our institution's size and resource capabilities, and the effects can be seen in our progress toward our pre-identified benchmarks and the impact on students. Goal 1: Indicator A: Number of ESS students in 22-23 academic year: (11) Indicator B: Number of ESS students in 23-24 academic year: (24) Indicator C: Number of scholarship applications: (76) Of these twenty-four ESS students, two are scholars that switched from minoring to majoring in ESS after one year in the TExAS FAST program. Their experiences through this program have given them a better understanding of what a FAHN career looks like, and the ability to envision themselves in those roles. Goal 2: Indicator A: Number of classes scholars in the Living Learning Community (LLC) took together (3) Indicator B: Number of LLC social activities (8) Indicator C: Number of experiential learning activities (6) Indicator D: Number of career preparation/exploration activities (24) Indicator E: Number of summer experiential learning opportunities applied to (10) These experiential learning opportunities, such as attending the Texas Academy of Science conference, exposed scholars to professional development and networking activities. This was the first time many students had seen science presented by young people that looked and sounded like them. The built-in social activities allowed students to make friendships during their freshman year that made them more confident and less isolated moving into their sophomore year. Goal 3: Indicator A: Number of academic scholarships awarded (30) Indicator B: Number of room and board scholarships awarded (33) Indicator C: Number of Educational Assistance Awards/Scholarships (32) Indicator D: Number of paid internships (3) Indicator E: Number of Peer and Academic mentors assigned (2 Peer, 6 Academic, resulting in 1594 student contacts) Indicator F: Number of faculty participating in CURE workshop (25); workshop held May 13-15, 2024; 25 faculty, Center for Teaching Excellence Director, and Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs attended Indicator G: Number of courses undergone CURE redesign: 27 Indicator H: Equity-driven activities (1) Indicator I: ESS student retention rate (100%) Indicator J: Number of ESS students graduated (2) A major component of the TExAS FAST project involves engaging students in hands-on context-rich experiential learning opportunities. Therefore, we have made a conscious effort to embed experiential learning into the course curriculum and engage students in dedicated internships and other career development activities. Our efforts have resulted in numerous successful outcomes as described below. Scholarships (95 awarded): The TExAS FAST project has several different scholarships embedded into it. Most notably is the scholars program, in which the grant provides 2-year room and board scholarship, as well as a $24,000 educational assistance award. Students receiving these scholarships are named "TExAS FAST scholars" and participate in social activities together, experiential learning, and career-development activities throughout their four years at OLLU. Below is an excerpt from a student in cohort 1 reflecting on how receiving these scholarships has impacted them so far:"College can be hard as it is, and the scholarship allows me to focus on my priorities rather than finances. It also provided a small community of people that I knew I could rely on, especially as a nervous freshman. To add, it gives me motivation to push and strive for better because I know that I'm part of something bigger than myself. I'm very grateful?for it!"In other words, this scholarship gave students a feeling of belonging in spaces that could otherwise be isolating, especially for first generation college students. Some students also reported that the financial component of this program was the only way it was possible for them to attend OLLU. Internships (3 completed): In summer 2024, Rachel Dzuiba (ESS and Biomathematics) worked with Dr. Gianna Short of the USDA's Farm Loan Program. This program is focused on supporting minority and family farms through providing affordable loans. The following is an excerpt from Rachel's internship reflection."I am truly looking forward to the potential opportunities that this internship has opened to me through knowledge of data gathering/interpreting, Dr. Short's contact with the USDA, and enjoyment of coding. I hope that this experience will help guide me in picking graduate programs in the future as well as make me a more marketable candidate through the certifications in R and Python that I plan to work on through DataCamp. Additionally, I am glad that this internship integrated my Environmental Science and Biomathematics degrees through modeling and working directly with the data. In this way, it makes me more excited for the remainder of my degree, especially for classes such as Mapping the Social World in the Spring (using ArcGIS). While my future career path is not entirely clear, what I want to be doing, in terms of integrating Environmental Science and coding, is much clearer."Rachel's internship gave her the confidence and passion to continue the path towards a career in FAHN work. Thanks to the opportunities her ESS degree and the TExAS FAST program provided, she was accepted into the prestigious Environmental Analysis MS program at Rice University. Outreach Activities (24 career development activities; 9 USDA-specific learning opportunities): A significant portion of the TExAS FAST program involves preparing students to enter the workforce. In order to do that, a number of activities are imbedded into the TExAS FAST and ESS programs as a whole. One component of the ESS program is the BIOL3100 - Careers in Environmental Science Seminar course, where seminars were put on by OLLU's Career Development Center about writing resumes, finding internships, and interviewing for jobs. The following is one student's reflections on the usefulness of these seminars:"They (career development workshops) guided us step by step to get a nice resume or more knowledge and advice about our future jobs. It was very helpful because a lot of people do not know what to do when it comes to job interviews, resumes, meetings, linkedin, etc." Additionally, the TExAS FAST program includes a peer mentor program. Below is one peer mentor's reflection on how she gained leadership experience by planning and coordinating an Earth Day celebration (SuSAINTSability Day) with other members of the TExAS FAST program."I was able to email different local organizations, for example San Antonio River Authority and the San Antonio Food Bank, as well as OLLU organizations, and get them to take part in our event. This event had 14 different organizations with tables in our mall area, and students were able to go visit each table and win a free meal ticket. This event really helped me develop my communication skills, as well as taught me a lot about grant funding and how to operate and plan events within guidelines."

Publications