Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/12
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for the IRM Graduate Students was, as a general category, any person or company that hired and/or intereacted with one of students and graduates. Of all of our NNF alumni, two are managing ranches in Colorado, another is in law school (specializing in environmental law), two have been accepted to veterinary programs (one in the prestigious and competitive dual degree program with public health), another secured a job with a river restoration project, and the last one has been appointed as the Executive Director for the Department of Natural Resources for the Tohono O'Odham Nation in Sells, Arizona (he now manages 2.8 million acres and also plans to have a role in the education of tribal members regarding integrated resource management through the Tribal College). Collectively, our seven fellows have a 3.7 GPA. Two of the Fellows have 4.0 GPAs, and all of them have impressive and diverse backgrounds, including rangeland management, anthropology, and land use planning. Their dedication and excellence in their coursework carried into their careers, where they all thrive and we continue to receive positive feedback on their individual performances. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? As noted in our projects completed, many of the fellows participated in various forms of professional development and educational outreach with projects such as: - The planning and delivery of workshops centered around the changing beef industry in collaboration with Dr. Roy Roath of the Forest Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department at Colorado State and Colorado State Extension at rural locations throughout Colorado. - The ranching legacy fellowship program, designed to forge a collaboration with the Colorado Cattlemen's Association and The Nature Conservancy to design and pilot a program that provides four ranchers with the training to be innovative leaders in land management and conservation. - Ranching legacy mentorship/apprenticeship program. Noah Bates completed a proposal that was submitted to the USDA BFRDP program. - Determining how cultural systems affect resource management decisions. Jordan Sedlacek worked with the Anthropology Department at Colorado State to study how to make conservation programs culturally relevant to people of various ethnicities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The publications that have resulted from this project have been featured on our web site. The students' work has also been integrated in the program curriculum, including the resident instruction and the online versions of the courses that have been affected. As mentioned, students from Africa, service members serving all over the world and students from various parts of North America have taken part in the IRM coursework, both on-campus and online. Their experiences with IRM coursework, and the specific projects that the National Needs Fellows were a part of, have led to dissemination to far-reaching, businesses, cultures and locations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The diversity of the student population in the Integrated Resource Management program has been affected through the enrollment of a student of Native American descent as well as a student of nontraditional age. The National Needs Fellowship Award has heightened the program's outreach efforts among Tribal Colleges and other diverse populations. We now have a student of Native American descent who is enrolled in the online version of our program. Several students from various countries in Africa have completed their IRM coursework, with another African (from the Sudan) student in the early stages of her IRM education at present. Our outreach has extended further into all branches of our Military forces, with several new students per year joining our online program who are actively serving in the armed forces - several of which are serving overseas. The development of the online courses that was facilitated with the National Needs Fellows assistance is key to making the online program as far-reaching as it is.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2009
Citation:
Berry, S. and Peel, R.K. 2009. What are Carbon Credits? Should You Sell Them to a New York Salesman?
http://brianallmerradionetwork.wordpress.com/
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
During the past year, four of our fellows exited the USDA NNF Integrated Resource Management graduate program. As they graduate, they bring the total number of fellows that we have funded through this project to seven. With their strong grades and varied contributions to the program, the students have made a significant impact on the program, particularly in the area of diversity. The fellowships gave the students an excellent graduate school experience, and they have all gone on to further study or careers in the area of their choice. Of all of our NNF alumni, two are managing ranches in Colorado, another is in law school (specializing in environmental law), two have been accepted to veterinary programs (one in the prestigious and competitive dual degree program with public health), another secured a job with a river restoration project, and the last one has been appointed as the Executive Director for the Department of Natural Resources for the Tohono O'Odham Nation in Sells, Arizona (he now manages 2.8 million acres and also plans to have a role in the education of tribal members regarding integrated resource management through the Tribal College). Collectively, our seven fellows have a 3.7 GPA. Two of the Fellows have 4.0 GPAs, and all of them have impressive and diverse backgrounds, including rangeland management, anthropology, and land use planning. PRODUCTS: Nine projects have been completed during the duration of the funding (five in the past year), including: What are carbon credits and should you sell them to a salesman from New York Stacia Berry completed a literature review of the issues facing ranchers as they grapple with this question. The paper was published on an online agricultural news web site as well as on the WCIRM redesigned web site. Is the beef industry restructuring All four National Needs Fellows from the 2008-2009 class contributed to the planning and delivery of these workshops in collaboration with Dr. Roy Roath of the Forest Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department at Colorado State and Colorado State Extension at rural locations throughout Colorado. The ranching legacy fellowship program. Stacia Berry worked with Dr. Kraig Peel, WCIRM Director, to forge a collaboration with the Colorado Cattlemen's Association and The Nature Conservancy to design and pilot a program that provides four ranchers with the training to be innovative leaders in land management and conservation. The effect of morbidity in feedlot cattle on carcass quality and subsequent carcass value. Kayle Austin completed this project. She developed a poster for the annual National Needs Fellows conference in October in Washington, DC in 2009. Ranching legacy mentorship/apprenticeship program. Noah Bates completed a proposal that was submitted to the USDA BFRDP program. While the project was not funded, he hopes to find additional funding opportunities to form a collaboration with WCIRM, targeted tribal nations, conservation groups, and a base site to launch this program. Plans are in the formative stages for this project. Determining how cultural systems affect resource management decisions. Jordan Sedlacek worked with the Anthropology Department at Colorado State to study how to make conservation programs culturally relevant to people of various ethnicities. Recruiting underrepresented groups to the WCIRM program. Heather Messick developed a two year marketing plan to reach out to underrepresented groups using current electronic networking tools as well as traditional avenues. Veterinary Decision Making in the Alpaca Industry. Jordan Sedlacek collaborated with one of our faculty members to complete a review of this topic with the long-range intent of publishing her findings. Curriculum design. Three of our online courses have been significantly redesigned with the fellows' assistance. They worked closely with faculty members for AGRI 632 (Managing for Ecosystem Sustainability), AGRI 635 (Integrated Forage Management), and AGRI 638 (Ecosystem Services on Agricultural Lands). Both the resident instruction and the online versions of these courses have been improved through the fellows' efforts. OUTCOMES: The diversity of the student population in the Integrated Resource Management program has been affected through the enrollment of a student of Native American descent as well as a student of nontraditional age. The National Needs Fellowship Award has heightened the program's outreach efforts among Tribal Colleges and other diverse populations. We now have a student of Native American descent who is enrolled in the online version of our program. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The publications that have resulted from this project have been featured on our web site. The students' work has also been integrated in the program curriculum, including the resident instruction and the online versions of the courses that have been affected. FUTURE INITIATIVES: We hope to recruit one additional student to serve as a USDA National Needs Fellow during the 2011-2012 academic year.
Impacts
The National Needs Fellowships have provided the Integrated Resource Management Program at Colorado State University with broad exposure to potential students. Since the award of the funding, recruitment and outreach activities have increased dramatically. The seven fellows who have participated in the program have brought leadership and diversity. In the classroom, they provide unique perspectives during discussions and group presentations. On projects, they have proven to be independent and detail-oriented. Overall, the value of the National Needs Fellowships has been strong, and the impact on Colorado State University has been positive. The lines of communication for recruitment of Native American students have been established and our first Native American graduate has obtained an excellent managerial position. The other fellows have either secured strong employment opportunities or obtained entry to competitive programs for additional graduate study.
Publications
- Austin, K.J., Seabrook, J.L., Engle, T.E., Peel, R.K., McAllister, C.M., Brigham, B.W., Enns, R.M., Weaber, R.L., Van Campen, H., Loneran, G.H., Salak-Johnson, J.L., and Chase, C.C.L. 2010. The Effect of Morbidity on Feedlot Performance and Carcass Quality in Feedlot Steers. 2010 Joint Annual Meeting ADSA, PSA, AMPA, CSAS, WSASAS, ASAS, July 11, 2010: Denver, CO.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
Three of the National Needs Fellows completed their studies and graduated in the past two semesters. One enrolled in law school with the intent of specializing in agricultural law, one had her wedding over the summer and together with her husband now manages a ranch near Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the third been appointed as the Executive Director for the Department of Natural Resources for the Tohono O'Odham Nation in Sells, Arizona. This alumnus now manages 2.8 million acres and also plans to have a role in the education of tribal members regarding integrated resource management through the Tribal College. The fourth National Needs Fellow has continued her studies, which include a research project on cattle. Our project directors secured permission to recruit students to fill the void created by the graduating Fellows. Three National Needs Fellows were recruited and offered fellowships through the USDA National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program award. The graduate students were rated and selected based on academic performance, agriculture background, agriculture leadership potential and underrepresented group. Collectively, our four Fellows have a 3.647 GPA for the semesters that they have been enrolled in the program. Two of the Fellows have 4.0 GPAs, and all of them have impressive and diverse backgrounds, including rangeland management, anthropology, and land use planning. PRODUCTS: Three projects have been completed during the past year, including: What are carbon credits and should you sell them to a salesman from New York Stacia Berry completed a literature review of the issues facing ranchers as they grapple with this question. The paper was published on an online agricultural news web site as well as on the WCIRM redesigned web site. Is the beef industry restructuring All four National Needs Fellows from the 2008-2009 class contributed to the planning and delivery of these workshops in collaboration with Dr. Roy Roath of the Forest Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department at Colorado State and Colorado State Extension at rural locations throughout Colorado. The ranching legacy fellowship program. Stacia Berry worked with Dr. Kraig Peel, WCIRM Director, to forge a collaboration with the Colorado Cattlemen's Association and The Nature Conservancy to design and pilot a program that provides four ranchers with the training to be innovative leaders in land management and conservation. OUTCOMES: The diversity of the student population in the Integrated Resource Management program has been affected through the enrollment of a student of Native American descent as well as a student of nontraditional age. The National Needs Fellowship Award has heightened the program's outreach efforts among Tribal Colleges and other diverse populations. We have a student of Native American descent who has completed some of our coursework online and applied to our distance education program. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: We have several ongoing projects that involve dissemination activities, including: The effect of morbidity in feedlot cattle on carcass quality and subsequent carcass value. Kayle Austin is completing this project. She developed a poster for the annual National Needs Fellows conference in October in Washington, DC. Ranching legacy mentorship/apprenticeship program. Noah Bates is watching for the request for proposals to come out for the USDA BFRDP program. He hopes to form a collaboration with WCIRM, targeted tribal nations, conservation groups, and a base site to launch this program. Plans are in the formative stages for this project. Determining how cultural systems affect resource management decisions. Jordan Sedlacek is exploring a collaboration with the Anthropology Department at Colorado State to study how to make conservation programs culturally relevant to people of various ethnicities. Recruiting underrepresented groups to the WCIRM program. Heather Messick is developing a two year marketing plan to reach out to underrepresented groups using current electronic networking tools as well as traditional avenues. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The National Needs Fellows will have continued interaction with faculty within the Integrated Resource Management (IRM) program as they help translate courses from a resident instruction format a distance or online format. The Fellows continue to be closely involved in research projects, including proposal preparation and data collection. In the coming semester, they will each define and complete a project that will result in a professional paper.
Impacts
The National Needs Fellowships have provided the Integrated Resource Management Program at Colorado State University with broad exposure to potential students. The class of 19 students during the 2008-2009 academic year was the largest in the history of the program. The four fellows who have participated in the program this year have brought leadership and diversity. In the classroom, they provide unique perspectives during discussions and group presentations. On projects, they have proven to be independent and detail-oriented. Overall, the value of the National Needs Fellowships has been strong, and the impact on Colorado State University has been positive. The lines of communication for recruitment of Native American students have been established and our first graduate has obtained an excellent managerial position.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
Four National Needs Fellows were recruited and offered fellowships through the USDA National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program award. The graduate students were rated and selected based on academic performance, agriculture background, agriculture leadership potential, and underrepresented group. One student is of Native American descent, a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation. He has already secured a high level position within the tribe, which he will assume following his graduation from the Integrated Resource Management program. He also plans to teach some of the content he learned in our program in a course at the Tohono O'odham Community College. Collectively, our four fellows have a 3.466 GPA for the first semester in the program, and one of them has a 4.0. The student with the 4.0 came to us as a national officer in the Future Farmers of America with hundreds of speaking engagements under her belt and too many honors and awards to list. A third fellow declined admission to veterinary school so that she could attend our program and accept the National Needs Fellowship. The final fellow has strong local ties to Colorado with excellent references and leadership potential. PRODUCTS: The student fellows have coordinated the logistics for an undergraduate travel course, designed to expose students to a diverse array of agricultural practices throughout Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. The students also handled logistics for a seminar entitled Restructuring the Beef Business, which was held for Extension agents and ranchers in Yuma and LaJunta, Colorado. OUTCOMES: The diversity of the student population in the Integrated Resource Management program has been affected through the enrollment of a student of Native American descent. The National Needs Fellowship Award has heightened the program's outreach efforts among Tribal Colleges and other diverse populations. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Several outreach letters have been sent to Tribal Colleges and well qualified students throughout the nation, profiling the National Needs Fellowship awards and describing the Integrated Resource Management (IRM) program. A page of the IRM web site is devoted to the National Needs Fellowship Awards. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The National Needs Fellows will have continued interaction with faculty within the Integrated Resource Management (IRM) program as they help translate courses from a resident instruction format a distance or online format. Additionally, the IRM program will recruit fellows to hold three of the positions as fellows graduate from our program.
Impacts
The caliber of applicants to our program has increased dramatically since the award. The 2008-2009 class of students is the largest and most diverse since the program's inception. We have a student of Native American descent enrolled in a course in our online program, and we have another student who has made inquiries about applying for fall admission.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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