Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The Equity Program at the Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC) impacts all students enrolled in STEM courses. The primary focus of the program is in the degree programs of Culinary & Food Sciences and in the Sustainable Environmental Studies. Both of these programs have strong strains of environmental sciences, biology, and botany. As there has been a decline in the number of majors in these programs, SWC has begun examining the issue to develop programs that will interest more students. Recently, this has led to the creation of a certificate program in Culinary Food Science. Additionally, SWC restructured the science department that will reduce the associate level degree programs. There are very few majors in the science programs, especially those that will require transitioning to a four-year institution. However, there seems to greater student interest in targeted workforce development options that can be completed in one year. The typical student at SWC is female (over 70%), first-generation (over 60%), and are Native Americans (over 75%). While an increasing percentage of students are coming to the college within a year or two of high school, many are still older thanthe traditional college student and often have dependent children. Changes/Problems:Given the COVID-19 situation, which curtailed many proposed/planned activities for this last year, the SWC Equity program adapted fairly well and shifted its efforts towards areas that could proceed under the restrictions imposed. Even during this time, the Equity program at SWC continued to offer in-person workshops to a limited degree. After the spring semester of 2020, SWC conducted courses primarily in-person. This was especially the case for the Culinary Food Sciences. There was also a change in the primary faculty during this time, with the new hire starting in the fall semester of 2020. The transition was somewhat difficult, however, there have been positive outcomes as a result. Late in 2021, one of the key personnel resigned his position. In 2022, SWC was able to hire a replacement and a new Land Grant Coordinator. While the pandemic caused delays or limited participation in events, SWC is confident that the remaining tasks can be accomplished during the no-cost extension period. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Equity staff at the Sisseton Wahpeton College attended the following trainings: • IAC Virtual Conference, Food Systems based on traditional knowledge • IAC Virtual Conference, Gravity Flow and Pressurized Drip Irrigation • Johnny Seeds Webinar • USDA: winter greenhouse, hydroponics, aquaponics and soil health • NRSC meeting on prairie restoration care and maintenance • IAC Virtual Conference, Tribal Waters and Food Sustainability Outlook for 2021 • USDA: Build Back Better Initiative • SDSU Drought Workshop • Grow Tower Workshop • Greenhouse Operations Webinar • Wagner School District: Greenhouse in Education Workshop • 2022 Research Symposium • Summer Institute on Food Sovereignty SWC hosted, in conjunction with the Extension program Maple Tree Tapping workshop for syrup and making of sugar. August of 2021, SWC Equity hosted a workshop for the teachers at the SWO Head Start on how to use Nutritowers (Growing Towers) - 19 participants. August 18th of 2021, the SWC Equity program conducted a Horse Care Clinic focused on hoof care - 13 participants. September 1st of 2021, the SWC Equity program conducted a Horse Care Clinic focused on general equine health issues, prevention, and treatment. September 15th of 2021, the SWC Equity program conducted a Horse Care Clinic focused on common tack, saddling, and groundwork for riding. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Working with the SWO COVID Relief Team and the DARE Program Working with the local tribal and public schools Participating on the SWO Food Sovereignity Committee Provide an interview with the We are Water and Land Stewardship: landstewarshipproject.or podcast Attended ICL Collaborate Leadrship Monthly reports to the Board of Trustees Discussions with the Dakota Magic Casino and other local businesses What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?This is the final report.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. The Culinary Food Science program made several revisions to the certificate-level program to increase student success rates. This include revisions to individual courses and standardizing the credit hours of courses to three (3). These changes make it easier for students begin their studies during a spring semester which was problematic or even impossible during the first few years of the program. Faculty have also developed seven (7) new courses, of which three (3) will be used in a future associate-level Nutritional Science program. While these courses have been approved by the Curriculum Committee, not all have been offered to students to date. The certificate-level program is reviewing its state outcomes, along with the alignment of individual course outcomes, as part of the assessment process. SWC is currently revising its assessment strategies to strengthen academic and cocurricular reviews. Enrollment in the Culinary Food Science Certificate (Graphs and Charts would not save: FA2018 SP2019 FA2019 SP2020 FA2020 SP2021 FA2021 SP2022 FA2022 SP2023 FA2023 Native American - FT 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 1 0 5 Non-Native - FT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Native American - PT 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 1 2 2 Non-Native - PT 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Net Revenue Generated by Tuition & ISC less Cost of Faculty: 2018-19: ($24,037) 2019-20: ($16,478) 2020-21: ($10,244) 2021-22: $1,313 2022 - 2023: ($24,983) 2023 - 2024: ($6,726)This only 1/2 year of revenue but the full annual cost.If similar enrollment occurs in SP2024 total net revenue would be around $34,000. This is significant after a rather disappointing showing for 2022-23. Although the program is still not at a truly sustainable level, significant progress has been achieved towards this goal. Last year was the first time the amount of tuition and ISC generated exceeded the salaries and fringe cost of faculty. Since its inception there have five (5) graduates. 2. The Farrier certificate was developed and offered for two years. Changes in administration, the loss of a key faculty member, and the COVID19 pandemic led the college to archiving the program. However, two (2) students graduated the program and if interest levels increase it will be reinstated. 3. Three (3) courses were developed for Nutritional Food Sciences as a preliminary step of piloting an associate-level degree program. A new Land Grant Coordinator was hired in the spring of 2022 with graduate-level course work in the field (he has not completed his thesis), and SWC is searching for a science instructor who would also support this program. A partnership with the Dakota Magic Casino was developed during the summer of 2023, where they would require (and pay for) their food service employees to complete two (2) courses in the SWC Culinary Food Science program. They have also stated that they would support their employees wishing to complete the certificate program at the college. 5. The Equity program has completed a preliminary wildlife survey of the Prairie Restoration Project. Staff and faculty will work with the newly funded NSF TCUP TEA Center for Dakota Linguistics to catalog the species with both their scientific and Dakota names. This will complement work already done with the native plants located on the prairie and in the orchard. The next stage will be to create apps for interactive or guided tours.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The Equity Program at the Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC) impacts all students enrolled in STEM courses. The primary focus of the program is in the degree programs of Culinary & Food Sciences and in the Sustainable Environmental Studies. Both of these programs have strong strains of environmental sciences, biology, and botany. As there has been a decline in the number of majors in these programs, SWC has begun examining the issue to develop programs that will interest more students. Recently, this has led to the creation of a certificate program in Culinary Food Science. Additionally, SWC is in the process of restructuring the science department that will reduce the associate level degree programs. There are very few majors in the science programs, especially those that will require transitioning to a four-year institution. However, there seems to greater student interest in targeted workforce development options that can be completed in one year. The typical student at SWC is female (over 70%), first-generation (over 60%), and are Native Americans (over 75%). While an increasing percentage of students are coming to the college within a year or two of high school, many are still older than the traditional college student and often have dependent children. Changes/Problems:Given the COVID-19 situation, which curtailed many proposed/planned activities for this last year, the SWC Equity program adapted fairly well and shifted its efforts towards areas that could proceed under the restrictions imposed. Even during this time, the Equity program at SWC continued to offer in-person workshops to a limited degree. After the spring semester of 2020, SWC conducted courses primarily in-person. This was especially the case for the Culinary Food Sciences. Late in 2021, one of the key personnel resigned his position. In 2022, SWC was able to hire a replacement and a new Land Grant Coordinator. While the pandemic caused delays or limited participation in events, SWC is confident that the remaining tasks can be accomplished during the no-cost extension period. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Equity staff at the Sisseton Wahpeton College attended the following trainings: IAC Virtual Conference, Food Systems based on traditional knowledge IAC Virtual Conference, Gravity Flow and Pressurized Drip Irrigation Johnny Seeds Webinar USDA: winter greenhouse, hydroponics, aquaponics and soil health NRSC meeting on prairie restoration care and maintenance IAC Virtual Conference, Tribal Waters and Food Sustainability Outlook for 2021 USDA: Build Back Better Initiative SDSU Drought Workshop Grow Tower Workshop Greenhouse Operations Webinar Wagner School District: Greenhouse in Education Workshop 2022 Research Symposium Summer Institute on Food Sovereignty SWC hosted, in conjunction with the Extension program, a Maple Tree Tapping workshop for syrup and making of sugar. August of 2021, SWC Equity hosted a workshop for the teachers at the SWO Head Start on how to use Nutritowers (Growing Towers) - 19 participants. August 18th of 2021, the SWC Equity program conducted a Horse Care Clinic focused on hoof care - 13 participants. September 1st of 2021, the SWC Equity program conducted a Horse Care Clinic focused on general equine health issues, prevention, and treatment. September 15th of 2021, the SWC Equity program conducted a Horse Care Clinic focused on common tack, saddling, and groundwork for riding. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Working with the SWO COVID Relief Team and the DARE Program Working with the local tribal and public schools Participating on the SWO Food Sovereignity Committee Provide an interview with the We are Water and Land Stewardship: landstewarshipproject.or podcast Attended ICL Collaborate Leadrship What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?SWC and the community should be more open for community events and in-person educational programming, which will allow for expansion of short-courses and enrollment in our targeted degree programs. With the new hire, a full-time science instructor, SWC will be able to develop new courses supporting our efforts to establish an associate level degree in food science.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. The Culinary Food Science program made several revisions to the certificate-level program to increase student success rates. This include revisions to individual courses and standardizing the credit hours of courses to three (3). These changes make it easier for students begin their studies during a spring semester which was problematic or even impossible during the first few years of the program. Faculty have also developed seven (7) new courses, of which three (3) will be used in a future associate-level Nutritional Science program. While these courses have been approved by the Curriculum Committee, not all have been offered to students to date. The certificate-level program is reviewing its state outcomes, along with the alignment of individual course outcomes, as part of the assessment process. SWC is currently revising its assessment strategies to strengthen academic and cocurricular reviews. Enrollment in the Culinary Food Science Certificate (Graphs and Charts would not save: FA2018SP2019FA2019SP2020FA2020SP2021FA2021SP2022 Native American - FT 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 Non-Native - FT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Native American - PT 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 Non-Native - PT 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 NetRevenue Generated by Tuition & ISC less Cost of Faculty: 2018-19 ($24,037) 2019-20 ($16,478) 2020-21 ($10,244) 2021-22 $1,313 Although the program is still not at a truly sustainable level, significant progress has been achieved towards this goal. Last year was the first time the amount of tuition and ISC generated exceeded the salaries and fringe cost of faculty. Since its inception there have five (5) graduates. 2. The Farrier certificate was developed and offered for two years. Changes in administration, the loss of a key faculty member, and the COVID19 pandemic led the college to archiving the program. However, two (2) students graduated the program and if interest levels increase it will be reinstated. 3. Three (3) courses were developed for Nutritional Food Sciences as a preliminary step of piloting an associate-level degree program. A new Land Grant Coordinator was hired in the spring of 2022 with graduate-level course work in the field (he has not completed his thesis), and SWC is searching for a science instructor who would also support this program. 5. The Equity program has completed a preliminary wildlife survey of the Prairie Restoration Project. Staff and faculty will work with the newly funded NSF TCUP TEA Center for Dakota Linguistics to catalog the species with both their scientific and Dakota names. This will complement work already done with the native plants located on the prairie and in the orchard. The next stage will be to create apps for interactive or guided tours.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The Equity Program at the Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC) impacts all students enrolled in STEM courses. The primary focus of the program is in the degree programs of Culinary & Food Sciences and in the Sustainable Environmental Studies. Both of these programs have strong strains of environmental sciences, biology, and botany. As there has been a decline in the number of majors in these programs, SWC has begun examining the issue to develop programs that will interest more students. Recently, this has led to the creation of a certificate program in Culinary Food Science. Additionally, SWC is in the process of restructuring the science department that will reduce the associate level degree programs. There are very few majors in the science programs, especially those that will require transitioning to a four-year institution. However, there seems to greater student interest in targeted workforce development options that can be completed in one year. The typical student at SWC is female (over 70%), first-generation (over 60%), and are Native Americans (over 75%). While an increasing percentage of students are coming to the college within a year or two of high school, many are still older than the traditional college student and often have dependent children. Changes/Problems:Given the COVID-19 situation, which curtailed many proposed/planned activities for this last year, the SWC Equity program adapted fairly well and shifted its efforts towards areas that could proceed under the restrictions imposed. These efforts have placed our program in a strong position to resume regular activities and undertake new initiatives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Equity staff at the Sisseton Wahpeton College attended the following trainings, primarily online: IAC Virtual Conference, Food Systems based on traditional knowledge IAC Virtual Conference, Gravity Flow and Pressurized Dirip Irrigation Johnny Seeds Webinar USDA: winter greenhouse, hydroponics, aquaponics and soil health NRSC meeting on prairie restoration care and maintenance IAC Virtual Conference, Tribal Waters and Food Sustainabity Outlook for 2021 USDA: Build Back Better Initiative SWC hosted, with the Extension Program, a Maple Tree Tapping workshop for syrup and making of sugar Tower Garden Seminar was hosted at SWC, with aeroponic systems being provided (through an outside grant) to Tiospa Zina Tribal High School, Enemy Swim Day School, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, SWC Elderly Nutrition Program, and 2 units given to SWC How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Working with the SWO COVID Relief Team and the DARE Program Provide an interview with theWe are Water and Land Stewardship: landstewarshipproject.or podcast Attended ICL Collaborate Leadrship What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?SWC and the community should be more open for community events and in-person educational programming, which will allow for expansion of short-courses and enrollment in our targeted degree programs. With the new hire, a full-time science instructor, SWC will be able to develop new courses supporting our efforts to establish an associate level degree in food science.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Although the COVID-19 pandemic forces most of the college's offerings to be taught through the HyFlex model and the vast majority of students attended courses remotely, this was not viewed as a truly viable option for the Culinary Food Science certificate program. However, enrollment in the program remained fairly stable, if still lower than the target levels. In the fall semeter, there were 2 female full-time ISC (Indian Student Count) students and 1 part-time Non-ISC male. In the spring there were 2 female and 1 male full-time ISC students. The Culinary Food Science program is also utilizing this time to restructure its offerings to make it easier for students to start in the spring semester, rather than just in the fall. While SWC was fortunate to find a professor to teach several courses online, including the Native Plants course, we were able to finally locate and hire a full-time instructor this spring. She will start fall semester. Prairie Restoration and Related Activities During the late fall, we removed a substantial number of Russian olive trees, an invasive species that is becoming a growing problem in this ares. Major improvements were made in the Teaching Greenhouse to better regulate the temperature and enhance its production. This included adding another solar panel, batter storage, and fans. Began raising tilapia in the water tank (tempature regular) in the greenhouse. These fish will keep the tank clean, which had been a major problem, and be used by the Culinary Food Science program in their courses. It takes about 3 to 4 months to get these fish to the proper size for use in the kitchen. The Teaching Greenhouse began supplying the Culinary Food Science program with fresh herbs and vegetables Continue to expand the Dakota Language and Traditional Knowledge field guide of native plants Working with the Dakota Language program for the names of garden vegetables (several do not have traditional names) Completed a preliminary wildlife survey of the Prairie Restoration Project at SWC
Publications
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The Equity Program at the Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC) impacts all students enrolled in STEM courses. The primary focus of the program isin the degree programs of Culinary & Food Sciences and in the Sustainable Environmental Studies. Both of these programs have strong strains of environmental sciences, biology, and botany. As there has been a decline in the number of majors in these programs, SWC has begun examining the issue to develop programs that will interest more students. Recently, this has led to the creation ofa certificate program in Culinary Food Science. Additionally, SWC is in the process of restructuring the science department that will reduce the associatelevel degree programs. There are very few majors in the science programs, especially those that will require transitioning to a four-year institution. However, there seems togreater student interest intargeted workforce development options that can be completed in one year. The typical student at SWC is female (over 70%), first-generation (over 60%), and are Native Americans (over 75%). While an increasing percentage of students are coming to the college within a year or two of high school, many are still older than the traditional college student and often have dependent children. Changes/Problems:SWC must address the identified issues related to the Equine & Farrier Science certificate program. These issues are: SWC closed the rodeo program (athletics) due to cost, however, this was expected to be primary source of students who would be interested in enrolling in the Equine & Farrier Science program. Community workshops and short-courses may be a replacement tool to recruit students. Facilities to conduct hands-on portion of coursework, primarily to work with a forge. This may be partially addressed by next fall with the construction of an enclosed lean-to addition to the Maintenance Shop. Locating a qualified instructor as the previous faculty member left the college. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The instructor of the Culinary Food Science program attended workshops on aquaponics and master gardening. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?While the project has not formally begun to disseminate any findings or results of the project to the broader community, preliminary reports have been shared within SWC. Activities being develop and that have been conducted are advertised within the college, and when appropriate within the community and amongst our landgrant partners. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The Culinary Food Science curriculum is being reviewed and will be revised starting with the spring semester of 2021. The primary focus of this revision is to better align it with the needs of local employers and to enable students to start the program in either of the two semesters. This will not require major alterations of materials, rather it will shift and realign focus areas within courses. SWC is conducting a search to hire a qualified full-time faculty member in the area of Food Science, which will be the focal area for the associate level degree program offered at the college. This focus aligns strongly with the objectives of the Equity program at SWC, along with the interests of our students. Restructure the Equine & Farrier Science program.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Teaching Greenhouse: SWC CulinaryFood Science program worked with the Extension project to grow plants used in their classes. This joint effort connected gardening with the cooking with fresh produce. The Culinary Food Science students also utilize the college garden and harvested the fruits and herbs needed for their kitchen projects. • Several native plants, which will be transplanted to the Prairie Restoration Project, were started in the greenhouse. Curriculum Development: developed and began offering a series of courses for the Culinary Food Science certificate program. These included the following courses, which will be reviewed and revised over the next two years: • CFS 101 Introduction to Culinary Food Science, CFS 102 Purchasing and Cost Control, CFS 103 Culinary Techniques, CFS 106 Baking and Pastry I, CFS 201 Advance A La Carte Kitchen-Retail, CFS 206 Baking and Pastry II, CFS 208 CPR, OSHA, Safety Regulations & Food Safety, and CFS 209 Kitchen Management, Professional Development, & Ethics • Faculty and administration are attempting to redesign the structure of the curriculum, as it is currently difficult to integrate new student in the spring semester. This weakness was discovered during the initial piloting of the project, and circumstance this year demonstrated the issue clearly to the faculty. It was also demonstrated that this program will be self-sustaining with a very small number of majors. After the initial setup and acquistion of instructional equipment/materials, the program will be sustainable with as few as three or four students. The Culinary Food Science certificate program has been offered for two full cycles and has had three (3) graduates. After the spring semester of 2020, the original instructor resigned (late notice). This may prove to be beneficial for the long-term growth of the project. Although she brought certain useful skillsets required to establish the program, she also had several deficiencies related to working with local businesses and as a teacher. SWC was able to locate and hire an instructor with equal qualifications and better interpersonal skill prior to fall semester. The Equine & Farrier Science program was offered for one full cycle and had two (2) graduates. A total of six (6) new courses were developed and offered to students. Enrollment was very low and the cost of the program is greater than that of the Culinary Food Science certificate. Although the college would have continued this offering for additional years, the instructor left after the removal of the former president and a replacement has not been located. Currently, project staff is looking for a new instructor for the Equine & Farrier Science certificate or a suitable replacement program that fits within the scope of this project. Hiring of full-time Science Faculty was accomplished during the spring semester of 2018, and this individual completed his Master's degree during this grant year. This position is critical in offering the Sustainable Environmental Studies program, and helps support the expansion of the Culinary Food Science degee program. Unfortunately, this individual left the college at the end of the spring semester of 2020. SWC is currently searching for a replacement, however, the new focus for this position is in the Food Sciences or Botany. This will streamline our STEM offerings and better align with the goals of the Equity program. Leveraging of Support in order to build the Science Department's capabilities and resources are ongoing. Significant funds were leverage from a grant funded NIH to the South Dakota INBRE program to add to the labratory resources at the college. Increase use of the teaching greenhouse and collaboration with the Culinary Food Science certificate program, along with the Dakota Studies Department is expanding the impact of the Prairie Restoration Project on campus.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The Equity Program at the Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC) impacts all students enrolled in science courses. The primary focus of the program has been in the degree programs of General Agriculture and Food Science and in the Sustainable Environmental Studies. Both of these programs have strong strains of environmental sciences, biology, and botany. As there has been a decline in the number of majors in these programs, SWC has begun examining the issue to develop programs that will interest more students. Recently, this has led to the transition from General Agriculture and Food Science to a certificate program in Culinary Food Science. This has reduced the redundancy of two similar associate's level programs, and has provided students with a more targeted workforce development options that can be completed in one year. On a similar note, SWC designed and piloted a one-year certificate program in Farrier-Equine Science. The typical student at SWC is female (over 70%), first-generation (over 60%), and are Native Americans (over 75%). While an increasing percentage of students are coming to the college within a year or two of high school, many are still older than the traditional college student and often have dependent children. Changes/Problems:The project has been progressing effectively towards the primary objectives stated in the grant proposal. This has included the transitioning from the prior project to the current one, which sharedsimilar goals. The only significant changethat is suggested is to invest the carryover funds from Year One into improvements required by the Culinary Food Science program into the instructional kitchen and other equipment or materials that would provide longterm support to the science lab, teaching greenhouse, and the Farrier Equine Science program. These one-time purchases would place the project back in align with the budget, as the yearly expenditures are close to the targeted amounts. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The instructor of the Culinary Food Science program attended workshops on aquaponics and master gardening. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?While the project has not formally begun to disseminate any findings or results of the project to the broader community, preliminary reports have been shared within SWC. Activities being develop and that have been conducted are advertised within the college, and when appropriate within the community and amongst our landgrant partners. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project at SWC will address the needs of the Culinary Food Science program by improving the resources and usability of the instructional kitchen. This will require acquiring food service grade commerial refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher, along with a redesigned stainless steel counter. Funds for these improvements are available due to carry-over funding. Both the Culinary Food Science and the Farrier Equine Science programs are being reviewed and revised. While the latter will require the most revisions and additional courses to complete, the Culinary Food Science program is also being restructured to provide specific training to employees already working in the field. These short-courses will be integrated into the program's curriculum to maximize impact and to minimize the additional workload placed on the faculty.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Teaching Greenhouse: SWC CulinaryFood Science program worked with the Extension project to grow plants used in their classes. This joint effort connected gardening with the cooking with fresh produce. The Culinary Food Science students also utilize the college garden and harvested the fruits and herbs needed for their kitchen projects. • Several native plants, which will be transplanted to the Prairie Restoration Project, were started in the greenhouse. Curriculum Development: developed and began offering a series of courses for the Culinary Food Science certificate program. These included the following courses, which will be reviewed and revised over the next two years: • CFS 101 Introduction to Culinary Food Science, CFS 102 Purchasing and Cost Control,CFS 103 Culinary Techniques, CFS 106 Baking and Pastry I, CFS 201 Advance A La Carte Kitchen-Retail, CFS 206 Baking and Pastry II,CFS 208 CPR, OSHA, Safety Regulations & Food Safety,and CFS 209 Kitchen Management, Professional Development, & Ethics • Faculty and administration areattempting to redesign the structure of the curriculum, as it is currently difficult to integrate new student in the spring semester. This weakness was discovered during the initial piloting of the project, and circumstance this year demonstrated the issue clearly to the faculty. It was also demonstrated that this program will be self-sustaining with a very small number of majors. After the initial setup and acquistion of instructional equipment/materials, the program will be sustainable with as few as three or four students. Farrier & Equine Science courses were first developed and piloted during the 2018-19 academic year. Three (3) courses were offered each semester, for a total of six (6) courses. SWC is finishing a review of the program, including examining the number of students, student demographics, and financials. Additional modifications to the design and structure of the program must occur to address issues already identified during this process. Hiring of full-time Science Faculty was accomplished during the spring semester of 2018, and this individual completed his Master's degree during this grant year. This position is critical inoffering the Sustainable Environmental Studies program, and helps support the expansion of the Culinary Food Science degee program. SWC is examining the existing science offerings and the number of majors enrolled in the existing associate level degree programs. If greater levels of interest is trending towards botany and food science related courses, SWC will shift the current emphasis within the Science Department. Leveraging of Support in order to build the Science Department's capabilities and resources are ongoing. Significant funds were leverage from a grant funded NIH to the South Dakota INBRE program to add to the labratory resources at the college. Increase use of the teaching greenhouse and collaboration with the Culinary Food Science certificate program, along with the Dakota Studies Department is expanding the impact of the Prairie Restoration Project on campus.
Publications
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