Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs OUTPUTS: In Year 1, 50 students were placed in paid, mentored internships with advisors from the USDA and other agency partners, municipal departments, non-profit organizations, their institutions, and industry. The students represented 9 different HSI California State University campuses (5 interns from Bakersfield; 4 from Fresno; 2 from Los Angeles; 21 from Monterey Bay; 2 from Northridge; 3 from San Bernardino; 5 from San Diego State; 4 from San Marcos; and 4 from Stanislaus). More internship applications were received than the Program had openings and a wait list was created. This wait list would be utilized to fill any vacant internship opportunities, which there wasn't any for Year 1. Collaborations between the Program and the USDA, other agencies, and organizations have been initiated and established for placement and advising of interns, but it will be an on-going process in subsequent years as well. A MOU is currently being negotiated with the Forest Service. Documentation for the recruitment, application, selection, and processes were developed and uploaded to the Program website. The website is http://wri.csusb.edu/watershedManagementExperientialLearning.html. Interns' final reports and resumes, with their permission, will be posted to this website for potential employers to view. Additionally, databases were created to monitor and track the interns, their progress and their data like GPA, retention rates, job placement, etc. This allows the Program to monitor and report on their persistence and performance. The Program needed CSUSB's Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before students can be surveyed and reported on. IRB documents were created and filed with CSUSB's IRB for review and IRB clearance was received. The student surveys are ongoing, but to date 21 students from the 9 HSI CSUs have participated thus far. Interns are required to research USDA jobs, choose a USDA job description that is of most interest career-wise to them, identify what skills and classes are needed for that job, and develop a course list to fulfill those requirements. All interns have completed this task. The Program utilized social media to connect with the interns. Facebook and Twitter accounts were set up and utilized, providing the students a forum to collaborate with each other and the WRI, post updates and pictures on their internship projects, share results, pose questions, among other things. CSUSB utilizes the social media to communicate broadly with the interns, post relevant USDA career information and job postings, internship opportunities, scholarship information, and related conferences and meetings of interest. The respective sites are: http://www.facebook.com/WRI.csusb and https://twitter.com/WRIcsusb. Travel funds were allocated to allow interns to attend professional and student conferences and annual meetings to enrich their internship experiences. 5 interns were sent to the 2012 HACU Annual Conference and 2 interns participated in the Water Resources and Policy Initiatives Annual Conference. 1 intern attended the ESRI Annual User Conference. Additionally, 2 interns presented their research to a Citizens Advisory Meeting. PARTICIPANTS: Key Personnel: 1) Julie Lappin, JD, the PI of the project, is responsible for the administration of the program and provides oversight on the program and reporting requirements. She also coordinates collaboration efforts with the 14 HSI CSU campuses, community partners, and the faculty teams. Ms. Lappin tracks interns' efforts and is responsible for reporting project results. She also reviews and approves all internship applications, ensuring the scope of work meets the requirements of the USDA guidelines and is consistent with university-level research. She provides guidance to interns as needed. 2) Dr. David Zoldoske, Ed.D., serves as co-PI of the project. His duties include working with CSUSB to successfully promote and implement the program at the participating campuses. This includes selecting mentors and student participants for the program. Dr. Zoldoske also assists with contacting USDA agencies and informing them about the program requirements and intended outcomes, and requesting their participation when appropriate to promote USDA career opportunities among current and potential students attending the 14 HSI campuses. This includes promoting campus visits by Federal agencies and other activities designed to raise student awareness of USDA career opportunities. Dr. Zoldoske works with the program Bilingual Coordinator to provide Spanish language support to students. TARGET AUDIENCES: During Year 1 of the project, 50 paid experiential learning internship opportunities were awarded to students from Hispanic Serving Institution Cal State University campuses. Females made up the largest composition of interns, 56 percent, compared to males, 44 percent. Ethnically, the interns were comprised of 48 percent Hispanic; 4 percent Native American; 12 percent Asian; 4 percent Other; and 32 percent Caucasian. Of the 50 interns, 44 percent are graduate students, while 56 percent are undergraduate students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: During Year 1 of the project, the Program Director was changed from Susan Longville to Julie Lappin due to Ms. Longville's leave of absence.
Impacts Corresponds to USDA Indicators. 1) Our Program partners with the following entities for intern placement: USDA ARS and NRCS, CA Fish and Game, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Reserve, Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, San Dieguito River Park, Resource Conservation District, various City and County departments, multiple Water Districts, industry, and CSU campuses. 2) 50 students were awarded paid internships. 3) 56 percent are females and 44 percent are males, while ethnically 48 percent Hispanic; 4 percent Native American; 12 percent Asian; 4 percent Other; and 32 percent Caucasian. 4) All 50 students have been retained, but many internships are still in progress so rates will continue to be assessed. 5) 50 interns (44 percent graduate, 56 percent undergraduates) are placed in experiential learning mentored internships. 6) 4 students presented at local and regional meetings. 7) The interns' majors include (some dual): Biological Sciences (20 percent); Civil Engineering (4 percent); Coastal Watershed Science Policy (28 percent); Computer Science, Engineering (2 percent); Environ. Engineering (4 percent); Environ. Science (6 percent); Geography (14 percent); Geology (10 percent); German (2 percent); Health Science (2 percent); Industrial Technology (4 percent); Marine Science (2 percent); Math (2 percent); Photography (2 percent); Plant Science (2 percent); and Psychology (2 percent). All projects are watershed and natural resource relevant. 8) 1 masters degree awarded, however graduation rates will continue to be assessed. 9) 4 students produced 2 publications to date. 10) The average GPA pre-internship is 3.41. Since many internships are still ongoing, the post-internship average will continue to be assessed. 11) Curriculum development and faculty hire was not an objective of our proposal, as funded. 12) 56 percent of the interns are females with an average pre-internship GPA of 3.43 (Hispanic-3.24; Asian-3.16; Native American-2.74; and Caucasian-3.75). 13) Academic indicators such as quality of advising and access to tutorial services will continue to be collected as internships end. 14) To date, 6 students have been offered jobs or additional paid internships. 15) Since many internships are in progress, we continue to assess the effectiveness of research activity and skill development. 16) CSUSB offers unpaid High School Internships to underrepresented students on advanced GIS, GPS, and mobile technologies skill sets that are tailored to USDA-relevant topics. The first cohort is comprised of 8 students from 5 local schools. Additionally, CSU Fresno is working with the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program to discuss water related topics to high school students. 17) CSUF participated in the National Professional Science Master's Association Regional Workshop, discussing water related careers, promotion of degrees, and internships. CSUSB exhibited at Stemapalooza 2012 with over 750 middle school students in attendance. 18) Budget obligations and expenditures are on track. 19) All 50 interns have been hired and most activities are on schedule. 20) Initial IDRA surveys have been sent and data is being collected.
Publications
- Blunt, A., Negrini, R., Randall, K., Garcia, E., Wilson, James, Wilson, John, Chauhan, J., Chehal, R., Shurbaji, H., and Shugart, J. (2012). Supplementing a Tulare Lake, CA Late Pleistocene to Holocene Lake-Level Record Using Geochemical and Geophysical Proxies from Core Sediments. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 44, No. 7, p. 84.
- Lawrence, S. and Bryant, E. (2012). Riverscape. Monthly. Provides information on the San Dieguito River Park to establish a continuous open space corridor throughout the length of the Park that preserves natural habitats, protects linkages for wildlife movement, and provides compatible areas for recreational opportunities.
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