Progress 08/01/03 to 07/31/08
Outputs
Objectives of the proposal were achieved. Evaluation of ementoring showed students agreed ementoring: raised career awareness, heightened receptivity to move for a job, built interest in exploring careers, and increased knowledge of careers in food/agricultural sciences. Career exploration was furthered by job shadowing the ementor (15 students; 12 Hispanic, 1 African-American). Post-shadow evaluation, debriefing, and reflective papers support the positive effect. Subsequent participation in internships, undergraduate research, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) reinforce the value of shadowing to further career development. The majority of students involved in job shadowing participated in the TAMUK MANRRS chapter and attended a MANRRS national conference. Several shadowing participants were offered support to attend other professional organization conferences but declined. Students attending MANRRS national conferences (30; 21 Hispanic, 1 African-American) have furthered career development through undergraduate research, internships, and other career building programs. The career portfolio in AGRI 1201, Agriculture and Human Sciences as Professions, to further career planning and preparation was revised to include an informational interview of the ementor and additional self-assessments. Career planning/preparation worksheets based on websites were developed. Culmination of the portfolio was a reflective paper that discussed the fit between self-assessments and chosen career, impact of ementoring on career awareness and goal clarification, insights gained from informational interviews, and determination of academic and experiential needs to achieve career goals. Involvement in ementoring and job shadowing led to collaborations and partnerships with USDA agencies: AMS, FSIS, APHIS, NRCS, NASS. Though the project has ended ementoring in AGRI 1201 continues to engage employees from these agencies and others from agriculture/food science industries. Involved students have been impacted by project activities. Post-ementoring evaluation documents increased career awareness/exploration. Post-shadowing and post-MANRRS conference evaluation results further reinforce the benefits of the experiences on student career development as evidenced by participation in undergraduate research, internships, leadership programs, and study abroad. Three Hispanic students involved at the inception of the program have completed B.S. degrees, two have master's degrees. One started veterinary school Fall 2008, two are employed outside Texas in agriculture/food science companies. Among others participating in either shadowing or MANRRS conferences during the grant period, four have graduated (two Hispanics). Ementoring is an integral part of AGRI 1201 taught by the PD and has been done informally with upper level students desiring further career insight. These impacts on students, the majority of whom (>50%) are Hispanic, enhanced their 'social capital' and access to resources including programs, further education, and professional networks. PRODUCTS: Instructional materials and worksheets, were devised for the project. An ementee training worksheet based on the website http://www.mentoring.org/find_resources/ementoring_clearinghouse/ was devised to inform students of the value of ementoring, ensure they understood what was involved, and to clarify expectations prior to participation in the program. Worksheets based on various career-related websites were developed for non-participating students covering importance of mentoring, networking, job shadowing, and informational interviews. Elements of the career planning and preparation portfolio used in AGRI 1201 were updated and expanded to include an informational interview of the ementor and additional assessments. Students completed three different self-assessments (MyRoad Personality Profiler, Personality Mosaic/Holland Hexagram, and Emotional Intelligence) as part of the portfolio. In addition, they prepared a resume and identified goals using MyRoad-MyPlan. To further support planning and goal setting, students developed an individually tailored semester by semester plan of courses along with expenses through completion of their degree. After assembling the career portfolio a reflective paper was written that discussed the fit between self-assessment results and chosen career, impact of ementoring on career awareness and goal clarification, insights gained from informational interviews, as well as determination of academic and experiential needs to achieve the career goal. Identification of barriers to achievement and actions needed were part of the reflective paper assignment. Materials were developed for job shadowing to ensure a well-designed, thoughtful experience. For the students, these materials included an expectations worksheet, shadowing checklist, on-site activities and responsibilities, evaluation form, and guidelines for reflective paper submitted. For mentor hosts, guidelines were devised to provide structure for the visit along with suggested activities including a mock interview of the student, and post-visit evaluation. OUTCOMES: In the preliminary stages of the project, ementoring was a course requirement; however, based on the experiences of students and mentors, it became a voluntary option within the course (majority of enrolled students participated). A series of career planning/preparation worksheets were developed for those students who elected not to participate in ementoring. Fewer students than anticipated elected to job shadow each year. It appears that students are reluctant to travel on their own. Students who did participate returned very interested in the agency visited as a future employer. The most recent participants who visited USDA agencies in Washington, DC (three Hispanics, one African-American) are all highly interested in USDA for internships and post-graduation employment. Students who went on from ementoring to participate in job shadowing and professional conferences have engaged in a broad array of career development activities. A Hispanic female has participated in two national leadership conferences (National Organization of Professional Hispanic NRCS Employees, 2006, Orlando, FL; presentation made at 2007 USDA-sponsored leadership development program, Washington, DC). Another Hispanic female was a HACU intern with USDA-ERS in Washington, DC (2006), while another Hispanic female who has been engaged in undergraduate research at TAMUK interned for six months in animal nutrition at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom (2008). A Hispanic male interned in Oklahoma at a large swine production facility and subsequently, after completing his B.S. degree, obtained his M.S. in animal science. Anecdotally, even if students did not job shadow, if they attended the MANRRS conference, they became very proactive about career development (e.g. internships). Participation of students in the MANRRS national conference has been especially important in furthering career development. As a consequence, students have taken USDA and industry internships and been selected for a national leadership program (Pioneer Student Leadership Academy). Two students competed in the research presentation contests at the national conference, one at the undergraduate level, the other, former undergraduate, participated at the graduate level. Most recently, an out-of-state undergraduate research experience at a major university is being pursued by one of the attendees. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Presentations were made at two national meetings. In February 2004, results of the pilot ementoring/job shadowing program and ementoring during Fall 2003 were presented at the Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience conference. A copy of the presentation is posted at www.sc.edu/fye/events/presentation/2004annual/pdf/Session108_C.pdf (accessed September 15, 2008). The PD was contacted as a consequence of this presentation and was written up in the September 2005 "Good Idea" column of the monthly Campus Career Counselor (www.campuscareercounselor.com). The presentation stimulated additional inquiries about ementoring from an Education Program Specialist, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education and the article in Campus Career Counselor prompted the Director, Office of Career Services at Mercyhurst College, to request more information about the program. In 2007, a student participant presented a poster about the impact of the project at a USDA-sponsored leadership program in Washington, DC. A workshop, "Ementoring of College Students by Industry Professionals: Potential and Pitfalls" was conducted jointly by PD and J. Robinson (Texas HSI Consortium) at the 2008 national MANRRS conference. FUTURE INITIATIVES: AGRI 1201 students continue to have the opportunity for ementoring on a voluntary basis. The TAMUK chapter of MANRRS offers ementoring on an informal basis to its members. The national MANRRS organization is continuing to move in the direction of adopting ementoring across the organization, perhaps including submission of grants to support the program.
Impacts
Some students have maintained contact with their ementors beyond the grant. Ementoring has been rewarding for ementors who readily agree to participate year after year and even contact PD to ask when they will be assigned a new student. Many students have become empowered by the travel associated with job-shadowing and/or attending the MANRRS national conference. Some had never traveled on an airplane or had not traveled alone. They have since engaged in career development activities that required either or both. One Hispanic female who had not traveled alone before job-shadowing has since attended several leadership conferences and spent a semester in a study abroad program in Australia. A Hispanic male interned with industry in Oklahoma, attended several professional conferences, obtained his M.S. at TAMUK, and interviewed at several out-of-state veterinary colleges before selecting Mississippi State. A Hispanic female from a single parent household who shadowed in Minot, ND, subsequently interned in Washington, DC, completed her M.S. at Texas Tech, and presently is employed by industry in Iowa. Of the students (eleven) attending the recent MANRRS conference, nearly all were asked to interview by agencies/companies gaining valuable interview experience. Five students accepted internship, three with USDA agencies (FS, NRCS), two with industry, all positions outside Texas. PD has been appointed to a mentoring committee by MANRRS and is playing an active role in the implementation of ementoring of students by professional members at the national level in MANRRS.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
During 2006-2007, e-mentoring was incorporated as a voluntary program through the animal science majors sections of AGRI 1201 taught by the Project Director. There were fifteen students enrolled in the program. Data entry of numerical data from 259 questionnaires was completed and some data analysis was conducted (means, standard deviations, standard error of the means). Further statistical analyses may be done. Responses to open-ended questions on questionnaires were collected, evaluated and summarized. A journal article about the project is in the process of being drafted. Searches for literature concerning e-mentoring and other related articles and publications were performed to update e-mentoring literature to prepare the upcoming article concerning the project. One student that participated in the e-mentoring project, job shadowed, and previously attended the National Annual Career Fair and Training Conference of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and
Related Sciences (MANRRS) received support to attend the 2007 conference and present her undergraduate research in the conference contest.
PRODUCTS: reported in previous years
OUTCOMES: Two students who previously participated in this project were selected to take part in the 2007 Pioneer Student Leadership Academy in Washington, DC (http://www.pioneersineducation.org). Both students were paired with mentors at the end of the academy in an ongoing effort to support their professional and leadership development. Another two students visited the American Zoological Association at the national MANRRS conferences resulting in them being contacted by the Walt Disney Company to encourage them to undertake internships with the animal programs at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The four students that e-mentored, job shadowed in 2005, and attended a professional conference are all still enrolled in college. Two of these students have ongoing USDA internships (AMS, NRCS) and one is an undergraduate research assistant. Another four students who e-mentored and job shadowed in 2006 (four Hispanic females) are all still enrolled in college. One has transferred to Texas A&M
University at College Station. The TAMUK Chapter of MANRRS officers previously participated in e-mentoring. Two have taken part in job shadowing, and all but one has attended a National MANRRS Training Conference and Career Fair.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: One of the project students attended a USDA-sponsored leadership development program in Washington, DC. During this event she presented a poster that was coauthored with the PD entitled 'How Did I End Up Here? A Structured Approach to Career Awareness, Exploration, and Development.' The project director's attendance at the national meeting of the American Society of Animal Science generated interest in e-mentoring among other attendees with project information being solicited by an Associate Dean at Colorado State University.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Based on the literature searches that were conducted for the journal article, the potential benefits of e-mentoring specifically for minorities became apparent. The project director intends to propose a session at the 2008 national MANRRS conference about e-mentoring and minorities. Based on conversations with selected officials with MANRRS, there may be possibilities to institute an e-mentoring program through MANRRS including pursuing grants to support implementation. E-mentoring is being continued on a voluntary basis among students in selected sections of AGRI 1201. During the fall of 2007, ementoring will be offered through MANRRS for students in the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences. This will broaden access to the program to more students and in different majors. It will also serve to recruit for the TAMUK chapter of MANRRS. Recently, fewer students have participated in job shadowing and attendance at professional conferences
than anticipated. The project expects to involve 4 students with e-mentors with United States Department of Agriculture's AMS, FSIS, and APHIS followed by job shadowing in Washington, DC, in May 2008. Project also plans to support attendance of a total of twelve students at the 2008 National Annual Career Fair and Training Conference of MANRRS.
Impacts
Three students (all three Hispanic) involved in e-mentoring, job shadowing, and attendance at a professional conference (MANRRS) have graduated. All three served at one time as Vice President or President of the TAMUK chapter of MANRRS. Two of the three are presently in graduate school working on Master's of Science degrees. One of the students was accepted into graduate school at Texas Tech University in Food Safety. She is currently engaged in her master's research with the intent of working for USDA after receiving her doctorate. The other student is working on his master's degree at TAMUK while also applying to the College of Veterinary Medicine at TAMU. A third student has taken a position in industry.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
During Fall 2005, animal science students were engaged in ementoring and preparation of a career portfolio to expand career awareness and exploration in the food and agricultural sciences. The favorable impact on students that these activities had on career awareness and exploration was affirmed by surveys and written comments in surveys and reflective papers. Students who elected not to participate in the ementoring program were given alternate assignments. In Spring 2006, a decision was made by administration of the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Humans Sciences that the class in which ementoring had been implemented would taught by someone other than the Project Director. Support for career development was provided to six students through attendance at a professional conference, the National Annual Career Fair and Training Conference of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). Based on student interest in
exploring careers and recommendations by ementors, 4 students, all Hispanic females, were selected to job shadow. Two of these students were informed by the administration of USDA-AMS-Livestock that the ementors would not be allowed to participate in the job shadowing program. Alternative arrangements were made for these two Hispanic young women to job shadow Linda Hutton, USDA-NASS, in Washington DC.
PRODUCTS: Job shadowing guidelines and evaluative materials previously developed continued to be used Spring 2006 with the four students who participated. These materials were designed to provide structure and clear expectations during and following the job shadowing experience. As in the previous year when first implemented, student response rate was 100% (all surveys completed and reflective papers submitted). Alternate assignments covering topics including networking, job shadowing, and informational interviews were devised for students choosing not to participate in ementoring.
OUTCOMES: Of the students enrolled in the animal science AGRI 1201 class who participated in ementoring during Fall 2005, 25 post-ementoring surveys were returned. The positive impact of ementoring on career awareness was evident (72% agree/strongly agree), further career exploration was supported (84% agree/strongly agree), and understanding of career positions enhanced (64% agree/strongly agree). Completion rates of alternate assignments by students who had chosen not to participate in ementoring were extremely low.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: As a result of a presentation made at the Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience in February 2004 and posted on the internet, the Project Director was contacted for more information about ementoring by Salma Kanwal Khan, Education Program Specialist, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. An article about the program that was published in the Campus Career Counselor led to the Project Director being contacted by Robert Hvezda, Director, Office of Career Services with Mercyhurst College requesting information about designing and implementing an ementor program.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Ementoring is being continued on a voluntary basis among students in the animal science section of AGRI 1201. Consideration is being given to having the TAMUK Chapter of MANRRS serve as a clearinghouse for ementors for students in the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences. Several industry contacts have indicated interest in developing job shadowing programs for TAMUK (and possibly other institutions) which may be pursued.
Impacts
It is interesting to note the academic performance in AGRI 1201 of ementored vs nonmentored students: 27 of 28 ementored students passed AGRI 1201 (96%), 1 student failed; of 12 nonmentored students, 3 passed AGRI 1201 (25%) while 9 failed. Academic performance in other classes closely parallels performance in AGRI 1201. Recruitment to job shadow from the Fall 2005 class of ementored students resulted in 4 students who submitted applications and were accepted. Of the 4, one job shadowed with USDA-AMS-Poultry, one with USDA-FSIS, and two with USDA-NASS. Of these students, two expressed a strong desire to work for USDA upon completion of their degree and both intend to pursue internships with USDA in the future. The other two students are committed to pursuing veterinary degrees. Among the 6 students who engaged in career development by attending the National MANRRS Training Conference and Career Fair in 2006, 2 interned with USDA agencies during summer 2006 and 1
continued with an ongoing undergraduate research project they have been involved in. All current officers in the TAMUK Chapter of MANRRS are participants in ementoring, all but one has participated in job shadowing, and all officers have attended a National MANRRS Training Conference and Career Fair. Of two former program participants who have completed their undergraduate degrees, one is presently in graduate school, the other, after serving in a HACU USDA internship with ERC summer 2006, is pursuing graduate programs at TAMU and Texas Tech with the intent of working for USDA in a food safety capacity.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Results of surveys and written comments by students made Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 in the AGRI 1201 freshman class taught by the Project Director indicate the positive impact of ementoring and preparation of a career portfolio on career awareness and exploration in the food and agricultural sciences. Engagement of students in ementoring and preparing the career portfolio resulted in expanded career awareness and exploration. In Fall 2004, a range/wildlife science section of AGRI 1201 was taught by another instructor. Impact of the ementoring program on students was more limited, a consequence of the approach used by the instructor. Students who participated in ementoring, with recommendation from their ementor, were eligible to participate in job shadowing for 3-4 days at the ementor's work site to more thoroughly explore careers. One student from the previous year's cohort of participating, eligible students attended a professional conference fostering career
development.
PRODUCTS: Materials previously developed for the job shadowing component of the program were used with a cohort of four students Spring 2005. The materials improved the experience by providing more structure, clear expectations about the experience and responsibilities during job shadowing and upon return. A greater student response rate (100% of surveys returned and reflective papers submitted) compared to the previous year (50% for both) was demonstrated as a result.
OUTCOMES: Based on 50 post ementoring surveys of students in two sections of AGRI 1201 during Fall 2004 (one taught by the Project Director, one by another instructor) and one section during Spring 2005, ementoring had a beneficial impact on career awareness (19%-72% agree/strongly agree), interest in further career exploration (42%-79% agree/strongly agree), and knowledge of types of career positions (45%-58% agree/strongly agree), the lowest percentage agree/strongly agree associated with the section taught by an instructor other than the Project Director. Modifications for student participation in and eligibility for the ementoring program are being devised for use Fall 2005.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: As a result of a presentation made at the Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience in February 2004, the Project Director was contacted to provide a "Good Idea" to be featured in the monthly publication of the Campus Career Counselor (http://www.campuscareercounselor.com).
FUTURE INITIATIVES: While consideration was given to expanding the job shadowing component, time and logistics preclude further expansion at this time. Some agencies and industries contacted by the Project Director to serve as Mentor Hosts expressed interest in the participation, others did not respond. With more time, these contacts could be developed to provide a pool of sites for students to job shadow independent of participation in the ementoring program.
Impacts
Students involved in ementoring Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 were recruited to participate in job shadowing during summer 2005. Of the 8 students who initially expressed interest, 4 students completed the application process and shadowed their ementors. Following job shadowing, students were debriefed and submitted surveys and written reports. Three of four expressed interest in future internships (one interned with USDA-AMS summer 2005) and all expressed interest in positions either similar to their Mentor Host and/or with the agency the Mentor Host worked for (all Mentor Hosts were USDA veterinarians, three with FSIS, one with APHIS). Student career development through participation in the chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) appears to be growing as a result of participation in the grant activities (ementoring, job shadowing).
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Career awareness in food and agricultural sciences of incoming freshman students in animal science and range and wildlife sciences was impacted by participation in ementoring and preparation of a career portfolio in a freshman class, AGRI 1201, as demonstrated by survey results and written student comments both Fall 2003 and Spring 2004. Through ementoring and the career portfolio, students deeply explored careers of interest. The staffing decision for the range and wildlife section of AGRI 1201 was not made until just before the Fall 2003 semester, thus, it was not possible to engage that section in ementoring. Interested students were provided the opportunity for further career exploration by traveling to their ementor's site and job shadowing for 3-4 days. The opportunity to participate in professional conferences with the intent of promoting career development will be available during the student's sophomore year.
PRODUCTS: Materials related to the job shadowing were developed including an information sheet describing what job shadowing is and why a student should get involved. Likewise, a sheet was developed for Mentor Hosts. A job shadowing application was developed as was a "Job Shadowing Checklist and Code of Conduct." An "Expectations Worksheet and Personal Assessment" that students completed prior to the site visit was adapted from www.jobshadow.org Guidebook and an "On-Site Activities and Responsibilities" set of guidelines. "Guidelines for Job Shadowing for Mentor Hosts" were developed using material adapted from www.jobshadow.org Guidebook. Assessment instruments for students and Mentor Hosts were developed as were guidelines for "Job Shadow Reflection Paper."
OUTCOMES: A total of 27 post ementoring surveys were submitted by students in AGRI 1201 during the Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 semesters. Written comments in the surveys and career papers in career portfolios described the experience as positive and having an influence on career awareness. Survey results for Fall 2003 found 72% of students agree/strongly agree that career awareness was impacted by ementor, 67% agree/strongly agree they are more willing to move to another place for a job, 94% agree/strongly agree they are more interested in exploring career options, and 67% agree/strongly agree they know more about types of positions and careers as a result of the activities. Results for Spring 2004 were similar.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: A presentation of results of the pilot ementoring/job shadowing project and results of ementoring for Fall 2003 were presented at the Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience February 2004. The presentation is posted at: www.sc.edu/fye/events/presentation/2004annual/pdf/Session108-c.pdf
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Based on impact on students that job shadowing appears to have from both pilot project, prior to USDA funding, and since initiation of USDA funded job shadowing, and comments from those serving as Mentor Hosts, this component should be expanded. It is intended to create a pool of agency and industry Mentor Hosts willing to allow job shadowing by interested students independent of prior ementor participation.
Impacts
Ementored students were encouraged to apply for job shadowing. In all, 8 students expressed interest in job shadowing with 4 students ultimately participating during summer 2004. Post job shadowing debriefing and surveys indicate that all 4 students were interested in future internships and would be interested in a position similar to the person they shadowed (all shadowed USDA-AMS Poultry employees). There also appears to be heightened interest in student participation in the chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) as a consequence of participating in ementoring and/or job shadowing activities.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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