Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs OUTPUTS: This project is designed to address the need to attract more students from underrepresented groups into the food & agricultural sciences, particularly in the areas of dietetics/nutrition and family and consumer sciences. The goal is to increase student recruitment and retention programs in FCS Teacher Education and Dietetics in order to strengthen the nation's scientific and professional workforce in these two areas. We recognize there is a shortage of FCS Teachers & Dietitians from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups. In an effort to address this shortage, two faculty members designed and offered a two-part pre-college educational experience for senior-level high school students living on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. During the summer, students enroll in a 1-credit course, 1st-Year Experience, where they learn about the University, study skills, learning strategies, career choices, money management, and other related issues. Part II involves enrolling in college-level courses during the academic year. The grant pays for tuition and books. Faculty worked with GEAR-UP coordinators, guidance counselors, FACS and Tech Ed teachers at high schools in these two counties to identify prospective students. They also met with parents of students to provide information about responsibilities and expectations for program participation and information about FCS, Dietetics, and the Department of Human Ecology. The Director of Admissions spoke with students and their parents about matriculating at UMES and scholarship opportunities. Application packages were distributed at the high schools. Twelve students submitted applications and were selected to participate in the program. This group included 10 females, and 2 males; one White, one Hispanic, and 10 African Americans. One of the African American males withdrew from the program. During the fall semester, students enrolled in HUEC 203 - Human Development. In the spring, students enrolled in NUDT 210- Elements of Nutrition. At the end of the program, students earned seven academic college credits, which could be transferred to a college of their choosing and used toward their degree at UMES. Of the 12 students who participated in the pre-college program during the 2010-2011 academic year, six students matriculated at UMES fall 2011, three in biology (one of whom is in the honors program), one in criminal justice, and two in Human Ecology. Students who chose to major in Human Ecology received a $2,000 scholarship for the year, which will be awarded $1000/semester. Dissemination of Results: (1)the HIS/1890 Project Directors Conference/Workshop, "Building Institutional Capacity and Partnerships in the 21st Century," USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in Arlington, VA; (2)at the opening workshop activities for Anne Arundel County FACS teachers; (3)at the opening workshop activities for Prince Georges County FACS teachers. A report on the progress of activities was also submitted to Vice President for Academic Affairs Office at UMES. Information was also highlighted in the annual Department of Human Ecology newsletter, which is distributed to well over 500 alumni. PARTICIPANTS: Mrs. Malinda Cecil and Dr. Nina Lyon Bennett worked on this project. They designed and offered a two-part pre-college educational experience for senior-level high school students on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. High school students living and attending a high school in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties, Maryland were the target of recruitment. The two faculty members worked with GEAR-UP coordinators, guidance counselors, FACS and Tech Ed teachers at high schools in Wicomico and Somerset counties to identify prospective students who could benefit from this opportunity. During summer 2010, 12 students were selected for the pre-college program, 10 females, and 2 males. There was one White, one Hispanic, and 10 African Americans. One of the African American males withdrew from the program. During the fall semester, these 11 students enrolled in HUEC 203 - Human Development. One student commented that she enjoyed her current UMES courses. "They're about human development - how we act in our environment," said Katrina Marshall, a senior at Crisfield High School, located in Somerset County, MD. She went on to say, "Because I want to be a pharmacist, it's kind of mandatory for me to know that stuff - how the mind and human body develops. I like knowing why people act the way they act. I love learning new things." In the spring, students enrolled in NUDT 210- Elements of Nutrition. When they completed their course of study in May 2011, students had earned seven academic college credits, which could be transferred to a college of their choosing and used toward their degree at UMES. Of the 12 students who participated in the pre-college program during the 2010-2011 academic year, six students have matriculated at UMES, three in biology (one of whom is in the honors program), one in criminal justice, and two in Human Ecology. Those students who chose to major in Human Ecology received a $2,000 scholarship for the year, which will be awarded $1000/semester. Opportunities for Training and Profession Development: In August 2010, Dr. Nina Lyon Bennett presented a seminar for the opening activities for Anne Arundel County, MD FACS teachers. In December 2010, Dr. Nina Lyon Bennett presented information on this project at the the HIS/1890 Project Directors Conference/Workshop, "Building Institutional Capacity and Partnerships in the 21st Century," USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in Arlington, VA. TARGET AUDIENCES: This project is directed at the undergraduate level and targets recruitment efforts at junior and senior-level college bound high school students, and transfer students from underserved minority communities. The goal is to recruit high school students from ethnic minority groups who have an interest in nutrion, dietetics or family & consumer sciences. By establishing intra-school collaborations and outreach designed to channel high school students into degree programs in dietetics and family and consumer sciences teacher education and by offering new experiential learning opportunities for these students, student recruitment and retentionin food and agricultural sciences is the primary focus of this project and includes for-credit academic coursework in a pre-college curriculum. Students will enroll in college-level courses during their senior year of high school to prepare them for the college experience, familiarize them with the occupations in the field of Family Consumer Sciences and Dietetics, boost their self-confidence and self-efficacy, and increase their motivation for college matriculation. This project provides financial assistance to high students who participate in this program. Their tuition and books are paid for through the grant. For those who choose to attend UMES and major in Human Ecology, students receive a $2000 scholarship for their first year. Students engage in peer-to-peer mentoring and are provided tutorial support to insure their academic preparedness and success. By providing minority students with an opportunity to obtain a high quality education, this project strives to meet the core competencies of (1)preparing students who contribute to and enhance the quality of life in Maryland and beyond; (2)are able to meet the challenges of a highly competitive and global workforce; (3)acquiring essential knowledge, cognitive abilities and an understanding of values related to FCS Teacher Education and Dietetics; (4)Information literacy regarding careers available to graduates majoring in FCS Teacher Education and Dietetics; (5)critical analysis and reasoning skills relevant to FCS Teacher Education and Dietetics; and (6)acquisition of scientific and quantitative reasoning associated with understanding dietetic principles. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts This project is designed to address the need to attract more students from underrepresented groups into the food & agricultural sciences, particularly in the areas of dietetics/nutrition and family and consumer sciences. We recognize there is a shortage of FCS Teachers & Dietitians from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups. Both the dietetics and FCS teacher education program suffer from low enrollment, which threatens their viability and weakens our University's ability to sustain them. In an effort to address this problem, students living and attending a high school in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties were the target of recruitment. Human Ecology faculty worked with GEAR-UP coordinators, guidance counselors, FACS teachers and Tech Ed teachers to identify prospective students. Beginning spring 2010, recruitment packages were sent to local high schools. Counselors, teachers, coordinators were encouraged to identity prospective students. Applications were received and evaluated. Twelve students were selected from three high schools to partipate in the pre-college program: 10 females, and 2 males (one White, one Hispanic, and 10 African Americans). One of the African American males withdrew from the program. During the summer they enrolled in HUEC 100 - 1st-year Experience; in the fall semester, they enrolled in HUEC 203 - Human Development; and in the spring students enrolled in NUDT 210-Elements of Nutrition. If they successfully complete their courses, students would earn seven academic college credits, which could be transferred to a college of their choosing or used toward their degree at UMES. Of the 12 students who participated in the pre-college program, six students matriculated at UMES, three in biology (one of whom is in the honors program), one in criminal justice, and two in Human Ecology. Students who chose to major in Human Ecology received a $2,000 scholarship for the academic year, which is awarded $1000/semester.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs FCS teachers, high school administrators, and guidance counselors in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties of Maryland were contacted to identify prospective students and to encourage student participation in the program. We distributed information and application packets to local high school guidance counselors, family consumer sciences teachers, vocational-technical teachers, interested high school students, and other interested parties. We attended various recruiting fairs both on and off campus to make high school students aware of the pre-college program and areas of concentration in the Department of Human Ecology. Dr. Lyon-Bennett attended two high school student meetings, including the African American Female/Male Summit, to distribute information about the pre-college program. Mrs. Cecil was invited to speak to students enrolled in vocational education courses, particularly those in allied health fields. Fall semester 2009, students in the second cohort enrolled in HUEC 203 - Human Development. The second cohort consisted of five female students (one African American, two whites, and one Pakistani). The course was taught by Dr. Nina Lyon-Bennett and was open to other UMES students. Spring semester 2010, students in the second cohort enrolled in NUDT 210 - Elements of Nutrition, which was taught by Mrs. Cecil. This course was also open to regular UMES students. Recruitment efforts continued for the third cohort. Specific focus was targeted at high school seniors participating in the GEAR-UP program at Wicomico and Washington high schools. Information and application packets were sent to GEAR-UP Coordinators at both high schools. Mrs. Cecil personally visited the CTE Health Occupations classes in Wicomico County to recruit students. In April 2010, applications for participation in the third cohort were solicited. Fifteen applications were received. Based on eligibility requirements, 12 students, including two males and 10 females, were selected to participate in the program. One male dropped out of the program due to personal conflicts. From May through June, we prepared course materials, ordered the textbooks, and completed enrollment and scholarship forms for the third cohort of students. In June, the third cohort was enrolled in HUEC 100 - First-Year Experience, which was team-taught by Dr. Lyon-Bennett and Mrs. Cecil. A parent information session was held. Parents were given information about the program, about family and consumer sciences, and dietetics, including the career outlook, career opportunities and other related information. Mr. Tyrone Young, director of admissions, also spoke with students and their parents. In fall 2010, two students from the second cohort matriculated as full-time students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; however these students did not major in human ecology, and therefore did not receive the $2,000 scholarship. Mrs. Cecil and Dr. Lyon-Bennett assisted students in the third cohort with registering for their fall-semester course, HUEC 203 - Human Development, which is being taught by an adjunct faculty member from the education department. PRODUCTS: We produced a PowerPoint presentation on the pre-college program and an application packet. One graduate student was hired to assist with mentoring, grading course work, and other related academic responsibilities. Information from the current grant was used to help in writing and securing a second capacity building grant. OUTCOMES: Two students from the second cohort matriculated at UMES, and one student failed the nutrition course and dropped out of the program. Four out of the five students who participated in the second cohort completed all three courses with a 3.0 or better. When enrolled in the classes with tradition UMES students, the high school students tended to do better overall, earning at least one letter grade higher than UMES students. Twelve students were accepted into the third cohort, including two males. However, one male dropped out of the program due to personal circumstances. Thus far, the high school students in the third cohort are scoring better on exams and assignments, earning at least one letter grade higher than the traditional UMES students enrolled in the same course. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Information about the pre-college program was disseminated at career fairs, recruitment fairs, and enrichment activities. Information packets were sent to high schools in both Wicomico and Somerset counties. Mrs. Cecil personally visited the CTE Health Occupations classes at Parkside High School and Delmar High School and family & consumer sciences classes at Washington High School and Wicomico High School. An informational session was held for parents of students participating in the pre-college program to make them aware of the responsibilities and expectations for participating in the program. We also provided parents with information about family & consumer sciences and dietetics, including career outlook, career opportunities, and other related information. Information about the Department of Human Ecology was also provided. A presentation on the pre-college program was given at the annual USDA NIFA Project Directors Meeting held in Greenbelt, MD. In August, faculty from the Department of Human Ecology were seminar speakers at the opening session for Anne Arundel County FACS teachers. FUTURE INITIATIVES: Participants will complete an evaluation of the program. The UMES website will be updated to highlight events of the 2010-2011 pre-college program. The Department of Human Ecology and Anne Arundel County Public School System Family Consumer Sciences programs will work together to increase visibility of the human ecology program and to make high school students aware of the academic programs at UMES. High school seniors from seven Anne Arundel County high schools were invited to UMES to learn more about the program, and plans are underway to host a similar event for junior-level high school students attending Anne Arundel County high schools. Mrs. Cecil is working with nutrition teachers at Meade High School in Anne Arundel County to help them develop a college level curriculum for their high school level nutrition education course by incorporating course content from the college-level Elements of Nutrition course into their high school level course. An articulation agreement is being developed between UMES and Meade High School to provide students who complete an Elements of Nutrition equivalent course with articulated college credit. A summer professional development workshop is being planned for FCS high school teachers. Grant funding opportunities to increase, strengthen, and further build capacity in the human sciences are being explored.
Impacts This proposal is designed to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation rates at UMES by addressing the need to attract more students from underrepresented groups into the generalized disciplines of human sciences and family and consumer sciences. This project enables high school students to enroll in college-level courses during their senior year in an effort to prepare them for the college experience, familiarize them with the occupations in the fields of family consumer sciences and dietetics, boost their self-confidence and self-efficacy, and to increase their motivation for college matriculation. As a result of the financial assistance provided through the grant, they are able to earn seven college credits, even before being formally admitted to college. Students engage in peer-to-peer mentoring and are provided tutorial support to ensure their academic preparedness and success. Exposing students, particularly first-generation college-bound students from underrepresented minority groups, to the college experience broadens their horizon, increases their capacity to learn, and enhances their understanding of what they can accomplish with the right help, resources, and opportunities. It provides them with experiential knowledge of what it means to attend college while managing other demands on their time, putting them ahead of many of their peers who only read about what to expect when attending college. It also helps us to better understand what works, what does not work, and what we need to improve upon in the future as we move forward with new grant initiatives.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/08 to 08/31/09
Outputs This proposal is designed to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation rates at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore by addressing the need to attract more students from underrepresented groups into the generalized discipline of Human Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Dietetics. High school seniors are recruited to enroll in college-level courses during their senior year of high school to prepare them for the college experience, familiarize them with the occupations in the field of Family Consumer Sciences and Dietetics, boost their self-confidence and self-efficacy, and increase their motivation for college matriculation. The grant provides financial assistance to those who choose to attend UMES and major in Human Ecology. The grant also pays for their tuition for 7 college credits while enrolled in the pre-college program. Students engage in peer-to-peer mentoring and are provided tutorial support to insure their academic preparedness and success. During the report period, we have been able to complete the following activities: Contacted FCS Teachers, High School Administrators, and Guidance Counselors in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties to identify prospective students and to encourage student participation in the program; Distributed information packets to local high school guidance counselors, Family Consumer Sciences teachers, Vocational-Technical Teachers, interested high school students, and other interested parties; Attended various recruiting fairs both on and off campus to make high school students aware of the pre-college program and areas of concentration in the Department of Human Ecology; Taught HUEC 203 - Human Development and NUDT 210 - Elements of Nutrition for first cohort of 8 high school students. A group of 5 high school students were recruited and are currently enrolled in the second cycle. We met with parents of students in the second cohort to make them aware of the responsibilities and expectations of participating in the program; and to provide parents with information about FCS, Dietetics, and the Department of Human Ecology. The Director of Admissions also spoke with students and their parents about matriculating at UMES, scholarship opportunities and preparation for college. Dr. Lyon-Bennett and Mrs. Cecil team-taught HUEC 100 during the summer 2008 and 2009. During the academic year, in the fall, students enroll in HUEC 203 - Human Development and in the spring in NUDT 210 - Elements of Nutrition. One student from the 2008 first cycle enrolled in the 2009 summer course, HUEC 100 - First-Year Experience, along with the other five students from the second cycle. All three classes have been enhanced with additional instructional materials. Although we have less students participating in the second cycle than in the first, we are hopeful and optimistic that we will be able to increase the number of high school students who partipate in the program. We have started our recruitment efforts and are sharing information about the pre-college program at on-campus recruitment meetings. PRODUCTS: The first cohort consisted of 8 students. All eight high school students successfully completed the three college-level classes prior to matriculation into college, earning 7 academic college credits. Four of these eight high school seniors matriculated to UMES in the Human Ecology Department. These four students made application for scholarships, and each were awarded a $2,000 scholarship for their 2009-10 freshman year of college. We were also able to provide $500 book scholarships. Two of these four students were also selected as UMES scholars, receiving full academic scholarships to UMES. The UMES scholar is an honor of distinction based on a student's academic achievements and community service activities. For the second cycle, we recruited and received applications from five high school seniors. Recruitment efforts included having the two UMES student mentors for the program who were completing their student teaching in Family Consumer Sciences speak to the high school students about the benefits of participating in the pre-college program. Information packets were sent to high schools in both Worcester and Wicomico Counties. Mrs. Cecil personally visited the CTE Health Occupations classes in Wicomico County. HUEC 100 - First-Year Experience was taught cooperatively by both grant PI. An application packet was created, along with a one-page informational sheet. We have also initiated collaboration opportunities with Prince Georges and Anne Arundel County FCS Supervisors. The second group of high school students have successfully completed HUEc 100- First-Year Experience, and are currently enrolled in HUEC 203-Human Development. In the spring 2010, these five students will enroll in NUDT 210 - Elements of Nutrition. Financial assistance pays for their tuition and their books in both of the classes. High school students are responsible for their own transporation to class in the evening. Classes are taught on the campus of UMES. High school students enroll in classes in which traditional UMES students are enrolled to provide them with true experience of a college-classroom environment. The high school students are held to the same standards as the traditional college student and are expected to complete college-level work. OUTCOMES: We have increased enrollment in Human Ecology, particularly in the areas of FCS and Dietetics. We exposed students to college opportunities, some of whom otherwise may not have been exposed to our program. We provide high school with a unique opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. We offer scholarship opportunities for students who successfully complete the pre-college program and choose to attend UMES and declare Human Ecology as their major. We provide an opportunity for college students to mentor high school students and we provide the training for the college mentors. We have developed recruitment materials for the pre-college program, and have disseminated information to local high schools. We have provided an opportunity for high school students to earn 7 college credits prior to graduating from high school, putting them at least 1/2 semester ahead of their peers. We have been able to work cooperatively with colleagues to teach the college-level courses. We provide students with an opportunity to become a member of a Professional organization, either ADA, AAFCS, or the MDAFCS. We expose students to professionals working in the field by having professionals as guest speakers in each of the classes. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: PI and co-PI attended two high school student meetings, including the African American Female and Male Summit, respectively, to distribute information about the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program. PI presented information about Human Ecology Pre-College Educational Enhancement Program at various meetings, including the 2009 ARD Biennial Research Symposium in Atlanta, GA, March 28 - April 1, 2009; Co-PI, Mrs. Cecil personally visited the CTE Health Occupations classes in Wicomico County high schools. Both investigators met with parents of students participating in the pre-college program to make them aware of the responsibilities and expectations of participating in the program; and to provide parents with information about FCS, Dietetics, and the Department of Human Ecology. The Director of Admissions also spoke with students and their parents about matriculating at UMES, scholarship opportunities and preparation for college. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The future initiatives of this project include continuing recruitment efforts of high school seniors for the 3rd and final cycle of the grant. We will strongly encourage the five students in the second cohort to make application to UMES for acceptance into the Department of Human Ecology. We expect to be able to award each of these students scholarships should they decide to matriculate at UMES and we expect to be able to increase the amount of scholarships we can award. We will be working very closely with Prince George's & Anne Arundel counties FCS Supervisors to enhance the program and to increase student enrollment. We also expect to work collaboratively with these two counties to create articulation agreements and to write a USDA Capacity Building Grant. We expect to bring high school students from Anne Arundel County to UMES to tour the University in general and expose them to our department in particular. To enhance professional development, both PI's will be attending professional meetings in their respective disciplines. We will advise the second cohort of students and assist with the registration process for spring 2010 courses. Students in the second cohort will registered for NUDT 210 Elements of Nutrition. Dr. Lyon-Bennett teaches HUEC 203 and Mrs. Cecil teaches NUDT 210. Both courses are open to UMES students in order to enhance the classroom experience and to provide students with real-world college-classroom experiences.
Impacts We have been able to recruit a total of 13 students into the pre-college program. Of the eight students who partipated in the first group, 50% or four students have entered college at UMES, and have declared Human Ecology as their major. Of these four students, 2 receive full academic scholarships. Many of these students may not have had an interest in attending a 4-year college, particularly UMES, however through this program, students were exposed to college, UMES, Human Ecology, FCS and Dietetics. We expect that at least 3 of the 5 students participating in the second group to enroll at UMES. The success of the first group of students is a major tool for attracting additional high school students. During their second year of matriculation, they can be used as student mentors for the final group of high school students. We have increased our recruitment efforts and we are meeting the primary goal of the grant to recruit and retain students.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/07 to 08/31/08
Outputs This proposal was designed to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation rates at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore by addressing the need to attract more students from underrepresented groups into the generalized discipline of Human Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences. High school students will be offered pre-college credit courses to familiarize them with the occupations, boost their confidence and self-efficacy before entering college, and provide financial assistance to those who choose to attend UMES and major in Human Ecology. It will also provide mentoring and tutorial support to insure that they have the academic resources to succeed. Based on the focus of the grant, we have been able to complete the following activities: Contacted FCS Supervisor for Wicomico County, Mr. Bryan Ashby, to establish an initial 'buy in' in the program in order to create a partnership between the Wicomico County Professional High Schools and the UMES Department of Human Ecology to encourage participation of local high school seniors in the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program. We have been able to identify and select three college student mentors to assist with recruitment efforts and assist high school students with issues related to college matriculation, time management, college preparation, study skills, and other college-related concerns. In the fall, Participants in the HEEP enrolled in HUEC 203, Human Development, the second of three courses offered as part of the pre-college enhancement program. Students completed the 1st course, HUEC 100 during the summer session 2008. Eight students were accepted into the first cohort. Students are required to take the class on the campus of UMES with other UMES students, and must provide their own transportation to the campus. The high school students are held to the same standard as UMES students enrolled in this course. College student mentors meet bi-weekly with high school students to discuss issues related to the course, study sessions, and other issues related to preparing for college. The PI, co-PI, and college mentors will conduct recruiting seminars in preparation for the 2nd cohort of students who will be selected to participate in next year's program which will begin summer 2009. PRODUCTS: We received applications from 10 high school students interested in the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program, which began summer 2008. From the pool of applicants, we selected eight applicants for the first cohort to participate in the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program. During Summer Session II, students completed HUEC 100 - First-Year Experience Seminar, the first of 3 college-level courses participants will complete as part of the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program. PI and Co-PI have identified and selected a High School Liaison, Mrs. Cheryl Doughty, a Family Consumer Sciences Teacher at Bennett High School in Salisbury, MD, who has assisted with the recruitment of high school seniors into the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program. We currently have 3 college mentors working with the program. Two of the mentors work directly with the students. The 3rd mentor accompanies the Co-PI to informational meetings at high schools and community colleges to share information about the dietetics program from a student perspective. A student application package was produced, as well as a mentor application for prospective college mentors. Brief survey instruments were developed to assess high school students' knowledge of human ecology, family consumer sciences, and dietetics. Additional college informational sheets were created to help high school students plan the college application process. A PowerPoint presentation was also created. OUTCOMES: We accomplished the following outcomes: Developed an articulation agreement with Wicomico County Board of Education and Prince George's Community College; participated in recruitment activities such as career and college fairs and classroom visitations; identified and train three college student mentors; and we developed and distributed recruitment materials. We also actively involved FCSE, CTE, and science high school teachers, guidance counselors, and community college faculty in the recruitment process by hosting an informational session on the goals and objectives of the proposed project. We also established a coordinator position to assist with coordination of recruitment and enrollment of high school students into the program. Additionally, we developed a student application form for potential high school participants to be distributed to the high school teachers and community college faculty. High school students must have a teacher recommendation, and be at a junior or senior-level, with at least a 3.0 GPA. Community college students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to matriculate into the Dietetics program. We offered an innovative two-part college preparation-based program for high school students interested in majoring in Family and Consumer Sciences Education or Dietetics. Part one involved enrolling high school students in an intensive two-week pre-college summer course, HUEC 100, First Year Experience for one college credit. The course is offered on the campus of UMES and students are responsible for transportation to the campus. The second part involves enrolling the students during the academic year in two college-level 3-credit courses: HUEC 203 - Human Development or NUDT 210 - Elements of Nutrition. HUEC 203 is offered in the fall and NUDT is offered in the spring. The PI and Co-PI will teach each course, respectively. We also provided financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition, books, and fees for all eight students accepted into the first cohort. We were able to have numerous guest speakers representing minority groups in their respective professions to speak to students during the summer two-week First Year Experience class. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Information was shared with Wicomico County Supervisor for FCS and Vo-Tech Education about the grant and the program being offered through the grant. The PI attended the African American Female and Male Summit for Wicomico County High School student, where information about the Human Ecology pre-college educational enhancement program was shared and application forms were to high school students, guidance counselors, and principals in attendace at the two meetins. The Co-PI conducted two recruitment visits to Wicomico County CTE programs during spring 2008. The PI & Co-PI mailed information packages to local high school guidance counselors, Family Consumer Sciences teachers, Vocational-Technical Teachers, Prince George's Community College pre-dietetics program, and other interested parties. The PI participated and presented information on the grant and the associated Human Ecology Pre-College Educational Enhancement Program at the first joint Project Directors' Research Conference for 1994 and 1890 Land-Grant Institutions in conjunction with Agricultural Research Service (ARS)/USDA, Aug 4-6, 2008, Marriott Hotel, Greenbelt, Maryland. The Co-PI will travel to Prince George's Community College November 12th accompanied by one of the student mentors to participate in a Health Careers Seminar. Students attending the seminar will receive information about the UMES dietetics program and scholarship availability through the Human Ecology Educational Enhancement Program, as well as hear a presentation by a dietetics student currently enrolled in the UMES program. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The future initiatives of this project include increasing the number of local high school students from 8 to 10 for year two cohort through expansion of our recruitment to both Somerset and Worcester counties. We expect to award at least six $2,000 scholarships next fall to the students currently enrolled in the educational enhancement program who decide to declare Human Ecology (FCS or dietetics) as their major. We also expect to increase the number of students matriculating in the dietetics program by specifically targeting Prince George's Community College Pre-Dietetics Program and possibly Baltimore City Community College. In year 3, we expect to increase the numbers of scholarships to eight as momentum for interest in enrollment increases. We will also sponsor student memberships to American Association of Family and Consumer Science (AAFCS) or American Dietetic Association (ADA) for students who participate in the program and later matriculate at UMES in FCS or Dietetics, as well as provide an opportunity for students to attend one professional Maryland state meeting to either MAFCS or MDA. To enhance professional development, funding for PI's to attend one professional meeting in their respective disciplines will be provided as well as allocate funds to purchase materials to enhance learning in the areas of FCS and dietetics.
Impacts We have been able to recruit 8 high school students into the program, who will complete and earn 7 academic credits towards a degree in Human Ecology. High school students who may not have had an interest in attending a four-year college are being exposed to the college experience, and are aware of career choices that otherwise they might not have known about. We have increased our departmental recruitment efforts. Three of the eight high school students participating in the academic enrichment program have expressed an interest in attending UMES fall 2009, and declaring Human Ecology as their major. The success of the first year cohort is a tool for attracting additional high school students into the 2nd-year cohort, beginning summer 2009. We are meeting our primary goal of recruiting students into the two underrepresented areas in the Department of Human Ecology.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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