MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1011098
• Grant No.: 2017-67033-26015
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $761,006.00
• Proposal No.: 2016-06393
• Project Start Date: Dec 15, 2016
• Project End Date: Jul 14, 2024
• Grant Year: 2019
• Program Code: [A7401]- Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates

Recipient Organization
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MISSISSIPPI STATE,MS 39762

Performing Department
School of Human Sciences

Non Technical Summary
The MSU Extension Service Apprenticeship Program will give undergraduate juniors and seniors -- from all public universities in Mississippi and 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in adjacent states -- the opportunity to explore extension-related careers in agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community resource development, or 4-H youth development, while participating in integrated research and experiential learning opportunities that directly benefit Extension outreach to local stakeholders in Mississippi. Between October 1, 2016 and May 31, 2019, two (2), 12-week summer apprenticeships will host sixteen (16) students (8 per summer). Students will be selected and paired with a primary and secondary mentor to obtain hands-on experience in research and extension projects or programs. One of four (4) MSU Regional Extension Coordinators will serve as the primary mentor to coordinate and facilitate the apprentices' activities and overall experience. The secondary mentor will be an MSU Extension faculty specialist with whom the apprentice will assist in conducting new or ongoing research, facilitate Extension activities at the county or regional level, and develop a related process, program, or training tool. Apprentices will also shadow county-level agents working directly with the faculty specialist. Program objectives are to teach students more about potential careers in Extension; expand Extension experience among candidates pursuing technical degrees for future employment; and increase support of Extension programs. The intended impacts are to strengthen the content knowledge of potential future Extension agents to better serve clientele in their county/region, while promoting research and Extension experiential learning for undergraduate students.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

0%

Applied

100%

Developmental

0%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6010	3030	100%

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

Subject Of Investigation
6010 - Individuals;

Field Of Science
3030 - Information and communication;

Keywords

enticeship

experiential learning

extension

integrated project

mentoring

undergraduate

Goals / Objectives
The MSU Extension Service Apprenticeship Program will give undergraduate juniors and seniors -- from all publicuniversities in Mississippi and 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in adjacent states -- the opportunity to exploreextension-related careers in agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community resourcedevelopment, or 4-H youth development, while participating in integrated research and experiential learningopportunities that directly benefit Extension outreach to local stakeholders in Mississippi. Between October 1, 2016and May 31, 2019, two (2), 12-week summer apprenticeships will host sixteen (16) students (8 per summer).Students will be selected and paired with a primary and secondary mentor to obtain hands-on experience inresearch and extension projects or programs. One of four (4) MSU Regional Extension Coordinators will serve asthe primary mentor to coordinate and facilitate the apprentices' activities and overall experience. The secondarymentor will be an MSU Extension faculty specialist with whom the apprentice will assist in conducting new orongoing research, facilitate Extension activities at the county or regional level, and develop a related process,program, or training tool. Apprentices will also shadow county-level agents working directly with the facultyspecialist. Program objectives are to teach students more about potential careers in Extension; expand Extensionexperience among candidates pursuing technical degrees for future employment; and increase support ofExtension programs. The intended impacts are to strengthen the content knowledge of potential future Extensionagents to better serve clientele in their county/region, while promoting research and Extension experiential learningfor undergraduate students.

Project Methods
The first step for this apprenticeship program will be an invitation to Extension faculty specialists to submit an apprenticeship proposal. Apprenticeship opportunities will be chosen based on the quality of the proposals, the identified needs of the RECs (i.e. which program areas are most critical for that region), and final approval by the PD and MSU Extension administration. Extension specialists whose proposals are accepted will be required to submit a letter of commitment as a faculty mentor.Student Recruitment, Selection, and RetentionA formal invitation with the specific apprenticeship opportunities and information on how to apply will be sent to undergraduate coordinators at Mississippi State University, Alcorn University, all other public universities in Mississippi, and all 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in states adjacent to Mississippi. Other recruitment and marketing materials also will be developed and made available, as requested. In collaboration with the MSU Extension Center for Technology Outreach, a web site that provides details about the apprenticeship experience, the available opportunities for that year, important deadlines, contact information, and an online application will be developed. Students will electronically submit an application packet to the PD via the web site. Application requirements include an application form, unofficial transcripts, and two (2) letters of recommendation. Applicants will identify their preferred program area-specific apprenticeship opportunity when they apply, although this does not guarantee the student will be matched with that exact apprenticeship opportunity. No more than 50% of the apprenticeships will be granted to Mississippi State University applicants.Extension faculty specialists, as the secondary mentors, will have much to offer in the way of specialized knowledge, expertise and support. Because the apprenticeship opportunities chosen will be based on the pool of proposals submitted by specialists in agriculture, natural resources, youth development, family and consumer science, human sciences, and community resource development, each mentor relationship will be unique and targeted to the student paired with a particular specialist.Mentors will be expected to:? Provide regular and consistent support to the apprentice? Assist the apprentice in identifying and overcoming real and perceived barriers? Engage the apprentice in a diversity of experiential learning opportunities? Assist the apprentice in efforts to develop and strengthen key competencies related to an Extension career. Examples include scientific and technical skills, communication skills, and problem-solving skills.Mentors will determine additional, more targeted mentoring activities based on the learning objectives identified by each specialist in his/her proposal.Project Evaluation and ReportingIn order to appropriately evaluate the success and impact of the apprenticeships, there will be formal and informal, formative and summative assessments of the program, the mentors, and the students. Dr. Alisha Hardman, Assistant Professor and Evaluation Specialist in the School of Human Sciences at MSU, will serve as the project evaluator. Dr. Hardman will review and approve existing evaluation instruments and assist the PD with the collection and interpretation of data.A. Mentor Functions Assessment - RECs and Extension faculty specialists will complete this assessment at the start of the program (to report their perceived efficiency as mentors) and again at the end of the program (to report their actualized efficiency as mentors). The data will be used by the PD to make changes/additions to the orientation and training of mentors prior to pairing them with students in future rounds.B. Student Apprenticeship Perceptions Survey (Appendix D) - This instrument will serve as a pre- and postassessment of apprentices' perceptions of the expectations for the program and their individual experience.It will also assess the degree to which the apprenticeship impacts students' decisions regarding careers and graduate school. Only the pre-survey is shown in the appendix.C. Reflection Journal - The reflection journal submissions will serve as a formative assessment of the program and the mentors from the perspective of the students. Additionally, the PD will regularly monitor student progress through observation and informal discussions with the primary and secondary mentors. Although this process is limited because of its potential subjectivity, the lack of formality may encourage more honest and open feedback that will contribute to strengthening the program for the future.At the end of the 12-week summer semester, the PD will conduct an in-person, face-to-face exit interview with each apprentice. If the student has already returned to his/her home institution, this interview may take place through online media (e.g. Skype) or video conference.

Progress 12/15/16 to 06/25/24

Outputs
Target Audience:In September 2022, an electronic request for apprenticeship project proposals was sent to all MSU Extension faculty, specialists, and associates. Ten proposals were submitted, and six were selected for summer 2023. Notification of the apprenticeship opportunities were sent via e-mail to all of the 4-year, state funded universities in Mississippi, all of the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama, and several other land-grant institutions in Texas, Georgia, Kansas, and Florida. Recruitment materials were developed for mentors to solicit student applications from other universities nationwide with degree programs related to their respective projects. Facebook ads were also used in those respective states. 2023 Apprenticeships Becky Smith (First Time Mentor) - Boosting Savings of Mississippian. This apprenticeship opportunity will focus on boosting savings of Mississippi employees who work for businesses not providing savings programs. The apprentice will help identify professional, government, and non-government organizations ready to bring opportunities to employees through employers and coordinate an initial steering committee meeting. The apprentice will receive the Workplace Stability Lifetime Trainer certification and the opportunity to co-present a Workplace Stability workshop for local stakeholders interested in reducing turnover. Dr. Eric Sparks (Veteran Mentor) - Coastal Conservation and Restoration Apprenticeship. The apprentice evaluated the effectiveness of shoreline restoration techniques and barriers to restoration, improving restoration effectiveness and stewardship, and disseminating information to stakeholders while collaborating with a large multi-disciplinary team from MS, AL, and FL. Marine Debris and Litter Apprenticeship. Conduct research and extension activities focused on evaluating the magnitude and environmental impacts of marine debris/litter, improve understanding of effectiveness of marine debris/litter prevention activities, and disseminate learned information to a broad group of end-users. Dr. Rocky Lemus (Veteran Mentor) - Integrated Forage and Livestock Grazing Systems. The apprentice was required to conduct, analyze, and present applied agricultural research, develop Extension materials, and become familiar with forage production and grazing management in the southern USA through meetings and discussions with researchers and industry representatives. Andrew Medhurst (First Time Mentor) - Sea-Level Rise and Flood Resilience Apprentice. Work with an MSU Extension mentor and other Extension personnel and stakeholders to coordinate research and implement related outreach program events and activities. Dr. Lori Staton (First Time Mentor) - Trauma Informed Family Life Education. Trauma Informed Parenting and Professional Strategies (TIPPS) is a parenthood initiative to improve family stability and functioning as well as child outcomes. Synthesize and summarize academic research into digestible public-facing documents (e.g., infographics, extension publications, social media posts), based on the apprentice's project. Connect Mississippi families in need of support to resources in their community. Dr. Adam Rohnke (Veteran Mentor) - The Story of Wildlife in Our Cities: Listening to our Neighbors. The successful applicant will be involved in an integrated experience in urban wildlife management, human dimensions of wildlife, and community engagement. The MSU Extension Urban Wildlife Program is in the fourth year of creating a comprehensive research and extension program in the Jackson, MS metro in conjunction with the Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN - Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL), a 52-city collaborative partnership across North America, Europe, and Africa to improve wildlife management, municipal planning, and wildlife conservation education in urban areas. Changes/Problems:The Project Director (PD; i.e., Dr. Hardman) for this project accepted a position at another institution and left Mississippi State in the summer of 2023. Dr. Osman, stepped into the role of the PD upon Dr. Hardman's departure. While Dr. Osmanhad not been involved in the administrative oversight of the project previously, she worked closely with Dr. Hardman to ensure that this change would not significantly impact the project. To date, there have not been any significant disruptions to the implementation of the MSU Apprenticeship Project following Dr. Hardman's departure. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Since the inception of this program in 2016, we have coordinated eight cohorts of mentors and apprentices, reaching 54 undergraduate students directly with grant funds. Follow-up survey results from the past seven years indicate that the experience helped students improve their knowledge of their discipline of study (96%), ability to interact with different disciplines (91%), critical thinking skills (91%), problem-solving skills (96%), and written (84%) and oral communication (91%) skills. Students felt that the apprenticeship added value to their undergraduate learning experience (98%) and helped them prepare for their careers (93%) and graduate school (84%). After participating in the apprenticeship program, there was a significant positive shift in students' perceived clarity about their future career and educational goals. When asked to assess the effectiveness of their mentor on a variety of research-based indicators, students noted that their mentor was either Very Effective or Extremely Effective at helping them understand the relationship between research and Extension (95%), challenging them to think critically (94%) and solve problems (92%), and encouraging personal responsibility (94%). The strength in the mentor-mentee relationship has been further supported by the research projects, graduate programs, and career opportunities in which many of the 54 students have engaged since completing the apprenticeship program. Students' qualitative feedback on their overall experience was overwhelmingly positive: "I honestly believe the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program is a commendable program that highlights the various roles of Extension, and is a great opportunity for any undergraduate student to participate in. Even though I have worked for Extension prior to the Apprenticeship Program, I learned about more career opportunities within Extension because of the program. Although my Apprenticeship did not conclude as I had hoped, I learned a great deal working for an Extension State Specialist and I am forever grateful I had the opportunity to." "I honestly believe the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program is a commendable program that highlights the various roles of Extension, and is a great opportunity for any undergraduate student to participate in. Even though I have worked for Extension prior to the Apprenticeship Program, I learned about more career opportunities within Extension because of the program. Although my Apprenticeship did not conclude as I had hoped, I learned a great deal working for an Extension State Specialist and I am forever grateful I had the opportunity to." "A great opportunity for undergrads to develop a deeper understanding of their field while gaining practical experience. I don't think my plans for the future (or my understanding of what extension careers look like) would be as clear if I hadn't completed this program." "I had a great time. This was a very solid program. I am happy I took the position and was happily surprised by how welcoming and kind everyone at the office was. I received a lot of one on one advice and have been given opportunities I never thought I would have access to as an undergraduate." "I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program. I grew as a student, leader, researcher, and public health advocate. Though I've always known I wanted to pursue medical school, I now know I want to find a way to someday work with Extension or similar organizations to serve as a public health advocate. Though I want to serve as a physician, I want my work to extend beyond the clinic. I learned the value of health education and prevention." "I really enjoyed the experience. Before my apprenticeship, I didn't know much about Extension and now that I have learned more about what the responsibilities of Extension workers are. Now, I want to pursue a career to eventually become an Extension livestock specialist." "This experience not only developed my professional skills but also encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone for the betterment of others. I have a stronger foundation in my future goals, and I am excited to continue my passion for service in Mississippi." "I really enjoyed my summer, and felt I grew a lot as a student. This opportunity not only challenged my critical thinking skills, but also helped improve my oral communication skills. This experience helped guide me in the right direction and helped me make decisions on my future education and career goals. I enjoyed learning about extension and getting the experience to help out in the community and take part in different programs." "I am thankful for this opportunity and that MSU extension saw the need and the desire to offer a program like this to undergraduate students. I am thankful for the hands-on learning experience I received this summer. I learned a lot. I do however wish I would have had more opportunity to do more of the extension outreach side of extension work. I enjoy connecting people with agriculture and wish I would have had more of those opportunities to see how extension does connect with the community." "I think that as someone that came into the program knowing little about what Extension was really about, my "mentor(s)" did an absolutely amazing job of teaching me about how Extension impacts lives, and how the research that I was apart of could be beneficial. I think the program has well thought out and organized, and could really be beneficial in being in more students, outside of MSU into the graduate program. (Whether that was the goal or not.)" The follow-up survey: "I was exposed to several incredible opportunities that I can't begin to count because of my apprenticeship. My mentor gave so many opportunities to develop in the field, in the lab, with technology, through networking, and through general professional skills like CV editing and grant writing." "The program introduced me to many faculty members I had not interacted with before, and allowed me to learn more about my field of FCS specifically. Sometimes there is a disconnect between my course content and the real world demand, and I was able to see how my classes on FCS differed from what extension FCS professionals worked on." "Presenting my research helped me land a summer research job at the University of Florida. Both the apprenticeship and the UF position were strong coastal engineering bullet points on my resume, which helped me get in my current role where I work on a variety of coastal engineering projects. The apprenticeship also introduced me to the Mississippi Gulf Coast; I had never visited prior to the apprenticeship, and I fell in love with the area during my apprenticeship summer. I have moved back to the Biloxi area to work full time now, a proposition I never would have considered without the apprenticeship." "Was a good opportunity; Was not enough to help me get into Grad school." "It helped prepare me for the initiative and motivation and self-pacing abilities that grad school requires! It also showed me the area of study that I didn't want to do, which pushed me into an area of study I did want to do! I imagine it helped me be a more competitive candidate for grad school"

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Nasekos, J. (presenter), A.J. Collart. 2023. "Food Insecurity: Paying the Price During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State, MS, April 13.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Nasekos, J. (presenter), A.J. Collart. 2023. "Food Insecurity: Paying the Price During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Oral presentation at the MSU 3-Minute Undergraduate Research Pitch Competition, Mississippi State, MS, April 14. (Received 1st place out of 22 undergrad students)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bounds, M. C. (presenter), & Hardman, A. M. (April 13, 2023). Using evaluation data to meet the needs of parents of children with disabilities in Mississippi. Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State University, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dubos-Schmitt, E. (presenter), Hardman, A. M., & Denny, M. (April 13, 2023). Development of food safety assessment. Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State University, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Vona, M. & Rohnke, A. (June 7, 2023). Stories of wildlife in our cities: Listening to our municipalities. Oral presentation at the International Urban Wildlife Conference, Washington, DC.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Vona, M., Rohnke, A. T., Blackwell, B. E., Smithson, K. A., Venarske, Denny, M. (2023). Stories of Wildlife in our Cities: Listening to our Municipalities. International Urban Wildlife Conference. Washington D. C., USA, June 4-7, 2023.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Rohnke, A. T., Venarske, N., Smithson, K. A., Cartwright, J., Grala, K., Burks, R., Leland, G., Blackwell, B. E., Vona, M., Denny, M. (2023). Using ArcGIS StoryMaps� to visualize the story of wildlife in our cities. International Urban Wildlife Conference. Washington D. C., USA, June 4-7, 2023.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dewberry, C., and R. Lemus. 2023. Evaluation of Nontraditional Annual Warm-season Legumes for Forage, Cover Crop, and Wildlife. In: Proceedings of the Southern Cover Crop Conference. Baton Rouge, LA. February 14-15.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Peterson G, Rodolfich AE, Chenier KA, Sparks EL. 2024. Drivers of marine debris accumulation and movement on Deer Island, Mississippi. Gulf of Mexico Conference. Tampa, FL. February 19-22.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: H. Longwell1,2, A. Rellinger1, J. Griffey1,3, R. Collini4, A. Medhurst1;1Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS, 2University of New England, Biddeford, ME, 3Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, 4The Water Institute, Baton Rogue, LA. Gulf of Mexico Conference in Tampa, Florida. February 2024.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Chapman, L. & Staton, L. (2024). Social Media as a Recruitment Tool for Parent Education Programs. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2024 Conference. Orange Beach, AL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Carter, A.G. & Staton, L. (2024). What's in the box?: Family resource management toolkits for parents. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations 2024 Conference. Orange Beach, AL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ross, M., and R. Lemus. 2024. Productivity and Nutritive Value of Warm-season Annual Legumes in Mississippi. In: Proceedings of the American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting [On-line]. Mobile, AL. January 8-10.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: 1Claire Roscoe, BS, , 2Alisha M. Hardman, PhD, CFLE, 3Marina D. Denny, PhD & 1Nesma Osman, PhD (1Mississippi State University; 2Kansas State University; 3Oregon State University) What is the Big DEAL About Critical Thinking?The Impact of Critical Thinking in the Extension Undergraduate Apprenticeship Program Across Seven Cohorts. NAESPDP. Salt Lake City, Utah. December 2023.

Progress 12/15/22 to 12/14/23

Outputs
Target Audience:In September 2022, an electronic request for apprenticeship project proposals was sent to all MSU Extension faculty, specialists, and associates. Ten proposals were submitted, and six were selected for summer 2023. Notification of the apprenticeship opportunities were sent via e-mail to all of the 4-year, state funded universities in Mississippi, all of the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama, and several other land-grant institutions in Texas, Georgia, Kansas, and Florida. Recruitment materials were developed for mentors to solicit student applications from other universities nationwide with degree programs related to their respective projects. Facebook ads were also used in those respective states. 2023 Apprenticeships Becky Smith(First Time Mentor) - Boosting Savings of Mississippian. This apprenticeship opportunity will focus on boosting savings of Mississippi employees who work for businesses not providing savings programs. The apprentice will help identify professional, government, and non-government organizations ready to bring opportunities to employees through employers and coordinate an initial steering committee meeting. The apprentice will receive the Workplace Stability Lifetime Trainer certification and the opportunity to co-present a Workplace Stability workshop for local stakeholders interested in reducing turnover. Dr. Eric Sparks(Veteran Mentor) - Coastal Conservation and Restoration Apprenticeship. The apprentice evaluated the effectiveness of shoreline restoration techniques and barriers to restoration, improving restoration effectiveness and stewardship, and disseminating information to stakeholders while collaborating with a large multi-disciplinary team from MS, AL, and FL. Marine Debris and Litter Apprenticeship. Conduct research and extension activities focused on evaluating the magnitude and environmental impacts of marine debris/litter, improve understanding of effectiveness of marine debris/litter prevention activities, and disseminate learned information to a broad group of end-users. Dr. Rocky Lemus(Veteran Mentor) - Integrated Forage and Livestock Grazing Systems. The apprentice was required to conduct, analyze, and present applied agricultural research, develop Extension materials, and become familiar with forage production and grazing management in the southern USA through meetings and discussions with researchers and industry representatives. Andrew Medhurst(First Time Mentor) - Sea-Level Rise and Flood Resilience Apprentice. Work with an MSU Extension mentor and other Extension personnel and stakeholders to coordinate research and implement related outreach program events and activities. Dr. Lori Staton(First Time Mentor) - Trauma Informed Family Life Education. Trauma Informed Parenting and Professional Strategies (TIPPS) is a parenthood initiative to improve family stability and functioning as well as child outcomes. Synthesize and summarize academic research into digestible public-facing documents (e.g., infographics, extension publications, social media posts), based on the apprentice's project. Connect Mississippi families in need of support to resources in their community. Dr. Adam Rohnke(Veteran Mentor) - The Story of Wildlife in Our Cities: Listening to our Neighbors. The successful applicant will be involved in an integrated experience in urban wildlife management, human dimensions of wildlife, and community engagement. The MSU Extension Urban Wildlife Program is in the fourth year of creating a comprehensive research and extension program in the Jackson, MS metro in conjunction with the Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN - Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL), a 52-city collaborative partnership across North America, Europe, and Africa to improve wildlife management, municipal planning, and wildlife conservation education in urban areas. Changes/Problems:The Project Director (PD; i.e., Dr. Hardman) for this project accepted a position at another institution and left Mississippi State in the summer of 2023. Dr. Osman, stepped into the role of the PD upon Dr. Hardman's departure. While Dr. Osmanhad not been involved in the administrative oversight of the project previously, she worked closely with Dr. Hardman to ensure that this change would not significantly impact the project. To date, there have not been any significant disruptions to the implementation of the MSU Apprenticeship Project following Dr. Hardman's departure. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? After completing the apprenticeship, students (n=9) agreed or strongly agreed that they perceived an increase in knowledge of their discipline of study (100%), ability to interact and work with people of different disciplines (100%), organization and time management skills (100%), critical thinking skills (78%), problem-solving skills (89%), teamwork skills (100%), written communication skills (56%), and oral communication skills (89%). Students reported ("agree" or "strongly agree") that the apprenticeship added value to their undergraduate learning experience (100%), kept them actively engaged in learning (100%), helped prepare them for their career (89%), and helped prepare them for graduate school (89%).

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: 1Claire Roscoe, BS, , 2Alisha M. Hardman, PhD, CFLE, 3Marina D. Denny, PhD & 1Nesma Osman, PhD (1Mississippi State University; 2Kansas State University; 3Oregon State University) What is the Big DEAL About Critical Thinking?The Impact of Critical Thinking in the Extension Undergraduate Apprenticeship Program Across Seven Cohorts. NAESPDP. Salt Lake City, Utah. December 2023.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Vona, M., Rohnke, A. T., Blackwell, B. E., Smithson, K. A., Venarske, Denny, M. (2023). Stories of Wildlife in our Cities: Listening to our Municipalities. International Urban Wildlife Conference. Washington D. C., USA, June 4-7, 2023.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Rohnke, A. T., Venarske, N., Smithson, K. A., Cartwright, J., Grala, K., Burks, R., Leland, G., Blackwell, B. E., Vona, M., Denny, M. (2023). Using ArcGIS StoryMaps� to visualize the story of wildlife in our cities. International Urban Wildlife Conference. Washington D. C., USA, June 4-7, 2023.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dewberry, C., and R. Lemus. 2023. Evaluation of Nontraditional Annual Warm-season Legumes for Forage, Cover Crop, and Wildlife. In: Proceedings of the Southern Cover Crop Conference. Baton Rouge, LA. February 14-15.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Nasekos, J. (presenter), A.J. Collart. 2023. "Food Insecurity: Paying the Price During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State, MS, April 13.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Nasekos, J. (presenter), A.J. Collart. 2023. "Food Insecurity: Paying the Price During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Oral presentation at the MSU 3-Minute Undergraduate Research Pitch Competition, Mississippi State, MS, April 14. (Received 1st place out of 22 undergrad students)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bounds, M. C. (presenter), & Hardman, A. M. (April 13, 2023). Using evaluation data to meet the needs of parents of children with disabilities in Mississippi. Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State University, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dubos-Schmitt, E. (presenter), Hardman, A. M., & Denny, M. (April 13, 2023). Development of food safety assessment. Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State University, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Vona, M. & Rohnke, A. (June 7, 2023). Stories of wildlife in our cities: Listening to our municipalities. Oral presentation at the International Urban Wildlife Conference, Washington, DC.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Peterson G, Rodolfich AE, Chenier KA, Sparks EL. 2024. Drivers of marine debris accumulation and movement on Deer Island, Mississippi. Gulf of Mexico Conference. Tampa, FL. February 19-22.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: H. Longwell1,2, A. Rellinger1, J. Griffey1,3, R. Collini4, A. Medhurst1;1Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS, 2University of New England, Biddeford, ME, 3Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, 4The Water Institute, Baton Rogue, LA. Gulf of Mexico Conference in Tampa, Florida. February 2024.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Chapman, L. & Staton, L. (2024). Social Media as a Recruitment Tool for Parent Education Programs. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2024 Conference. Orange Beach, AL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Carter, A.G. & Staton, L. (2024). What's in the box?: Family resource management toolkits for parents. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations 2024 Conference. Orange Beach, AL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ross, M., and R. Lemus. 2024. Productivity and Nutritive Value of Warm-season Annual Legumes in Mississippi. In: Proceedings of the American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting [On-line]. Mobile, AL. January 8-10.

Progress 12/15/21 to 12/14/22

Outputs
Target Audience:In September 2021, an electronic request for apprenticeship project proposals was sent to all MSU Extension faculty, specialists, and associates. Ten proposals were submitted, and seven were selected for summer 2022. Notification of the apprenticeship opportunities were sent via e-mail to all of the 4-year, state funded universities in Mississippi, all of the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tenessee, and Alabama, and several other land-grant institutions in Texas, Georgia, Kansas, and Florida. Recruitment materials were developed for mentors to solicit student applications from other universities nationwide with degree programs related to their respective projects. 2022 Apprenticeships Dr. Adam Rohnke (veteran mentor) - Visualizing the Story of Wildlife in our Cities. The apprentice contributed to the second phase of a digital community engagement tool using ArcCIS Story Map to tell the story of how the city's natural and cultural history has shaped the current wildlife community within it. Dr. Alba Collart (first-time mentor) - How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Prices of Healthy Foods? A Closer Look at Fresh Produce. The apprentice worked with Extension personnel and stakeholders to conduct research and implement outreach programs related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food prices. Ms. Audrey Reid (first-time mentor) - Helping Mississippi Families Implement Trauma Informed Care. The apprentice used process evaluation collected as part of the Protect & Connect parent education program, to develop a toolkit comprised of evidence-based resources and materials tailored to the unique needs of families with a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dr. Eric Sparks (veteran mentor) - Coastal Conservation and Restoration Internship. The apprentice evaluated the effectiveness of shoreline restoration techniques and barriers to restoration, improving restoration effectiveness and stewardship, and disseminating information to stakeholders while collaborating with a large multi-disciplinary team from MS, AL, and FL. Dr. Marina Denny (veteran mentor and PD) - What are We Supposed to Know? Competency-Based Assessments for FCS Professionals. Dr. Denny partnered with Dr. Alisha Hardman, a veteran mentor and Co-PD. The apprentice continued the work completed by an apprentice in 2021 to determine and assess the proficiency in the foundational competencies needed by Family and Consumer Science (FCS) Extension professionals in Mississippi by tailoring the assessment to the unique needs and programming priorities in Mississippi. Dr. Renee Collini (veteran mentor) - Helping Communities Plan for Sea-Level Rise. Dr. Collini did not believe the applicants to her apprenticeship were qualified, so she did not select an apprentice. Dr. Rocky Lemus (veteran mentor) - Applied Forage Management Systems and Agricultural Stewardship. The apprentice conducted a research project to investigate the impact of establishing forage crops small plots and grazing paddocks, participated in farm visits, and developed producer's forage management recommendations. Changes/Problems:The Project Director (PD; i.e., Dr. Denny) for this project accepted a position at another institution and left Mississippi State in the summer of 2022. Dr. Hardman, the evaluator and co-PD, stepped into the role of the PD upon Dr. Denny's departure. While Dr. Hardman had not been involved in the administrative oversight of the project previously, she worked closely with Dr. Denny to ensure that this change would not significantly impact the project. To date, there have not been any significant disruptions to the implementation of the MSU Apprenticeship Project following Dr. Denny's departure. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Since the inception of this program in 2016, we have coordinated seven cohorts of mentors and apprentices, reaching 44 undergraduate students directly with grant funds. Follow-up survey results from the past seven years indicate that the experience helped students improve their knowledge of their discipline of study (96%), ability to interact with different disciplines (91%), critical thinking skills (91%), problem-solving skills (96%), and written (84%) and oral communication (91%) skills. Students felt that the apprenticeship added value to their undergraduate learning experience (98%) and helped them prepare for their careers (93%) and graduate school (84%). After participating in the apprenticeship program, there was a significant positive shift in students' perceived clarity about their future career and educational goals. When asked to assess the effectiveness of their mentor on a variety of research-based indicators, students noted that their mentor was either Very Effective or Extremely Effective at helping them understand the relationship between research and Extension (95%), challenging them to think critically (94%) and solve problems (92%), and encouraging personal responsibility (94%). The strength in the mentor-mentee relationship has been further supported by the research projects, graduate programs, and career opportunities in which many of the 44 students have engaged since completing the apprenticeship program. Students' qualitative feedback on their overall experience was overwhelmingly positive: "A great opportunity for undergrads to develop a deeper understanding of their field while gaining practical experience. I don't think my plans for the future (or my understanding of what extension careers look like) would be as clear if I hadn't completed this program." "I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program. I grew as a student, leader, researcher, and public health advocate. Though I've always known I wanted to pursue medical school, I now know I want to find a way to someday work with Extension or similar organizations to serve as a public health advocate. Though I want to serve as a physician, I want my work to extend beyond the clinic. I learned the value of health education and prevention." "I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program. It was a great opportunity to apply my learning to real-world problems. I especially liked the interdisciplinary nature of my project, as it challenged me to synthesize knowledge from multiple areas." "I really enjoyed the experience. Before my apprenticeship, I didn't know much about Extension and now that I have learned more about what the responsibilities of Extension workers are. Now, I want to pursue a career to eventually become an Extension livestock specialist." "This opportunity gave me the chance to find out why I chose agriculture and made me fall in love with it all over again." "The MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program is a very good tool to help students evaluate their opportunities on whether to further their education past an undergraduate degree. It was very beneficial to me in learning what to expect and how to manage responsibilities within my field of research."

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hardman, A. M., Brune, K., Denny, M. D., & Roscoe, C. (September 2022). Specifying human development concepts and competencies central to FCS Extension professional development. Showcase of Excellence Poster presented at the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS), Raleigh, North Carolina.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hardman, A. M., Brune, K., Denny, M. D., & Roscoe, C. (September 2022). Specifying human development concepts and competencies central to FCS Extension professional development. Ignite session presented at the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS), Raleigh, North Carolina.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Venarske, N., Smithson, K. A. , Blackwell, B. E., Vona, M., Burks, R., Leland, G., Rohnke, A. T., (September 8, 2022). Using ArcGIS StoryMaps to Visualize the Story of Wildlife in our Cities. Oral Presentation. 2022 Mississippi Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Mississippi Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Virtual Meeting.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Nasekos, J. (presenter), A.J. Collart. 2022. " Visualizing U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Inflation During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Poster presented at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Annual Meeting Undergraduate EOHDS Spreadsheet Competition, Anaheim, CA, July 31.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Brune, K., Roscoe, C., Hardman, A. M., Denny, M. & Dubose-Schmitt, E. (November 2022). A process to determine functional competencies for family and consumer sciences Extension personnel in Mississippi. Oral presentation given at the National Extension Association of Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) annual conference, Ft. Lauderdale Beach, FL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Nasekos, J. (presenter), A.J. Collart. 2022. "Analyzing U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Inflation During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Research update presented at the Food Distribution Research Society (FDRS) Annual Conference, Pensacola, FL, Oct. 24.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Vona, M., Rohnke, A. T., Blackwell, B. E., Smithson, K. A., Venarske, Denny, M. (2023). Stories of Wildlife in our Cities: Listening to our Municipalities. International Urban Wildlife Conference. Washington D. C., USA, June 4-7, 2023.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Denny, M. D., Hardman, A. M., & Roscoe, C. (September 2022). Undergraduate apprenticeships open doors to community engaged research & outreach. Session presented at Engagement Scholarship Consortium annual conference, Athens, GA.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Martin SE. Kirby C, Sparks EL. 2022. Living Shorelines vs. Bulkheads. Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) publication. MASGP-22-036. Published July 27.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Rohnke, A. T., Venarske, N., Smithson, K. A., Cartwright, J., Grala, K., Burks, R., Leland, G., Blackwell, B. E., Vona, M., Denny, M. (2023). Using ArcGIS StoryMaps� to visualize the story of wildlife in our cities. International Urban Wildlife Conference. Washington D. C., USA, June 4-7, 2023.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Peavey, T., R. Lemus, J.D. Rivera, and J.A. White. 2022. Utilizing Crabgrass and Pearl Millet as Pinpoint Grazing Systems for Yearling Beef Cattle in Mississippi. J. NACAA Vol. 15 (1). Online.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Roscoe, C., Hardman, A. M., & Denny, M. (November 2022). Do Extension Undergraduate Apprentices Demonstrate Critical Thinking via Reflective Journaling? Oral presentation given at the National Extension Association of Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) annual conference, Ft. Lauderdale Beach, FL.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2022 Citation: Virden MF, Temple NA, Webb B, Sparks EL. 2022. Improvement of a low-cost DIY Wave Gauge. Journal of Extension (in press)
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2022 Citation: Chenier K, Akers J, Liner S, Harrier S, Sparks EL, Biber P, Blackmon L, Kastler J, Broussard P. 2022. A small-scale wave tank for living shorelines extension and outreach. Journal of Extension (in press)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Peavey, M.T., R. Lemus, J.D. Rivera, and J.A. White. 2022. Comparative Animal Performance of Crabgrass Cultivars as Pinpoint Grazing Systems. In: Proceedings of the American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting [On-line]. Wichita, KS. January 9-12.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dewberry, C., and R. Lemus. 2023. Evaluation of Nontraditional Annual Warm-season Legumes for Forage, Cover Crop, and Wildlife. In: Proceedings of the Southern Cover Crop Conference. Baton Rouge, LA. February 14-15.

Progress 12/15/20 to 12/14/21

Outputs
Target Audience:In September 2020, an electronic request for apprenticeship project proposals was sent to all MSU Extension faculty, specialists, and associates. Seven proposals were submitted, and six were selected for summer 2021. Notification of the apprenticeship opportunities were sent via e-mail to all of the 4-year, state funded universities in Mississippi, all of the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tenessee, and Alabama, and several other land-grant institutions in Texas, Georgia, Kansas, and Florida. Recruitment materials were developed for mentors to solicit student applications from other universities across the country that had degree programs related to their respective projects. 2021 Apprenticeships Dr. Adam Rohnke (veteran mentor) - Visualizing the Story of Wildlife in our Cities. The apprentice was involved in developing a comprehensive data framework to support the creation of an interactive community engagement tool about urban wildlife. Their research was to collect and analyze natural resource and cultural geospatial data for Jackson, MS, relevant to urban wildlife. The data were used to create an ArcGIS StoryMaps® about how the city's natural and cultural history has shaped the current wildlife community within it. Dr. Alan Barefield (first-time mentor) - Economic Analysis of Mississippi Communities. The apprentice performed appropriate analyses on economic shocks (including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic) that impact a local economy, identified relevant factors that affect the analyses, and developed written reports and oral presentations for a wide variety of stakeholders including elected officials, economic development organizations, and community residents. Ms. Carey Schafer (first-time mentor) - Helping Communities Plan for Sea-Level Rise. Ms. Schafer partnered with Dr. Renee Collini, a previous mentor for this program. The apprentice conducted an economic evaluation of sea-level rise management resources, in collaboration with a coals community, members of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative, and several Extension and Sea Grant professionals across Mississippi, Alabama, and Northwest Florida. Dr. Eric Sparks (veteran mentor) - Coastal Conservation and Restoration Internship. The apprentice evaluated the effectiveness of shortline restoration techniques and barriers to restoration, while collaborating with a large multi-disciplinary team from MS, AL, and FL on coastal conservation and restoration focused research and extension projects. Dr. Marina Denny (veteran mentor and PD) - Exploring Research Application for Competency-Based Learning. Dr. Denny partnered with Dr. Alisha Hardman, a veteran mentor and co-PD. The apprentice developed, facilitated, and qualitatively analyzed several focus groups with FCS specialists at Mississippi State University to identify the relevant competencies necessary for FCS professionals to be successful. This project is a continuation from work done by the apprentice in 2020, and it will inform additional application and evaluation research to be conducted by the apprentice in 2022. Dr. Rocky Lemus (veteran mentor) - Applied Forage Management Systems and Agricultural Stewardship. This apprentice for this project withdrew before the project started. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Since the inception of this program in 2016, we have coordinated six cohorts of mentors and apprentices, reaching 37 undergraduate students directly with grant funds. Follow-up survey results from the past six years indicate that the experience helped students improve their knowledge of their discipline of study (94%), ability to interact with different disciplines (95%), critical thinking skills (91%), problem-solving skills (97%), and written (86%) and oral communication (92%) skills. Students felt that the apprenticeship added value to their undergraduate learning experience (97%) and helped them prepare for their career (94%) and graduate school (86%). There was also a significant positive shift in students' perceived clarity about their future career and educational goals after participating in the apprenticeship program. When asked to assess the effectiveness of their mentor on a variety of research-based indicators, students noted that their mentor was either Very Effective or Extremely Effective at helping them understand the relationship between research and Extension (96%), challenging them to think critically (96%) and solve problems (96%), and encouraging personal responsibility (94%). The strength in the mentor-mentee relationship has been further supported by the research projects, graduate programs, and career opportunities in which many of the 37 students have engaged since completing the apprenticeship program. Students' qualitative feedback on their overall experience was overwhelmingly positive: "A great opportunity for undergrads to develop a deeper understanding of their field while gaining practical experience. I don't think my plans for the future (or my understanding of what extension careers look like) would be as clear if I hadn't completed this program." "I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program. I grew as a student, leader, researcher, and public health advocate. Though I've always known I wanted to pursue medical school, I now know I want to find a way to someday work with Extension or similar organizations to serve as a public health advocate. Though I want to serve as a physician, I want my work to extend beyond the clinic. I learned the value of health education and prevention." "I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program. It was a great opportunity to apply my learning to real-world problems. I especially liked the interdisciplinary nature of my project, as it challenged me to synthesize knowledge from multiple areas." "I really enjoyed the experience. Before my apprenticeship, I didn't know much about Extension and now that I have learned more about what the responsibilities of Extension workers are. Now, I want to pursue a career to eventually become an Extension livestock specialist." "This opportunity gave me the chance to find out why I chose agriculture and made me fall in love with it all over again." "The MSU Extension Apprenticeship Program is a very good tool to help students evaluate their opportunities on whether to further their education past an undergraduate degree. It was very beneficial to me in learning what to expect and how to manage responsibilities within my field of research."

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sims, W., Coatney, K., & Barefield, A. (September 22, 2021). Estimating the Economic Impacts of Increasing Mississippi Bred Heifer Quality. Oral presentation. 6th Advancing Mississippi Conference.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sicangco, C., Collini, R., Martin, S., Monti, A., & Sparks, E. (July 2021). Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Small-Scale Living Shoreline Project. Program for Local Adaptation to Climate Effects: Sea-Level Rise (PLACE:SLR). https://placeslr.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Living-Shoreline-Cost-Benefit-Analysis_withPub.pdf
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Brewer, T., Sims, W., Webb, T., Coatney, K., Smith, R., Barnes, J., Anderson, J. Biggs, G., & Barefield, A. (December 2021). Economic Impact of the Southern Producers Replacement Heifer Sale. Mississippi State University Extension Publication 3692. http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/economic-impact-the-southern-producers-replacement-heifer-sale

Progress 12/15/19 to 12/14/20

Outputs
Target Audience:In October 2019, an electronic request for apprenticeship project proposals was sent to all MSU Extension faculty and associates. All eight proposals that were submitted were selected for summer 2020. Notification of the apprenticeship opportunities were sent via e-mail to all of the 4-year, state funded universities in Mississippi, and all of the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tenessee, and Alabama. Recruitment materials were developed for mentors to solicit student applications from other universities across the country that had degree programs related to their respective projects. 2020 Apprenticeships Dr. Alisha Hardman (veteran mentor) - Trauma-Informed Parenting Strategies (TIPS): A Parenthood Initiative to Improve Family Stability and Functioning. The apprentice implemented trauma-informed parent education programming in Starkville, Columbus and on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians reservation; collected and analyzed evaluation data; and revised/created Extension publications and other materials in the area of family life and parent education. Dr, Amanda Stone (veteran mentor) - Mixed Methods Research in Dairy Systems. The apprentice organized and conducted roundtable discussions with dairy producers and important contributors to their farm (e.g. nutritionist, breeder, veterinarian, banker, etc.) with the intent to help them improve their operations to reach their goals; collected and analyzed data (e.g. somatic cell count samples, breeding records, etc.) and prepared results to present at the roundtable discussions; and used qualitative inquiry methods to understand producers' decisions in order to help future Extension efforts. Ms. Ann Sansing (veteran mentor) - Community Health Empowerment, Education and Research (CHEER). The apprentice facilitated the enhancement of the I² (Illness and Injury Simulation) Learning Modules, coordinated the required simulation, and monitored the simulation experience; assisted with preparation of formative and summative evaluation methodology of the I² Learning Modules; judged the State 4-H Congress/Jr Master Wellness Volunteer and Health Visual competitions; visited at least 3 regions of the state relative to 4-H/Family and Consumer Sciences Extension to assist with facilitation of county-based Extension programming; and taught select modules of the Jr. Master Wellness Volunteer program for Extension agent in-service training. Dr. Eric Sparks (veteran mentor) - Coastal Conservation and Restoration Internship. The apprentice collaborated with a large multi-disciplinary team from MS, AL, and FL on coastal conservation and restoration and conducted research focused on evaluating the effectiveness of shoreline restoration techniques, improving restoration effectiveness, and disseminating learned information to a broad group of end-users. Dr. Marcus Drymon (first time mentor) - Marine Microplastics Intership. The apprentice worked with their mentor and other Extension personnel to coordinate marine microplastics research and implement an outreach program focused on marine microplastics. Dr. Marina Denny (veteran mentor) - Assessing Extension Educator Training Needs in Family & Consumer Sciences. The apprentice developed an instrument and collected and analyzed data to determine FCS specialists' definitions of professional concepts and needed competencies to inform professional development needs of FCS agents in Mississippi. Ms. Renee Collini (first time mentor) - Connecting Sea-Level Rise to Coastal Decision-Making. The apprentice developed a research question in collaboration with Cooperative staff and Cooperative partners including economists and biogeophysical modelers to address coastal decision-makers' need for information on the economic impacts of sea-level rise in the northern Gulf; collected primary and secondary data, analyzed the results, and developed an Extension product to communicate the findings; and interacted directly with coastal decision-makers to develop Extension products in collaboration with the intended clientele. Dr. Rocky Lemus (veteran mentor) - Applied Forage Management Systems and Agricultural Stewardship. The apprentice investigated the impact of establishing warm-season grasses using a nursery annual forage crop; participated in experimental design, field work, data collection and analysis, scientific writing, and organizing and presenting results; presented research during the Warm-season Forage Field Day; participated on farm-visits and developed forage management recommendations; shadowed ANR Extension agents across the state; and learned and implemented technologies used in forage research and producer assessment such as NIRS, NDVI, UAV, phone applications, etc. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All of the students were able to attend at least one professional conference or industry-related meeting specific to their apprenticeship research topic and/or field of study, either during the summer 2019 or sometime the following fall or spring semester. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have increased our social media presence on Instagram and Twitter (@msuesapprentice) to further highlight the overall program and the individual projects. Apprentices provided personal testimonies either in writing or as videos that were shared via social media and on the Apprenticeship Program website to generate interest and recruit future students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Eight unique apprenticeship opportunities were offered in 2020. Five students were from the host institution (MSU). The remaining three students were from the University of South Alabama, Mississippi University for Women, and the University of Florida. There were five females and three males; one Black, one Asian, and six White. Three apprenticeships took place on the Gulf Coast, while the remaining apprenticeships occured on or near the MSU campus in Starkville, MS. Because of the pandemic, several adjustments to individual projects were made prior to the start of the summer to allow for social distancing and/or remote work. Post survey results revealed that students were Somewhat Likely (4.0 on a 5-point scale) to pursue an Extension-related career within three years of graduating and Extremely Likely (4.7/5.0) to pursue graduate studies in an Extension- or ag-related field. Other than for teamwork and oral communication skills (no change pre and post), students reported their actual skill improvement higher after participating in the program, as compared to their anticipated impact upon entering the program. These critical, 21st century skills include written communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, organization and time management, ability to interact with diverse people, and knowledge of their discipline of study. The mentor relationships continue to be a strong component of the success of the Apprenticeship Program. Students rated their mentors as Very Effective at providing opportunities to work as a team (4.1/5.0) and encouraging them to take risks (4.3/5.0). They rated their mentors as Extremely Effective at: helping them understand how/where to find appropriate information (4.6) helping them understand the relationship between research and Extension (5.0) challenging them to think critically (5.0) and solve problems (5.0) helping them articulate what they learned (5.0) providing opportunities to work independently (5.0), and encouraging them to take risks (4.7). Qualitative analysis of students' reflective journals indicated strong correlations between the apprenticeship program and students' personal self-growth and discovery, awareness and appreciation for Extension, and understanding of the connection between research and Extension. The students reported enjoying the "interdisciplinary nature" of their respective projects, because it "challenged [them] to synthesize knowledge from multiple areas." According to one student, "Before the apprenticeship I didn't know much about Extension and now that I have learned more about what the responsibilities of Extension workers are... I want to pursue a career to eventually become an Extension livestock specialist." Another student said she "grew as a student, leader, and researcher." She has not changed her goals to go to medical school, but she now wants "to find a way to someday work with Extension... to serve as a public health advocate."

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Calhoun, K., Drymon, M. (in press). A guide to fishermen training programs. Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Davis, E. M. (2020). Scholar guide to Oxford Medical Simulation (internal document). Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Davis, E., Sansing, A., Harris-Speight, J., & Buys, D. (submitted). Challenges, opportunities, and adaptations of a 4-H youth development program during COVID-19.
• Type: Other Status: Under Review Year Published: 2021 Citation: Davis, J., Hardman, A., & Staton, L. (submitted). Understanding trauma and behavior. Extension publication. Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Under Review Year Published: 2021 Citation: Davis, J., Hardman, A., & Staton, L. (submitted). Tips for attachment in foster care. Extension publication. Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Under Review Year Published: 2021 Citation: Davis, J., Hardman, A., & Staton, L. (submitted). Guide for handling foster teens: STAGE framework. Extension publication. Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Braman, K. & Stone, A. (2020). How to Make Your Own DIY Cheese Board (infographic). Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Braman, K. & Stone, A. (2020). Dairy Industry in Mississippi (infographic). Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Peavey, T., R. Lemus, J.D. Rivera, & J.A. White. (2021). Comparison of Warm-season Annual Grasses as Supplemental Grazing. In: Proceedings of the American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting [On-line]. Savanna, GA. January 3-6. Volunteer.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Braman, K. & Stone, A. (2020). Assessing availability, use, and interest in utilizing digital extension resources amongst dairy and horse farmers. Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Hicks, K., Denny, M., & Hardman, A. (2020). Human development competencies for Mississippi Extension agents. Poster presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Progress 12/15/18 to 12/14/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Mentor Recruitment and Selection: In October 2018, an electronic request for proposals was sent to specific MSU Extension faculty and associates selected by the MSU Extension administration team with instructions on how to submit a proposal for an apprenticeship. Seventeen (17) proposals were received in December 2018, an 11% decrease from 2017. Independent reviews by the PD, co-PD, and both Assistant Extension Directors resulted in the selection of seven (7) proposals for summer 2018. Of those selected, five (5) had previously mentored undergraduate students through this program. Student Recruitment and Selection: In early January 2019, recruiting e-mails and electronic notices via social media (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook) targeting undergraduate juniors and seniors were distributed to the Provost's office,College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (or equivalent) undergraduate coordinator(s), and student career center director (if applicable) at all eight state-funded secondary institutions in Mississippi and the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Additionally, the Project Director (PD) used Handshake to advertise the apprenticeships and recruit from approximately 100 additional 4-year public and private universities across the United States. Finally, the PD sent recruitment e-mails and made several follow-up phone calls to all of the 4-year 1994 land-grant institutions. By the February 28, 2019 deadline, there were 119 applications submitted electronically from students for the seven apprenticeship opportunities available in 2019. This was a 20% increase from the number of applications in the 2018. The mentors were sent the applications specific to their apprenticeship and had 2 weeks to review and select an undergraduate apprentice. 2019 Apprenticeships (mentors and undergraduate apprentices listed, along with apprenticeship opportunity and outreach groups): Mentors identified with an asterisk (*) also served as mentors (or co-mentors) in 2018. Ms. Ann Sansing* (Extension Associate, mentor) -- Community Health Empowerment, Education, and Research (CHEER) -- Reagan Moak, Biochemistry, Pre-med major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: high school students, rural medical practitioners, rural residents with limited access to basic healthcare Dr. Courtney Crist* (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Functional Foods (FF) Integration in Farmer's Markets -- Eva McCormick, Nutrition major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: Farmer's market vendors and managers; Extension agents Dr. Eric Sparks* (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Coastal Conservatoin and Restoration Program -- Payton Billingsley, Civil and Environmental Engineering major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: graduate students, coastal engineers Dr. Rocky Lemus* (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Applied Forage and Grazing Systems Stewardship -- Cheyenne Simmons, Agricultural Engineering Buisiness and Technology major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: forage landowners, small-scale cattle producers, and Extension agents Dr. John Linhoss (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Poultry House Engineering and Management -- Matt Rowland, Agricultural Engineering Buisiness and Technology major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: USDA employees, MS ag producers Dr. Adam Rohnke (Extension Associate, mentor) -- Urban Wildlife Monitoring Research and Conservation Education -- Matt Oswald, Marine Science major, Coastal Carolina University -- Outreach groups: residential homeowners, urban and green space managers (e.g. cemeteries, public parks, schools), Extension agents Dr. Alisha Hardman (Extension Faculty, mentor) and Dr. Marina Denny (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Exploration of Family and Consumer Science Extension Competencies in MS -- Emilie Cox, Human Development and Family Science major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: Extension agents, FCS specialists, and Extension administrators in MS. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All of the students were able to attend at least one professional conference or industry-related meeting specific to their apprenticeship research topic and/or field of study, either during the summer 2018 or sometime the following fall or spring semesters. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In 2018, the apprenticeship program ran for ten (10) weeks during the summer semester, paid a weekly stipend of $400, and provided a budget for travel and other material costs on the part of both the students and mentor. For 2019, deliverables from the 2019 cohort of apprentices as well as from previous students and mentors resulted in nine (9) scientific posters, two (2) academic presentations, two (2) peer-reviewed journal articles, one (1) instructional guide, and one (1) magazine article. From a practical perspective, the integrated approach of the MSU Extension Undergraduate Program of engaging students in the various aspects of Extension research, program planning and development, implementation via outreach, and evaluation embody Nancy Franz's Engaged Scholarship Model (2009). The six leverage points of the engaged scholarship model are reflected in the program. Extension administrators expressed a desire to improve awareness of Extension and recruitment of potential candidates for Extension careers in Mississippi, after noticing a growing trend of higher turnover and fewer applicants for open positions. The initial design of the overall program was proposed with the intent to address this issue, by allowing undergraduates to engage in integrated research and outreach projects which result in discovery of new knowledge. Each of the USDA NIFA-supported apprenticeship opportunities has resulted in the development of new knowledge via the implementation of the apprenticeship program. The tangible outputs developed by the students in the form of journal manuscripts, scientific posters, Extension publications, and direct teaching based on related research represent a dissemination of new knowledge. Finally, the program evaluation data has revealed a significant change in learning and behavior among the undergraduate apprentices. The 2019 apprentices reported a significant increase in their perceived influence of the apprenticeship program on several topics, including knowledge in their respective discipline, ability to work with diverse audiences, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, written and oral communication skills, and career and/or graduate school preparation. Qualitative analysis of students' reflective journals indicated strong correlations between the apprenticeship program and students' personal self-growth and discovery, awareness and appreciation for Extension, and understanding of the connection between research and Extension.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rowland, M. & Linhoss, J. 2019. Evaporative water loss from litter at varying inclusion rates of biochar. Poster presented at Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Student Science Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rowland, M. & Linhoss, J. 2019. Evaporative water loss from litter at varying inclusion rates of biochar. International Poultry and Processing Expo, Atlanta, GA.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hardman, A.; Denny, M; Story, A.; Cox, E.; & Denny, G. 2019. Exploring FCS competencies as a framework for targeted professional development. Poster presented at the National Association of Extension Program & Staff Development Professionals Conference, Savannah, GA.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Denny, M., Hardman, A.; & Story, A. 2019. Undergraduate apprenticeships: Opportunities for enhancing awareness of Extension. National Association of Extension Program & Staff Development Professionals Conference, Savannah, GA.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Denny, M. & Hardman, A. 2019. Mississippi State University Extension undergraduate apprenticeship program: A model for critical reflection through community-engaged research and outreach. Advancements in Agricultural Development (online), http://agdevresearch.org
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Bowman, B.; Denny, M.; & Stone, A. 2019. Exploring producer innovation adoption using an Extension-led trialing program. Journal of Extension (online), http://joe.org
• Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: McCormick, E. & Crist, C.A. 2019. Combating chronic disease with food: Improving future health specialists' awareness of functional foods as medicine. Poster presented at Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Student Science Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Crist, C. & McCormick, E. 2019. Harvest to table: Food safety, nutrients, and preparation of microgreens. Training presented for the 2019 MS Rural Medical Scholars Program, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Oswald, M. & Rohnke, A.T. 2019. Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN) camera survey guide for volunteer citizen scientists.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Oswald, M. & Rohnke, A.T. 2019. Into the urban wild: A pilot urban wildlife monitoring program in Jackson, MS. Poster presented at 2019 MS Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Vicksburg, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Simmons, C.; Lemus, R.; & Bass, B. 2019. Influence of Trichoderma species on biomass production and nutritive value of cool-season annual grasses. Poster presented at Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Student Science Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Moak, R.; Steen, J.; Sansing, A.; Harris-Speight, J. & Buys, D. 2019. Junior Master Wellness Volunteers: Developing curriculum for a high school community-based health education program. Poster presented at Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Student Science Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Billingsley, P.A.; Virden, M.F.; Temple, N.A.; & Sparks, E.L. 2019. Paradoxical wave energy along shorelines at no-wake zone boundaries. Poster presented at the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 25th Biennial Conference, Mobile, AL.

Progress 12/15/17 to 12/14/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Mentor Recruiting and Selection: In October 2017, an electronic request for proposals was sent to all MSU Extension faculty and associates with instructions on how to submit a proposal for an apprenticeship. Nineteen (19) proposals were received in December 2017, a 19% increase from 2016. Independent reviews by the PD, co-PD, and both Assistant Extension Directors resulted in the selection of eight proposals for summer 2018. One faculty member selected agreed to mentor two students, so we were able to offer nine apprenticeships in total. Student Recruting and Selection: In early January 2018, recruiting e-mails and electronic notices via social media (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook) targeting undergraduate juniors and seniors were distributed to the Provost's office,College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (or equivalent) undergraduate coordinator(s), and student career center director (if applicable) at all eight state-funded secondary institutions in Mississippi and the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Additionally, the Project Director (PD) created an account with Handshake in order to advertise the apprenticeships and recruit from approximately 100 additional 4-year public and private universities across the United States. Finally, the PD sent recruitment e-mails and made several follow-up phone calls to all of the 4-year 1994 land-grant institutions in the U.S. By the February 28, 2018 deadline, there were 94 completed applications submitted electronically from students for the nine apprenticeship opportunities available in 2018. This was a 25% increase from the number of applications in the first year of the program. The mentors were sent the applications specific to their apprenticeship and had 2 weeks to review and select an undergraduate apprentice. 2018 Apprenticeships: Mentors identified with an asterisk (*) also served as mentors (or co-mentors) in 2017. Ms. Ann Sansing* (Extension Associate, mentor) -- MSU Extension Community Health Empowerment, Education, and Research (CHEER) -- Dianna Wilson, Food Science major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: high school students, rural medical practitioners, rural residents with limited access to basic healthcare Dr. Beth Baker* (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Research and Extension Soil and Water Conservation in Agricultural Systems -- Candace McKnight, Animal Science major, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff -- Outreach groups: landowners and Extension agents Dr. Clay Cavinder (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Horse Safety Awareness among 4-H Youth -- Shawna Downs, Animal and Dairy Science major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: 4-H youth, their parents/guardians, and Extension agents Dr. Courtney Crist* (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Influence of Water Mineral Composition in Meat Marination -- Abbey Schnedler, Animal & Dairy Science, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: Extension agents Dr. Elizabeth Canales (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Investigating the Economic Factors Associated with the Adoption of Food Safety Standards by Vegetable Growers -- Hannah Irwin, Environmental Economics and Management major, Mississippi University for Women -- Outreach groups: Farmers' market vendors and managers, Extension agents Dr. Eric Sparks* (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Coastal Restoration Research and Extension -- Matt Virden, Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: graduate students, coastal engineers Dr. Jason Gordon (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Infrastructure Enhancement to Support Value-Added Bioproduct Recovery and Improved Disaster Response -- Katrina Henn, Forestry major, MSU Meridian -- Outreach groups: forest landowners and natural resource professionals Dr. Rocky Lemus (Extension Faculty, mentor) -- Applied Forage and Grazing Systems Stewardship -- Lizney Rudds, Animal Science major, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff; Corianne Schmidt, Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture major, Mississippi State University -- Outreach groups: forage landowners, small-scale cattle producers, and Extension agents Changes/Problems:Based on faculty and student feedback to date and a process evaluation of the overall program after Years 1 and 2, minor changes were made for the 2018 cohort to enhance the efficacy of the program and the students' and mentors' experience. These include moving the reflective journals to an online, Qualtrics-based survey format; providing more guidance to faculty about their roles and expectations as mentors to the students throughout the summer, rather than just at the beginning; and providing more opportunities for the students and faculty to communicate and share ideas as a true cohort throughout the summer, rather than function as separate mentor-mentee pairs. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All of the students were able to attend at least one professional conference or industry-related meeting specific to their apprenticeship research topic and/or field of study, either during the summer 2018 or sometime the following fall or spring semesters. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In 2018, the apprenticeship program ran for twelve (12) weeks during the summer semester, paid a weekly stipend of $500, and provided a budget for travel and other material costs on the part of both the students and mentor. In collaboration with their respective mentors, apprentices participating in the 2018 cohort produced ten scientific posters, two Extension publication, one video, and one magazine article. They also had three conference presentations and published abstracts and submitted three journal manuscripts. Fifty-six percent (n=5) will "likely" pursue an Extension career as a result of their experience as an apprentice. Sixty-seven percent (n=6) reported that they are "likely" or "extremely likely" to pursue a graduate degree related to agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer science, youth development, community resource development, or human sciences as a result of the apprenticeship. Students agreed or strongly agreed they had an increase in: knowledge of their discipline of study (89%, n=8), ability to interact and work with people of different disciplines (78%, n=7), and skills in critical (67%, n=6), problem-solving (78%, n=7), teamwork (89%, n=8), written (67%, n=6) and oral (89%, n=8) communication. All students said they would share their experience with others. All but one mentor reported a positive experience with their respective undergraduate apprentice(s). An additional bank of questions aimed at determining the students' perceptions of their mentor's effectiveness on several key criteria were added to the follow-up surveys administered to the nine students that participated in Year 2, the summer of 2018. The students reported that their mentors were either "Very Effective" or "Extremely Effective" at helping them: find and understand information (56%, n=5); understand the relationship between Extension and research (89%, n=8); think critically (89%, n=8); solve problems (89%, n=8); articulate their learning (89%, n=8); work independently (89%, n=8); engage in teamwork (78%, n=7); take strategic risks in their learning (67%, n=6); and take responsibility for their learning (89%, n=8).

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: McKnight, C.; Baker, B.; Firth, A.; Hall, K.; & Hamid, K. (2018). Investigation of soil management practice impacts on water quality. Poster presented at the Mississippi Academy of Science Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Irwin, H. & Canales, E. (2018). Identifying barriers and challenges to food safety adoption by producers selling through direct marketing channels. Selected paper presented at the Food Distribution Research Society Conference -- 2018 Direct Agricultural Marketing Summit, Washington, D.C.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Canales, E. & Irwin, H. (2019). Food safety certification and market access. Mississippi State University Extension publication.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Irwin, H. (2018). An introduction to food safety from a marketing perspective (video). Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Schnedler, A.E.; Crist, C.A.; & Williams, J.B. (2018). Analysis of water treatment practices utilized in processing facilities in Mississippi. Poster presented at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Schnedler, A.E.; Sukumaran, A.T.; Holtcamp, A.J.; & Dinh, T.T.N. (2018). Effects of extended retail display on aerobic plate count and metmyoglobin reducing activity in ground beef. Poster presented at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Schmidt, C.; Lemus, R.; & Rudds, L. (2019). Evaluation of BMR forage systems for beef cattle performance in Mississippi. Abstract in: Proceedings of the Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy, Birmingham, AL.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Schmidt, C.; Lemus, R.; & Rudds, L. (2019). Evaluation of BMR forage systems for beef cattle performance in Mississippi. Poster presented at the Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy, Birmingham, AL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rudds, L.; Lemus, R.; & Schmidt, C. (2019). Influence of Trichoderma species on biomass production and nutritive value of warm-season annual grasses. Abstract in: Proceedings of the Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy, Birmingham, AL.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rudds, L.; Lemus, R.; & Schmidt, C. (2019). Influence of Trichoderma species on biomass production and nutritive value of warm-season annual grasses. Poster presented at the Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy, Birmingham, AL.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lemus, R.; Rudds, L; & Schmidt, C. (August 2018). Utilizing brown mid-rib (BMR) summer annuals. Cattle Business in Mississippi Magazine, pp 16-17.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wilson, D.; Sansing, A.; Buys, D.; & Harris-Speight, J. (October 2018). The illness and injury (I2) simulation: A process and outcomes evaluation. Poster presented at the Delta Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Annual Fall Conference, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wilson, D.; Sansing, A.; Buys, D.; & Harris-Speight, J. (October 2018). The illness and injury (I2) simulation: A process and outcomes evaluation. Poster presented at the Mississippi State University Undergraduate Research Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wilson, D. (2018). Illness and Injury (I2) Simulation: Student Guide. Mississippi State University Extension.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Virden, M.F.; Moss, H.B.; Lucore, A.E.; Temple, N.A.; Webb, B.M.; Linhoss, A.C.; & Sparks, E.L. (November 2018). Development and evaluation of a low-cost pressure gage. Poster presented at the 2018 Bays and Bayou Symposium, Mobile, AL.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Virden, M.F.; Moss, H.B.; Lucore, A.E.; Temple, N.A.; Webb, B.M.; Linhoss, A.C.; & Sparks, E.L. (December 2018). Development and evaluation of a low-cost pressure gage. Poster presented at the 9th National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and Management, Long Beach, CA.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Henn, K.A. & Gordon, J.S. (2018). Post-disaster response to the community forest: Challenges and opportunities in sustainability. Poster presented at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Symposium, Starkville, MS.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Bowman, B.A.; Denny, M.D.; & Stone, A.E. (submitted). Perceptions and adoption of on-farm bacteriologic milk culturing among Mississippi dairy producers. Journal of Extension.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Downs, S.; Denny, M.; Cavinder, C. (submitted). Safety awareness in Mississippi 4-H horse programs. Journal of Extension.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Denny, M.D. & Hardman, A.M. (submitted). Mississippi State University Extension undergraduate apprenticeship program: A model for critical reflection through community-engaged research and outreach. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement.

Progress 12/15/16 to 12/14/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Recruitment: Recruiting emails and electronic notices targeting undergraduate juniors and seniors were distributed to the Provost's office, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (or equivalent) undergraduate coordinator(s), and student career center director (if applicable) at all eight state-funded secondary institutions in Mississippi and the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Faculty mentors selected for the program engaged in targeted recruiting to subject-matter-specific degree programs at universities outside of the Program Director's scope of recruitment. These additional institutions included Virginia Tech, University of Alabama Birmingham, University of Florida, University of Maryland, Florida State University, and Kansas State University. Selection: There were 75 total applications from students for the eight apprenticeship opportunities available in 2017. The eight students selected for the 2017 apprenticeships represented seven universities and eight degree programs. Name Gender Race Home Institution Degree Program Academic Year Brittany Bowman Female White Virginia Tech Dairy Science Senior Brent Chaney Male White Mississippi State University Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Junior Mattie Helen Dunlap Female White Mississippi State University Psychology Senior Bri Farmer Female White University of Tennessee Knoxville Nutrition Senior Katelin Hyman Female White University of Arkansas Ag Business Junior Lilly Oaks Female White Auburn University Horticulture Junior Gillian Palino Female White University of Florida Environmental Engineering Junior Mai-Yang Ponter Female Asian University of Alabama at Birmingham Public Health and Psychology Junior Sixteen MSU faculty submitted project proposals to the Program Director. Eight faculty specialists were selected as mentors for the 2017 apprenticeships and represented a diversity of Extension program and research focus areas. Name Gender Race Department Program Area Beth Baker Female White Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Land and Water Conservation David Buys Male White Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion Public Health; Rural Medical Scholars Program Courtney Crist Female White Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion Food Safety Geoff Denny Male White Plant and Soil Sciences Ornamental Horticulture Brandi Karisch Female White Animal & Dairy Science Beef Cattle Julie Parker Female White Human Sciences Human Development and Family Studies Eric Sparks Male White Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Marine Science Amanda Stone Female White Animal & Dairy Science Dairy Science Indirect Audiences: Because of the nature of this Apprenticeship Program, the eight students worked closely with the eight faculty to interact with and provide services for existing and or new audiences, specific to each apprenticeship opportunity. Apprentice Faculty Mentor Audience(s) Brittany Bowman Amanda Stone Dairy farmers in Mississippi; Extension agents and specialists Brent Chaney Beth Baker Mississippi landowners; Extension agents and specialists Mattie Helen Dunlap Julie Parker At-risk youth, including those from the Choctaw Juvenile Justice system; social and health service organizations Bri Farmer Courtney Crist Small farmers; cottage farm producers; farmers' market managers; Extension agents and specialists Katelin Hyman Brandi Karisch Cattle producers in Mississippi; Extension agents and specialists Lilly Oaks Geoff Denny Green industry professionals in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana; Master Gardener volunteers; home gardeners Gillian Palino Eric Sparks Marine researchers; graduate students Mai-Yang Ponter David Buys High school juniors; medical doctors and other health professionals Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: The primary means by which this project was achieved involved pairing each of the eight undergraduates with a faculty mentor that would help them establish goals and guide them through a variety of integrated research and experiential learning opportunities. Those eight faculty provided one-on-one instruction to their respective student to help them learn technical content and/or processes. At the same time, the faculty used a series of conversational prompts to regularly engage their student in critical reflection, with the intent of guiding students through the process of articulating moments of significant learning (technical and non-technical), analyzing the significance of that learning, and identifying opportunities to apply that learning in the future. Professional development activities: Prior to the start of the summer apprenticeships, each of the eight faculty watched a training module on best practices for mentoring of adult learners. This module walked participants through the stages of adult mentoring and the six functions of effective mentors: relationship building, information sharing, facilitation, confrontation, modeling, and visioning. Faculty had to pass a quiz with at least 80% to demonstrate comprehension of this information. Additionally, they completed an assessment to determine their perceived level of efficacy on each of the six mentor functions. Faculty will complete a post-assessment in 2018 to determine if their perceived efficacy changed after serving in a formal mentoring capacity. The students, as part of their agreed upon deliverables, developed research posters and/or oral presentations for related professional meetings or academic conferences (e.g. American Society of Animal Science 2018 Southern Section Meeting; National Mastitis Council Annual Meeting; Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship). Because of the dates of these meetings and conferences, relative to the actual 12-week summer apprenticeship, several of the students have not yet participated in these professional development opportunities but plan to in 2018. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Since the first cycle of apprenticeships has just ended, the only dissemination of information pertaining to the overall program thus far is an oral presentation at the National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) annual conference. The topic was specific to the preliminary analysis of the students' reflective journals to determine evidence of learning and critical thinking. Denny, M.D. & Hardman, A.M. (December 2017). Analysis of Critical Thinking among Undergraduates Using Reflective Journaling. Oral presentation, National Association of Program and Staff Development Extension Professionals Conference, Las Vegas, NV. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? For the duration of this project, we will no longer incorporate the Regional Extension Coordinators as the primary mentors for the apprentices. Instead, the faculty specialists will serve as the primary mentors, since they are the ones working directly with the students over the course of the 12 weeks. The Regional Extension Coordinators will be involved on an as-needed basis, specific to the scope of the particular apprenticeship opportunity. The process in which the students will submit their weekly reflective journals will be formalized using Qualtrics software, in an effort to improve the quality and timeliness of the submissions. The faculty and students will be provided with a reporting template that mirrors the NIFA Reeport questions, in an effort to improve the efficiency with which data is collected and available for reporting to the funding agency.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The goals of the MSU Extension Undergraduate Apprenticeship Program are for apprentices to learn more about careers in Extension, to expand Extension experience among students pursuing technical degrees, and to increase support of Extension programs. By the end of the 12-week apprenticeship, faculty mentors rated their student's knowledge of the technical aspect of the apprenticeship as 4.3 on a scale of 5. Additionally, six of the 8 faculty (75%) reported that they would consider recruiting their respective student for graduate studies. Analysis of the students' reflective journals revealed that all eight students (100%) completed the apprenticeship with a better understanding of Extension and the relationship between applied research and community outreach. Students reported ("strongly agree") that the apprenticeship added value to their undergraduate learning experience (100%), kept them actively engaged in learning (88%), helped prepare them for their career (88%), and helped prepare them for graduate school (88%). Of the three students that have graduated since the completion of this apprenticeship, one (BS in Animal Dairy Science) is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Agricultural Communications at Oklahoma State University and intends to transition into an Extension-related career, one (BS in Nutrition) is seeking admission to the University of Tennessee to become a Registered Dietitian and transition into an Extension-related career, and one (BS in Psychology) is seeking admission into a clinical psychology PhD program with a desire to connect the clinical and applied approaches to treatment for at-risk populations. All three students credit the apprenticeship with strongly influencing their graduate program and career decisions. OBJECTIVE 1: Apprentices will learn more about careers in Extension Major activities Each student met with the Program Director and faculty mentor for an orientation on their first day. Topics included the history and mission of Extension, the Extension hierarchy at Mississippi State University, the faculty member's role in Extension, and examples of Extension deliverables (i.e. publications, curricula, etc.) that the students might consider developing during their apprenticeship. Throughout each apprenticeship, faculty mentors provided opportunities for their student to interact with other Extension personnel and observe some of their day-to-day tasks. Students also interacted with industry professionals and learned about the various community networks of which Extension is a part. Data collected Students' reflective journals, faculty evaluation of student's performance, and students' exit interviews Summary statistics and key outcomes Excerpt from student's reflective journal: "I learned thatCooperative Extension work is multi-faceted. A typical project will simultaneously translate complex academic research into a practical question, develop outreach events for farmers and youth, involve undergraduates and their course material, and then publish the findings again in an academic setting.... This learning matters because my eyes have been opened to the work of Cooperative Extension.Until now, I had only been involved in segments- dairy nutrition research at my home university, or 4-H programming in another county.With this opportunity to work at the state specialist level, I can finally see how it all culminates! In light of this learning, I am interested in pursuing a career in extension." Excerpt from faculty's formative assessment: "...she said she really enjoyed the apprenticeship and the exposure to Extension. She is considering discussing opportunities at UT for Extension related work and projects. I feel that the apprenticeship was successful to introduce and engage students into Extension career paths." Short-term outcome: 6 students (75%) reported that it is "somewhat likely" or "extremely likely" that they would pursue an Extension career as a result of their experience as an apprentice. OBJECTIVE 2: Expand Extension experience among students pursuing technical degrees Major activities There were several chances during the course of the 12 weeks for students to gain related experience. Data collected Students' reflective journals, faculty evaluation of student's performance, and students' exit interviews Summary statistics and key outcomes Excerpt from student's reflective journals: "I learned about the QGIS2Web plugin in order to better present the information at the workshop... I learned how to create interactive maps that present data to the viewer... and then connect this information to a free web link.... I learned how a workshop differs from general presentations and how it should be tailored to its participants. This learning matters because regardless of my career path communicating ideas and presentation skills are crucial. Also, in my field of study mapping is an every growing and important skill. In light of this learning I want to continue pursuing opportunities to practice my presentation skills and learning more about GIS software." Excerpt from faculty's formative assessment: "For our first meeting... I tried to make connections between his previous work and the work he had conducted this week.... Much of his naiveté in our discussion just stemmed (likely) from him not having a true understanding of the work we do and why. It gave me a better understanding of our learning objectives to better align his knowledge and skills to fit with his goals of attending graduate school." Short-term outcomes: 6 students (75%) reported it is "extremely likely" that they would pursue a graduate degree related to ag, natural resources, family & consumer sciences, youth development, community resource development, or human sciences as a result of the apprenticeship. After completing the apprenticeship, students strongly agreed that they perceived an increase in knowledge of their discipline of study (88%), ability to interact and work with people of different disciplines (88%), critical thinking skills (50%), problem-solving skills (88%), teamwork skills (88%), written communication skills (63%), and oral communication skills (75%). OBJECTIVE 3: Increase support of Extension programs Major activities This is a long-term objective that will not fully manifest until after the conclusion of the grant period. Data collected Student exit interviews and informal observations/communication with faculty mentors and students Summary statistics and key outcomes Excerpt from student exit interviews: "The experience was amazing and now I want to explore a career in extension because of it. I do not think I would have known about extension otherwise. My professor encouraged and challenged me to take full advantage of the whole experience and gave me a taste of different extension workshops and responsibilities." Communication with faculty mentors: "It was a valuable experience for me, as a mentor, to supervise, mentor, and coach a student through a project on a smaller scale. In addition, I feel I learned a great deal from the apprenticeship and have built a greater appreciation for Extension." Medium-term outcomes: Faculty mentors reported a positive experience with their respective undergraduate apprentice. Six of the eight faculty that were paired with apprentices in 2017 submitted applications for the 2018 round of undergraduate apprenticeships. MSU faculty submissions of applications for the 2018 round of undergraduate apprenticeships increased by 16%. To date, three (38%) of the eight students have chosen to pursue a graduate degree related to agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, youth development, community resource development, or human sciences as a direct result of their apprenticeship experience. All eight students (100%) reported that they would share their experience as an apprentice with MSU Extension.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bowman, B. & Stone, A. (2017). Collecting Milk Samples for Microbiological Analysis. Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 3124.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bowman, B.; Jousan, D., & Stone, A. (2017). How to Get Started in 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl. Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 3127.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bowman, B. & Stone, A. (2017). Preparing for 4-H Public Speaking Contests. Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 3128.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bowman, B. & Stone, A. (2017). Using an On-Farm Bacteriological Culture System. Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 3132.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bowman, B. & Stone, A. (2017). Reading On-Farm Bacteriological Culture Results. Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 3141.
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stone, A.; Jousan, D.; & Bowman, B. (2017) Dairy Cattle Judging. Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 3152.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Denny, M.D. & Hardman, A.M. (December 2017). Analysis of Critical Thinking among Undergraduates Using Reflective Journaling. Oral presentation, National Association of Program and Staff Development Extension Professionals Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Chaney, B.; Brooks, J.; Aldridge, C.; Omer, A; Street, G; & Baker, B. (July 2017). A Preliminary Investigation of Feral Hog Impacts on Water Quality. Poster presentation, Water Quality Conference, Fayetteville, AK. First place, Undergraduate Poster Competition.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Ponter, M.; Buys, D.; Sansing, A.; Harris-Speights, J.; & Evans, M. (2017). Increasing Empathy through Simulation of Illness and Injury: Results from a Pilot Implementation with MSU Rural Medical Scholars. Poster presentation, Mississippi Public Health Association Conference.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Buys, D.; Ponter, M.; Sansing, A.; Harris-Speights, J.; & Evans, M. (2017). Increasing Empathy through Simulation of Illness and Injury: Results from a Pilot Implementation with MSU Rural Medical Scholars. Oral presentation, Society for Public Health Education (Delta Chapter) 2017 Advocacy Summit, Tuscaloosa, AL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Farmer, B. & Crist, C. (2017). Evaluation of Food Safety Practices at Mississippi Farmers' Markets. Poster presentation, Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Student Science Symposium, Stoneville, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bowman, B. & Stone, A. (2017). Adoption of on-farm bacteriologic milk culturing: Evaluating farmer perception and impact on management decisions. Poster presentation, Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Student Science Symposium, Stoneville, MS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Hyman, K. & Karisch, B. (2018). Measuring the Impact of a Feeder Calf Board Sale Program through a Survey of Producer Attitudes. Poster presentation, American Society of Animal Science 2018 Southern Section Meeting, Fort Worth, TX.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Bowman, B.; Denny, M.; & Stone, M. (2018). Adoption of on-farm bacteriologic milk culturing: Evaluating farmer perception and impact on management decisions. Oral presentation, National Mastitis Council Annual Meeting, Tucson, AZ.