Non Technical Summary
Significant efforts are required to develop a more diverse Forestry workforce which is reflective of our society and is better able to serve our nation's varied and growing needs for trained foresters. This proposal aims to expand and sustain long-term professional training that will equip underrepresented minority (URM) students with the necessary skills to be leaders and stewards in sustainable forest management. Our supporting objectives of this project are to: 1) build on our existing successful multicultural scholars program to further increase enrollment of URM students in the Forestry program at Michigan State University; 2) establish a faculty-mentored research training experience to broaden forestry scholars critical thinking and problem-solving skills; 3) enhance leadership skills through scholar-created outreach programming and peer mentoring for youth development organizations serving minority high school students; 4) develop undergraduate intercultural competence through the creation of a service-learning study abroad program to Costa Rica. We propose to recruit a cohort of five MSP scholars when they are rising high school seniors for training in this integrated scholarship program, providing: 1) tailored bridge programs to prepare students for collegiate academic success, 2) a rigorous academic program, with an emphasis on experiential learning, 3) integrated structures for academic advising, mentoring and social support to ensure retention, and 4) internship placement through partnerships with federal agencies, state agencies, industry, and Non-Governmental Organizations. Upon completion, our scholars will be prepared to successfully transition to graduate programs or Forestry workforce careers.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6099	3020	100%

Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
1. Build on our existing successful multicultural scholars program to further increase enrollment of URM students in the Forestry program at Michigan State University.2. Establish a faculty-mentored research training experience to broaden forestry scholars critical thinking and problem-solving skills.3. Enhance leadership skills through scholar-created outreach programming and peer mentoring for youth development organizations serving minority high school students.4. Develop undergraduate intercultural competence through the creation of a service-learning study abroad program to Costa Rica.

Project Methods
Recruiting Partnerships. The strength of our proposed program begins with strong relationships with environmental organizations serving URM high school students in Michigan (primarily African-American and Hispanic). The six organizations we will be working with are: The Greening of Detroit, Friends of the Grand Rapids Parks, Green Door Initiative, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, Take One Community Program and Ecotek.Bridge Programs. Students who receive an MSP invitation will be required to participate in bridge programs over the next two summers. The first bridge program is the Multicultural Apprenticeship Program (MAP), directed by Co-PD Seaborn. MAP is a four-week residential experience on the MSU campus during the summer between the junior and senior year of high school. MAP students work with a faculty mentor on a research project during the work day, and participate in social activities, workshops and academic-skills building activities (e.g., SAT prep., effective study habits, note-taking). With supplemental funding through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative's Community Grants Program, we will facilitate a team-based civic engagement project specifically for MSP Scholars. In the summer following high school graduation, all scholars will be required to participate in the Maximizing Academic Growth in College (MAGIC) program. During this one-week summer transition program, students will be introduced to campus resources, network with MSU faculty/staff, and develop a social network before their first day of classes at MSU. Scholars with low MSU math placement scores will be required to participate in the DOW STEM Scholars program. Participants will take a specially designed online math course, which prepares students to place into College Algebra or higher during their first semester at MSU. Scholars who are graduates from Detroit Public or Charter high schools will be encouraged to participate in the Detroit M.A.D.E. (Mastering Academics Demonstrating Excellence) Scholars Program. This program implements high-impact practices focused on college retention, graduation and career development. Participants also have the opportunity to live on the Detroit M.A.D.E. living learning community floor during their first year at MSU.Study Away Program. Scholars will participate in a 1-week study-away program that will be held in the summer (2024) before their first semester at MSU. MSP scholars will travel throughout the state of Michigan exploring a variety of forested ecosystems, including urban green infrastructure. Via this study away seminar, students will be introduced to diverse career pathways in forestry in urban, rural, and suburban areas. They will also have the opportunity to network with current forestry professionals who may provide internship or other practicum experiences during the remainder of their MSU career. This study away seminar program will build a stronger cohort and ideally promote a 'sense of belonging' in the DOF community.Support Networks at MSU. To support the specific needs of each MSP scholar, we plan to engage a series of mentoring networks, including student peer mentors, faculty mentors, professional academic and career advising, mentorship through MSU's Chapter of MANRRS and alumni mentors.Faculty-mentored Research Assistant Program. Each scholar will be matched with a DOF faculty member in the summer prior to the start of their sophomore year at MSU and serve as a paid research assistant during the 2025-2026 academic year. Students will be paired with faculty members based on shared topical and methodological interests. During this experience, scholars will meet monthly with the project team for community building discussions. These meetings will serve as a space for conversations related to the experience students are having on campus but will also include space for support and accountability for making steady progress in their research projects. In the 2026 spring semester, the students will present their findings (poster or oral) at the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Form (UURAF), an annual internal symposium held by MSU.Leadership Development. Forest Forever Scholars Program. All five MSP scholars would be a part of the DOF Forest Forever Scholars Program (FFSP), which provides opportunities for leadership development and further learning outside the classroom. All scholars develop a 'leadership through service' (LTS) project each semester, which provides the opportunity to apply their forestry education in a broader context. MSP scholars will develop at least one LTS project that is focused on outreach programming and delivery to at least three of our community-based recruiting partner organizations. An additional LTS project will focus on developing a hybrid (in-person and virtual) peer mentoring program for at least one of our community partners. Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program (BSP). MSP Scholars will have the opportunity to take advantage of the BSP in one of two ways. The first pathway will be completing the BSP minor in Leadership in Integrated Learning. The goal of the minor is to graduate T-Shape system thinkers that understand their fields, the worlds, and themselves-- analytically, creatively, and responsibly. This option is available for the MSP cohort to complete if they can fit 18 credits in their academic plan. If not, the BSP can provide two additional leadership development opportunities. The first is a 3-credit, freshman-level course which assists students to identify, develop, and improve the personal and professional tools needed to navigate their journey through MSU and beyond. The second course, titled Integrative Learning, helps students plan, make-sense of, and assess their community experiences. It is open for enrollment at any time students are engaged in civic engagement activities (such as FFSP service projects).Preparation to Enter the Workforce. A fundamental course in the professional development of our students is FOR 493 (Professional Internship in Forestry). The course is a partnership between (1) the student, (2) a cooperating employer, and (3) the internship coordinator (PD Kunkle). We are partnering with state and federal agencies, industry and NGOs to provide professional internships to increase valuable real-world professional skills and enhance their competitiveness for full-time employment following graduation.Special Experiential Learning. During spring break 2023, PD Kunkle and ten forestry students, including current MSP scholars, participated in MSU's Alternative Spartan Breaks (ASB) experience to Nacientes Palmichal, a community-run lodge in Costa Rica. The goal of this community is to protect the forest of the Basin Nacientes Palmichal, while at the same time educating the public about forest conservation. During this trip students participated in community building, hands-on practical experiences, including trail design and building, and meaningful cultural exchange. This unique partnership between MSU and Nacientes Palmichal was established by Vincent Delgado, Resident Director of the MSU's Program on Sustainability in Costa Rica. Based on the success of this ASB spring break experience, PD Kunkle is collaborating with Delgado to develop a new joint education abroad program that will include students from the DOF and Community Engagement Pathways students from the Residential College of Arts and the Humanities (RCAH). This program will be modeled after RCHAH's Community-Engaged Design education abroad program where RCAH and engineering students study together and collaborate remotely with a local community in Costa Rica to develop a community participatory design project. Following the on-campus portion of the course, students travel to Costa Rica to engage with community partners to finalize and implement their project. MSP scholars will participate in this new program during the Spring 2027 semester.