Progress 08/15/23 to 08/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience has been Texas Tech University students, especially underserved students. More specifically, the participants who were selectedfor the program are the primary target audience. Now that four cohorts of students have been admitted to the program over the last three years, a total of 32undergraduate students have participated or are actively participating in the program, including 17 (53%) Hispanic students or students of other underrepresented races. This includes 8(25%) first generation students. Additionally, one Black graduate student has been supported by the program. Changes/Problems:Previous challenges (COVID-19 limitations, student retention in the program, and a small pool of applicants) have been largely resolved as we have continued to refine our approach and make improvements based on feedback from participants and the external evaluator. Changes made include the fact that we are now providing additional materials for participants to be able to participate fully in field excursions, and the fact that we have more explicitly prepared students over several months before having them participate in strenuous physical activities. Another change has been the momentum of the program itself, with an innate character of inclusivity and reputability across campus growing as more students have been involved for a longer period of time. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Skills for specific research endeavors (crop/plant physiology, forest structure, water quality, agricultural communications, etc) have been honed through mentored research experiences. "soft skills" have also been refined through oral presentations and leadership opportunities 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?Another cohort of students will complete their time in the program, and we will analyze the data from the results of online instruments, focus groups, exit interviews, and reflection journals. We will deliver these results to communities/partners of interest and prepare a manuscript for publication in a scholarly journal.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1.1: We monitored the application, acceptance, participation, and completion of program participant candidates. We have had 67 students apply, of which 43% were Hispanic, Black, or mixed Hispanic and Asian. We admitted 37 students, of which 62% were Hispanic, Black, or mixed Hispanic and Asian. Two students who were admitted chose not to participate in the program. As a result, a total of 32 undergraduate students have participated or are actively participating in the program, including 17 (53%) Hispanic students, Black students, or students of other underrepresented races. Of all the students who have been in the program long enough to have completed their experience, 82% completed the program fully. From the first to second cohort, program completion rates of underrepresented students jumped from 33% to 80%. Sample size is small (only 17 participants in first two cohorts), but we believe that our decision to pivot to provide more materials and supplies for participants has alleviated financial burdens for participants and has helped with retention. We are also now providing more training and preparation for strenuous activities well ahead of summer excursions, which may be helping students feel more comfortable seeing the program through its completion. Objective 1.2: We have recorded but not yet fully analyzed responses from program participants on entrance entrance/exit surveys, focus group discussions, activity reflections, and online assessments. After the first two cohorts, 14 students have completed their two-year participation in the program (and exit surveys) to date. Objective 1.3: We have measured the grit/persistence (Duckworth GRIT Scale Assessment) of all participants before participation in the Bridge Adventure Program, and have measured it again afterward for those who have completed their experience. 14 responses is too small a sample size to draw any statistical significance. We also gave this assessment to a control group of other students at our institution who did not participate in the Bridge Adventure Program (for comparison), which have not yet been analyzed. Next year, we will collect responses from the 15 additional students who will are currently active, and compare data between all participants' responses and the control responses. Objective 2.1: So far, 13 participants have engaged in mentored field research, 6 in mentored analysis, and 2 in formal presentation of research at national conferences. Objective 2.2-2.4: In a pre-program survey and through reflection prompts, we assessed all participants' interest levels in FANH careers and confidence in skills for scientific inquiry. The first two cohorts of students have been given the post-program survey to measure any increase in their interests and confidence levels, but we have not yet analyzed these data and are waiting to include the remaining participants. Objective 2.5 We have measured leadership skills of all participants before participation in the Bridge Adventure Program using the Tyree Socially Responsible Leadership Scale. The first two cohorts of students have also completed the assessment after program completion, but we have not yet analyzed these data. Objective 3.1 We have measured former participants' sense of relationship with and understanding of rural Hispanic communities, but have not yet analyzed these data. Objective 3.2 We have measured former participants' commitment to life-long active citizenship but have not yet analyzed these data.
Publications
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Progress 08/15/22 to 08/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience has been Texas Tech University students, especially underserved students. More specifically, the participants who were selectedfor the program are the primary target audience. Now that three cohorts of students have been admitted to the program over the last three years, a total of 27 undergraduate students have participated or are actively participating in the program, including 16 (59%) Hispanic, Black, or mixed Hispanic/Asian students and 7 (27%) first generation students. Additionally, one Black graduate student has been supported by the program. Changes/Problems:Previous challenges (COVID-19 limitations, student retention in the program, and a small pool of applicants) have been largely resolved as we have continued to refine our approach and make improvements based on feedback from participants and the external evaluator. Changes made include the fact that we are now providing additional materials for participants to be able to participate fully in field excursions, and the fact that we have more explicitly prepared students over several months before having them participate in strenuous physical activities. Another change has been the momentum of the program itself, with an innate character of inclusivity and reputability across campus growing as more students have been involved for a longer period of time. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Skills for specific research endeavors (crop/plant physiology, forest structure, water quality, agricultural communications, etc) have been honed through mentored research experiences. "Soft skills" have also been refined through oral presentations and leadership opportunities. Additionally, inclusivity training has been provided. 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?Another cohort of students will complete their time in the program, and we will begin to analyze the data from the results of online instruments, focus groups, exit interviews, and reflection journals. The third cohort of students will continue in the program.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1.1: We monitored the application, acceptance, participation, and completion of program participant candidates. We have had 40 students apply, of which 43% were Hispanic, Black, or mixed Hispanic and Asian. We admitted 29 students, of which 66% were Hispanic, Black, or mixed Hispanic and Asian. Three students who were admitted chose not to participate in the program. As a result, a total of 27 undergraduate students have participated or are actively participating in the program, including 16 (59%) Hispanic, Black, or mixed Hispanic/Asian students. Of all the students who have been in the program long enough to have completed their experience, 78% completed the program fully. Only 33% of Hispanic students in the first cohort saw the program through completion, and improving this program retention rate has been a point of emphasis in the subsequent cohorts, with feedback from those who ended their participation early. Specifically, we have pivoted use of our resources to provide more materials and supplies for participants, alleviating any financial burden they may face in participating, and providing more training and preparation for strenuous activities well ahead of summer excursions. So far, retention in Cohorts 2 and 3 has improved, which will be summarized in next year's report. In addition to the undergraduates, one Black graduate student is being supported by the program as well. Objective 1.2: We have recorded but not yet fully analyzed responses from program participants on entrance entrance/exit surveys, focus group discussions, activity reflections, and online assessments. A single cohort of only 9 students has completed their two-year participation in the program to date. Objective 1.3: We have measured the grit/persistence (Duckworth GRIT Scale Assessment) of all participants before participation in the Bridge Adventure Program, and have measured it again afterward for those who have completed their experience. We also gave this assessment to a control group of other students at our institution who did not participate in the Bridge Adventure Program. Objective 2.1: So far, 11 participants have engaged in mentored field research, 4 in mentored analysis, and 2 in formal presentation of research at national conferences. Objective 2.2-2.4: In a pre-program survey and through reflection prompts, we assessed all participants' interest levels in FANH careers and confidence in skills for scientific inquiry. The first cohort students have recently been given the post-program survey to measure any increase in their interests and confidence levels, but we have not yet analyzed these data. Objective 2.5 We have measured leadership skills of all participants before participation in the Bridge Adventure Program using the Tyree Socially Responsible Leadership Scale. The first cohort of students have also completed the assessment after program completion, but we have not yet analyzed these data. Objective 3.1 We have measured participants' sense of relationship with and understanding of rural Hispanic, but have not yet analyzed these data. Objective 3.2 We have measured participants' commitment to life-long active citizenship but have not yet analyzed these data.
Publications
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Progress 08/15/21 to 08/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The participants who were selectedfor the program are the primary target audience, and more specifically, the participants who are underrepresented minorities. At the end of Year 2, 17 students are active in the program, including six (35.4%) underrepresented minority students. Secondary target audiences include k-12 school children who were served through one of our program excursions. Changes/Problems:The most significant challenge duringProject Year Two was that of the student needing to resign from program participation due to financial needs. At the outset, our intention for this program was to offer it to all students, regardless of economic privilege. It has been successful in providing opportunities to many students who have not previously had the financial means to experience natural resources through outdoor recreation. However, the student who stopped participating has made us realize that designing the program to include scholarships or other financial assistance beyond covering theexpenses of participation would be immensely beneficial in achieving this goal. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Program participantsparticipated in two 90-minute workshops focused on formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training through Texas Tech University's Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office. Studentsreceivedmultiple days ofhands-on training for field-based research based on varying faculty-led research endeavors. Students also were taught basic outdoor skills, such as gear selection, sleeping overnight in a tent (which several participants had not done before), backpacking, safety for hiking in wilderness, etc. 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?Many similar activities will occur in Year 3, now with a larger and more diverse group of participants. Year 3 will also bring the conclusion of the participation of the first cohort, so exit survey data will be collected. Programming in the next year will include a focus on different topics related to food, agriculture, and natural resources, namely a focus on water resources. At the suggestion of participants, some activities focused on fostering community and cultural intelligence have been planned for the coming months. Cohort One students will have the opportunity to present findings from their mentored research projects at national conferences. Participants will network with a wider range of professionals in diverse FANH fields.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1.1: We monitored the application of program participant candidates. In this first year of the project, we had thirteen students apply, of which 38.5% were Hispanic and 61.5% were White Non-Hispanic. We admitted three (37.5%) Hispanic and five White Non-Hispanic students who all accepted the offer to join to the firstcohort, putting the program on track to exceed the stated goal of having>25% of participants be underrepresented minority students. Participation did not begin until Project Year 2 and is therefore not included in this report. In Year Two, we had 7 of 8 students from the first year opt to continue, and 26 new students apply, of which 5 (19.2%) were Hispanic, 1 (3.8%) was Black, 19 (73.0%) were White, and 1 (3.8%) preferred not to disclose their racial and ethnic identity. Seven (26.9%) of the applicants were first generation college students. We interviewed 20 applicants, of which 5 (25%) were Hispanic, 1 (5%) was Black, 1 (5%) was not declared, and 13 (65%) were White. We admitted to the program 3 additional Hispanic students,1 Black student, and 6 White students, totaling 10 new students. Combined with the students continuing from the first year's cohort, this created a group of 17 students, including 5 Hispanic students and one Black student (minority representation 35.4%). The student in Cohort I who opted not to continue midway through Year Two was a Hispanic student who resigned stating that financial needs required their free time to be spent earning an income rather than participating in the program. 1) Bridge adventure participants have reported a stronger sense ofbelonging, for example, by stating that the program community is "amounting to be a family" and that some experiences "strengthened our relationships with each other through pain and challenge" whileothers "strengthened our connections with one another by getting to talk about deeper and much more global topics such as world hunger". 1.1 Seven of eight of the students admitted to the first year of the program have remained active participants in the program. The one that is not continuing was a Hispanic student who reported needing to terminate their participation because of financial needs that required extensive working hours. However, this was a student who had recorded a feelingof family amongst the participants. 1.2 Focus group data have ben collected from the first cohort but not yet analyzed. All students (first cohort and second cohort who were entering the program at the end of the project year) have taken the entrance survey, which will be compared against exit survey data. 1.3 Students have taken the Duckworth Grit Scale Assessment for theirpre-programassessment but these data will not be analyzed until postprogram surveys have been given. 2) Students participate din one of two different mentored research projects. A few of the students who expressed keen interest have continued to work on these projects with faculty mentors. 2.1-2.5 Six students actively engaged in mentored field research.Of those, one applied for and received an external undergraduate research grant in the amount of $2,500. She and other participants are preparing to give a presentation of their project at a national conference in March 2023. FANH interests and Tyree Socially Responsible Leadershipwere assessed through entrance survey. Postprogram interests will be assessed at a later date, after program participation is complete.Reflections have been recorded but not yet formally analyzed. 3) Service learning included engagement with urban communities, including Hispanic k-6 children, but have not yet engaged with rural Hispanic communities. This will occur in a later project year. All remaining objectives will take place during Project Years 3-4.
Publications
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Progress 08/15/20 to 08/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience:In the early stages of the program, the target audience has been Texas Tech University students. More specifically, the participants who were selectedfor the program are the primary target audience during Year 1. Selection took place duringproject year 1, but program activities did not begin until project year 2. DuringYear 1, eight undergraduate students were selected and admitted as the first cohort to participate in the program. Three (37.5%) of the students are Hispanic- this sets the program on track so far to exceed the goal of including at least 25% underrepresented minority students, and is very close to the percentage of underrepresented minority students who applied (38.5% of all applicants). After evaluating application materials and conducting interviews, we are enthusiastic that the students selected for this first cohort will start the program off on the right foot by establishing a diverse, respectful, and engaged community while also providing meaningful service and outreach to other intended target audiences during the activities that are going to take place in Project Year 2. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic unfolded after the submission of the grant proposal describing this project, and has persisted longer than we anticipated when the award was granted. This has presented challenges in advertising the program, soliciting participation, scheduling trips and events that are critical to the program's goals, and building a sense of community among participants. However, these challenges have fortunately not been insurmountable. Although our applicant pool was small (13 students), the pool was sufficiently large and diverse to meet our goals for the selection of the first cohort, and the eight students who were admitted to the program were truly exceptional candidates that we anticipate will help set a trajectory for achieving the program goals. 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?Project Year 2 will see the program fully underway. A graduate student was selected and will begin at the start of Project Year 2. He is Black. He will serve as a peer mentor to the undergraduate students who are participating in the program. Pre-program participant information onsense of belongingness, grit, FANH career interests,confidence in scientific inquiry and FANH skills, leadership capabilities, sense of relationship with rural communities, and commitment to life-long active citizenshipwill be collected and stored as the program itself begins. Participants will engage in a service learning trip, an adventure excursion, and a mentored field research trip that are currently planned, as well as other activities to build community. Toward the end of Project Year 2, we will advertise the program again and select a second cohort of participants--this time with a goal to admit about ten new students to the program.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
All remaining objectives will take place during Project Years 2-4.
Publications
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