AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIPS IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION (ASPIRE)

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1025932
• Grant No.: 2021-68018-34624
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $399,946.00
• Proposal No.: 2020-09410
• Project Start Date: Apr 1, 2021
• Project End Date: Mar 31, 2026
• Grant Year: 2021
• Program Code: [A7401]- Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates

Recipient Organization
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
202 HIMES HALL
BATON ROUGE,LA 70803-0100

Performing Department
4-H Youth Development

Non Technical Summary
In October of 2016, the White House announced a new initiative called America the Bountiful focused on increasing and diversifying the U.S. agriculture workforce (White House, 2016). This initiative charged agricultural leaders to keep pace with the dynamic complexity of agricultural innovation necessary to address global challenges. The White House postulates that falling behind in agriculture is a threat to national security (White House, 2016).According to the U.S. Department of Labor (2019), overall employment in agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow by 7% from 2016-2026. In the next five years, an average of nearly 58,000 high-skill agricultural and related job openings are expected annually in the United States, with only about 35,000 graduates in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and the environment to fill the positions (USDA, n.d.). Only 61% of the projected agriculture jobs will be filled by graduates with agricultural-related degrees. Because of this, employers will find it difficult to find qualified graduates in many agricultural areas forcing them to fill the remaining 39% with non-agricultural degree candidates, challenging the preparation and competence of the agricultural workforce (USDA, n.d.). In addition, employers will seek out a diverse workforce to reflect society and position themselves in a global market (USDA, n.d.).The Agricultural Sciences Professional Internships in Research and Extension (ASPIRE) engages undergraduates in agricultural-related issues specific to research and extension with mentorship from faculty within Louisiana State University's (LSU) AgCenter. Overall, ASPIRE endeavors to better develop a more competent agricultural workforce for the 21st century. ASPIRE's objectives are to: 1) Develop undergraduate's knowledge and skills in agricultural research 2) Encourage undergraduates to pursue advanced degrees in agricultural sciences; and 3) Expand the diversity of the agricultural workforce through strategic recruiting and mentoring of underrepresented and disadvantaged students, strengthening and expanding collaborations among partnering agricultural institutions.Targeted recruitment of interns will take place on the campuses of Grambling University, Louisiana State University A & M - Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University - Alexandria, Southern University - Baton Rouge, Southern University - New Orleans, Southern University - Shreveport, and community colleges including Baton Rouge Community College, Central Louisiana Technology Community College, and Louisiana Delta Community College.Given most students at community colleges do not have the option to major in agriculture, associate degrees that align with and can be transferred into an agriculture major will be considered.Based on an application and interview, ASPIRE interns will be matched with a screened mentor for a 10 week summer internship that kicks off with a Mentor & Intern orientation.The intern will then participate in online career development training sessions, networking opportunities, online ag career highlights, job shadowing, and a final poster presentation on their experience.The ASPIRE evaluation plan is a multi-prong approach that will focus on interns and the context within which the internships occur. An objectives-oriented approach will be used to determine the extent to which a program's objectives are reached (Fitzpatrick, Sanders, & Worthen, 2004). ASPIRE will focus on evaluating the development and implementation of the program, as well as the participant outcomes. The evaluation instruments will align with the project logic model. A census of the interns and mentors in the ASPIRE program will be surveyed. Study approval will be administered through the LSU AgCenter Institutional Review Board. Privacy and confidentiality will be maintained by the investigators. University archival data and mentor and intern surveys will be used to examine program context and improvement.The ASPIRE interns will be tracked through the grant period up to graduation to understand the trajectories of students who complete these undergraduate internships. A Post-Graduate Exit Survey will assess interns' post-graduation plans (i.e., employment or post-baccalaureate degree) using Survey Monkey. Intern journals will be completed during the weekly faculty mentor evaluation of interns. Flip gird, an online reflection platform, will be used for journaling with prompting questions and a free writing space that probe interns' understanding of the connection between classroom concepts and their real-world internship experience.The ASPIRE experience will be evaluated from the interns' and mentors' perspectives in the Exit Survey deployed at the conclusion of the ASPIRE internship experience. This descriptive data will be used for continuous improvement to enhance the ASPIRE experience. The intern will evaluate the quality of the internship by rating a wide range of attributes. Based on the evaluation results, data driven decisions will be made to retain mentors.The short-term impact of ASPIRE will focus on greater awareness of agricultural career opportunities, increased confidence, communication, and professionalism, as well as their ability to work as a team. The end goal of ASPIRE is to impact the diversity and quality of professionals entering the agricultural career pipeline.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

100%

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6010	3020	100%

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

Subject Of Investigation
6010 - Individuals;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Keywords

careers

internship

louisiana

mentor

minority

underserved

Goals / Objectives
The Agricultural Sciences Professional Internships in Research and Extension (ASPIRE) project engages undergraduates in agricultural-related issues specific to research and extension with mentorship from faculty in the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter. The overall goal of the ten-week ASPIRE summer program is to grow the pool of competent agricultural professionals for the 21stcentury. ASPIRE objectives are:Goal 1: Develop undergraduates' knowledge and skills in agricultural research;As a result of the internship experience, job shadowing, and ASPIRE webinars, 80% of the interns will increase their knowledge and skills directly related to their internship placement.As a result of the internship interview process, internship experience, ASPIRE webinars, internship conference presentation, and internship mock interview, 80% of the interns will enhance their motivation to use their communication skills. As a result of the internship experience, ASPIRE webinars, internship conference, internship conference presentation, and internship mock interview, 80% of the interns will increase their confidence.As a result of the internship experience, internship conference, internship conference presentation, and internship mock interview, 80% of the interns will increase their presentation ability.As a result of the internship interview, internship experience, internship conference presentation, and internship mock interview, 80% of the interns will increase their confidence in their public speaking skills.As a result of the internship experience, ASPIRE webinars, internship conference, internship conference presentation, and internship mock interview, 80% of the interns will increase their professionalism as measured by the internship evaluation and reflection journal.As a result of the internship application experience, internship experience, ASPIRE webinars, internship conference, and internship mock interview, 80% of the interns will increase their skill in developing their resume as measured by a comparison on their initial resume compared to the resume developed during the resume.As a result of the internship experience, ASPIRE webinars, internship conference, and internship conference presentation, 50% of the interns will seek opportunities to publish or present on their internship experience as measured by a post participation survey.As a result of the internship experience, ASPIRE webinars, internship conference, and internship conference presentation, 50% of the interns will present poster session, research paper, or final project at discipline-specific conference or University supported outlets as measured by a post participation report.Goal 2: Inspire undergraduates to pursue advanced degrees in agricultural sciences.As a result of the internship, 50% of the interns will apply to graduate or professional schools in the field in agriculture according to the post participation report.As a result of the internship, the interns will experience a graduation rate of 80% as measured by a post participation report.Goal 3: Expand the diversity of the agricultural workforce by strategically recruiting and mentoring underrepresented and disadvantaged students.As a result of the internship, 34 interns will represent diverse and underserved audiences as measured by the post participation report.As a result of the internship, 28 out of the 34 internships from underserved audiences will pursue a career in agriculture as measured by the post participation report.Goal 4: Increase awareness of career opportunities in agricultural fields for students leaving community college or those students majoring in a variety of related majors.As a result of the 10 week internship experience, weekly webinars, field studies, and other internship related experiences, 80% of the interns will increase their awareness of potential agricultural careers.As a result of the internship, 80% of the students will enroll in ag related courses at home institution as measured by the post participation report.As a result of the internship, 80% of the interns will apply for agricultural industry jobs as measured by the post participation report.As a result of the internship, 70% of the interns will be hired for an agricultural position as measured by the post participation report.Goal 5: Strengthen and expand collaborations among partnering institutions, faculty and students.Annually thirteen students and thirteen faculty from eight partnering institutions (Baton Rouge Community College, Central Louisiana Technology Community College, Grambling State University Louisiana Delta Community College, LSU Alexandria, Southern University Baton Rouge A&M, Southern University New Orleans, and Southern University Shreveport) will participate in the ASPIRE grant.Through the ASPIRE program, at least 3 partnerships will be expanded to address critical needs in agriculture.As a result of the internship, 60% of the interns will participate in service-oriented mission of the land-grant university according to their reflection journal.As a result of the internship, 60% of the interns will engage in agricultural advocacy organizations as measured by the post participation report.

Project Methods
Recruitment activities will focus on identifying participants with a wide variety of educational backgrounds as well as interest in agricultural fields. Targeted recruitment will take place in agricultural departments at LSU, LCTCC, and SUBR. In addition to recruiting students enrolled in agriculture programs, recruitment efforts will target science and business departments at LSUA - a two year college that offers associate degrees and transfer programs in the sciences and general science LDCC- a two-year school with eight campuses serving both urban and rural populations of the largely low-income northern parishes which offers associate degrees. Careers Centers at historically black colleges such as BRCC, GSU, SUNO, and SUS will promote the ASPIRE internships at campus events, job fairs, and through career counseling sessions. Using established relationships, the Program Director will communicate with institutional representatives, including offices of diversity, career centers, and agriculture faculty; provide information to students through electronic, social, and print media; and will make campus visits to participate in forums and career fairs related to the internship experience.Potential internship candidates can find the internship application, descriptions, timelines, mentor biographies, participant reviews, and ASPIRE annual reports and testimonials on the ASPIRE website. Interns must have completed one year of post-secondary education with minimum GPA of 2.5. Potential interns will complete an on-line application as well as upload a resume, cover letter, and three letters of recommendation. The potential interns will be interviewed in person or virtually by a representative from their interest area. Candidates will be evaluated on their fit for the open position(s), application quality, verbal communication skills, interest in an agricultural career, and underserved audience representation. Priority will be given to candidates who are underrepresented in agricultural occupations. If chosen, the candidates will be matched to a supervising mentor with a specific research or extension project at a ratio of one to one. If more than one intern is placed with a project or in a location, a trained mentor will be assigned to each intern to ensure individualized supervision. A small class of 13 will facilitate successful matches for interns in geographically diverse opportunities within on campus departments, in parish extension offices and at research stations.Every attempt will be made to mitigate identified barriers to accepting and completing internships. Hora, Chen, Parott, and Her (2019) found that a heavy course load and the need to work at a paying job were two reasons that students declined internships. Paid ASPIRE internships will occur during the summer when students are typically not in class. To help with expenses, three internship sites provide free housing for applicants who require aid with housing arrangements. Negative internship experiences include unhelpful supervisors and being assigned a large amount of non-vital administrative tasks (Hora, Wolfgram, & Thompson, 2017). Mentor training, site visits, and program requirements will assure that the ASPIRE sites provide task significance, learning opportunities, and supervisor support and feedback, characteristics that predict internship satisfaction (D'Abate, Youndt & Wenzel, 2009).The core component of the internship is a ten-week, content rich placement which will include one-to-one faculty mentoring, off-site visits to stakeholders, field trips to non-profit and industry sites, online journaling, and completion of an approved project. Interns may undertake laboratory work, field work, research, experimental investigation, and other forms of inquiry.The internship will be kicked off with a hands-on one-and-a-half-day ASPIRE workshop with presentations on Agriculture Careers 101, Making the Most Out of the Internship Experience, What are Your Real Colors? Personality Assessment, and Logistical Requirements. The ASPIRE workshop will feature scenarios, real world application, and panel discussions to encourage communication, promote team building, practice problem-solving, enhance presentation skills, and strengthen digital journaling.Through weekly ASPIRE webinars, interns will have the opportunity to interact with LSU faculty and other specialists. In collaboration with the 4-H College and Career Readiness Specialist, the LSU Olinde Career Center will offer instruction in improving resumes and cover letters as well as tips on interviewing for jobs, dressing for success, choosing references, and networking. Staff will present topics such as "Innovations in Agriculture," "Agricultural Trends," and "Leadership Skills." A "Career Spotlight" will invite community members with agricultural occupations to introduce and answer questions about their careers. Online feedback and testing tools such as Kahoot!, Polly, and Mentimeter will actively engage learners in webinars. ASPIRE will utilize Articulate 360 software to develop training modules, maintain webinars, assist with data collection, make internship assignments, and as a communication portal between interns, mentors, and administration.A one-day culminating ASPIRE Closing Ceremony will feature an internship poster session and intern presentations. Interns will receive individual career coaching including resume review and interview practice. Interns will complete evaluations, and reflections of their internship experience. Interns who have internship-related papers and/or presentations accepted for publication or conferences may apply for financial support from the ASPIRE administration up until the end of the grant period. Organizational funds will be sought to support participants who intend to represent their internship experience beyond the culmination of the grant.An effective mentoring relationship is vital to intern satisfaction and success. During the introductory ASPIRE workshop, mentors will learn about strategies to help interns develop increasing levels of independence, meet expectations for learning and performance, build a range of skills related to their areas of expertise, make data-driven decisions, and develop assessments. Ongoing training will include the mentoring role, resources available to support mentors, solution-focused communication, avoiding internship problems, strengthening the mentor-intern relationship, accommodating differences, and networking for professional growth. Each mentor will follow a planning, development, and growth system.During the afternoon of the first training, mentors and interns will work together to plan their individual project timelines and discuss expectations. Interns have a vision of what they would like to accomplish over the course of the summer and mentors have proposed specific projects. Together, they design goals and objectives for the internship which will satisfy both.Based on these goals, mentors will assign tasks, delegate responsibilities, and coordinate visits to other departments and facilities, and review progress against established timelines. They will record objective data and make observations about intern deliverables, and then provide feedback using positive affirmations and solution-oriented thinking. Regular individual mentoring sessions should be scheduled at least weekly to complete this cycle.Mentors are responsible for local orientation, defining their approach to research or extension, providing a workstation, enumerating job duties and responsibilities, and providing ongoing supervision of interns' projects. They may consult with the project director or mentor coordinator at any time issues arise before, during, or after the internship placement.

Progress 04/01/24 to 03/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:Twenty-three interns were chosen for the fourth year. The interns chosen for this summer's internships were 35% Black or African American, 61% White and 4% Asian. From those students, 9% of the interns identified as being Hispanic or Latinx and White, 87% of the interns identified as women, and 13% of the interns identified as men. The 2024 cohort consisted of 6 students from Louisiana Tech, 4 from Southern University, 1 from Baton Rouge Community College, 1 from Mississippi State University, 1 Lansing Community College in Michigan, and 6 from Louisiana State University. Changes/Problems:In the summers of 2023 and 2024, we provided housing for 10interns. This was a combination of campus housing and research station housing. We would like to continue to offer this in the future in order to attract interns from various locations in Louisiana and from other states. In addition, we hosted 8interns at partner institutions, included 6at Southern University and 2at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. We would like to continue such partnerships in future programing. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Interns and mentors completed the Real Colors Personal Assessment Training as part of the onboarding process. Interns also participated in weekly career readiness webinars, featuring various guest speakers from industry and the educational sectors.Webinar topics included financial education, professionalism, business communication, personal branding social etiquette, leadership, diversity and inclusion. Upon completion of each weekly webinar, interns participated in a reflective journal exercise, which involved reflecting upon their internship experience and writing about a specified key competency from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Mentors were also offered the opportunity to attend webinars. In addition, the interns collaborated with their menots to plan and conduct a research project. Interns presented their projects and findings at the ASPIRE Symposium. In the process, each intern created and presented a research poster and gave a presentation about their project to faculty, mentors, and stakeholders. Mentor check-ins were conducted mid-way through the summer program through phone calls and challenges were addressed as they arose. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Each intern's research project was featured in a Symposium book. The book was shared with Symposium guests as well as with partner institutions. In addtion, the interns presented their researc through presentation sessions at the Symposium event. Weekly career readiness webinars were also recorded and shared with the interns and mentors each week as a professional development resource. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to implement similar strategies to achieve the project goals. We began recruitment in the winter of 2025. Digital promotions also began in January 2025, including digital correspondence with partner institutions (Southern University, Baton Rouge Community College, University ofNew Orleans, Grambling, LA Tech, Xavier, University of Louisiana at Monroe, McNeese, University of Louisiana Lafayette,LSU Alexandria), ASPIRE Alumni, current and previous ASPIRE Mentors, LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Development Agents,LSU Career Services and LSU College of Engineering. We are planning to re-implement a rolling admission process and have the 2025 mentors review applicaiton materials beforethe interns are officially hired. We plan to host multiple interns through partner institutions in the summer of 2025, such institutions inclube Southern University and Pennington Biomedical ResearchCenter. We plan to continue hosting the ASPIRE Orientation and Symposium, and plan to invite additional faculty and partnerinstitution representatives in 2025.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? ?Goal 1: Interns and mentors participated in a Real Colors Self- Assessment Orientation seminar as part of the onboarding process. In addition to working with their respective mentors on a specific research project, interns also attended weekly career readiness webinars. Each intern also prepared for and presented a poster and a presentation at the 2024 ASPIRE Symposium. Research project standards and guides were prepared and shared with students by the grant team via webinar, virtual office hours and emails. Data was collected through weekly digital journal reflections, mentor surveys and post-internship exit interviews. 95% of the interns who completed the exit survey reported a positive internship experience. 22% of the interns did not complete the exit survey, however the feedback across all completed surveys was positive. Goal 2: 32% of the students explicitly indicated an interest in continuing their education or career in the field of agriculture, while 100% of students discussed using this internship on future resumes to advance their careers and further their educational goals. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural career and degree awareness, responses including new programs or careers interns were made aware of, and responses indicating a newfound awareness of programs and careers that intersect with programs and careers previously not considered, with the exception of one intern who did not move past the first survey 100% of interns met expectations for increasing awareness of agricultural careers. Survey responses included: ?Based on statements directly communicating an increase in team building skills, responses indicating that the interns were provided with opportunities to work with a team or group, and responses indicating that the interns had a positive outlook on how they are able to work in a team environment based on information learned in program workshops, 75% of the interns met expectations for an increase in confidence and ability to work in a team environment. 25% of interns demonstrated adequate confidence and ability to work in a team environment. Survey responses included: Yes, I have collaborated with others in this internship. Most recently, a 4-H University I helped put on the Meat Identification and Judging contest. In order to put the contest together I had to work with other people to make decisions on official placings for classes, what cuts were used, and deciding on reasons scores. During my internship at the Red River Research Station, I have been actively engaged in collaborating with colleagues from various backgrounds on multiple research projects. Additionally, I worked closely with team members to troubleshoot issues, ensuring that our projects stayed on track and met our research goals. This collaborative approach has enhanced the quality and efficiency of our work. During this internship, I have been actively engaged in collaborating with others. I work with two other interns daily and we all help each other out with our research projects and daily responsibilities while on the farm. We also hold weekly meetings with our supervisor to discuss our progress and brainstorm ideas together. In addition, we have had the opportunity to collaborate with other teams and departments on special projects, allowing us to learn from different perspectives and work together towards a common goal. During this internship, I've had to work with people from many different backgrounds, all with very different personalities. I've had the opportunity to engage with these people and find a variety of ways to motivate the workplace, no matter the employee or task. 100% of interns met expectations for increased professionalism based on statements directly communicating newfound knowledge of navigating a professional environment based on dress, demeanor, punctuality, language, and non-verbal communication. Overall, feedback was so positive, with some interns feeling confident enough to think of great recommendations for future interns building on their own positive experiences. 90% of interns met expectations for enhanced communication skills and motivation based on the excellent quality of final presentations and weekly journal responses. Weekly journal responses indicated self-perceived improvement and an improvement in written skills and the length/quality of journal entries. Goal 3: To study if the internship had any effect on increasing the overall goal increasing diversity in the field and improving the quality of professionals entering the agricultural career pipeline, data is currently being collected on alumni engagement in agricultural careers post-internship. Goal 4: Weekly webinar panel discussions, along with the ASPIRE Symposium panel discussion played a role in enhancing intern's knowledge of career pathways and opportunities, along with informal discussions with their mentors and graduate assistants over the course of the 10-week summer internship experience. Data was collected through digital journal entries, a post-internship survey and through exit interviews. Goal 5: Through the third grant cycle, relationships with partner institutions such as Southern University and Pennington Biomedical were strengthened through in-person networking, digital communication and intern-sharing. Data was collected through application materials and the internship/mentor 'matching' process. Pre/post assessments directly pertaining to graduate school and career decisions have been developed and there will be follow up with this year's intern cohort to determine their next steps on their educational and career paths. In addition, data is being collected on ASPIRE program alumni through online surveys to track their career/education progression since participating in the program. Further analysis of the interns reaching graduate studies and career goals will test the effectiveness of the program on long term goals.

Publications

Progress 04/01/23 to 03/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Eleven interns were chosen for the third year. One intern completed the introductory survey only. The interns chosen for this summer's internships were 72.73% Black or African American and 27.27% White. From those students, 18.18% of the interns identified as being Hispanic or Latinx and White, 63.64% of the interns identified as women, and 36.36% of the interns identified as men. Changes/Problems:In the summer of 2023, we provided housing for 6 interns. This was a combination of campus housing and research station housing. In addition we hosted 3 interns at partner institutions, included 2 at Southern University and 1 at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Interns and mentors completed the Real Colors Personal Assessment Training as part of the onboarding process. Interns also participated in weekly career readiness webinars, featuring various guest speakers from industry and the educational sectors.Webinar topics included financial education, professionalism, business communication, personal branding social media etiquette, leadership, diversity and inclusion. Upon completion of each weekly webinar, interns participated in a reflective journal exercise, which involved reflecting upon their internship experience and writing about a specified key competency from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Mentors were also offered the opportunity to attend webinars. In addition, the interns collaborated with their menots to plan and conduct a research project. Interns presented their projects and findings at the ASPIRE Symposium. In the process, each intern created and presented a research poster and gave a presentation about their project to faculty, mentors, and stakeholders. Mentor check-ins were conducted mid-way through the summer program through phone calls and challenges were addressed as they arose. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Each intern's research project was featured in a Symposium book. The book was shared with Symposium guests as well as with partner institutions. In addtion, the interns presented their researc through presentation sessions at the Symposium event. Weekly career readiness webinars were also recorded and shared with the interns and mentors each week as a professional development resource. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to implement similar strategies to achieve the project goals. We began recruitment in the winter of 2024. Digital promotions also began in January 2024. 2024 Digital Correspondence with partner institutions (Southern University, Baton Rouge Community College, University of New Orleans, Grambling, LA Tech, Xavier, University of Louisiana at Monroe, McNeese, University of Louisiana Lafayette, LSU Alexandria), ASPIRE Alumni, current and previousASPIRE Mentors,LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Development Agents, LSU Career Services andLSU College of Engineering. Additionally, we have used Handshake to promote the internship positions at the following institutions:Alcorn State University, Arkansas State University-Beebe, Arkansas Tech, Dillard University, Xavier, University of Louisiana Monroe, Grambling, LSU, LSU Alexandria, Grambling, LA Tech, Sam Houston State University, Southern, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LSU Shreveport. We are planning to re-implement a rolling admission process and have the 2024mentors review applicaiton materials before the interns are officially hired. We are working with our university personnel to provide campus housing options for interns who need it, again for 2024. We hosted 2 interns at partner institutions in 2023 and we plan to host multiple interns through partner institutions in the summer of 2024, such institutions inclube Southern University and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.We plan to continue hosting the ASPIRE Orientation and Symposium, and plan to invite additional faculty and partner institution representatives in 2024.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? ?Goal 1: Interns and mentors participated in a Real Colors Self- Assessment Orientation seminar as part of the onboarding process. In addition to working with their respective mentors on a specific research project, interns also attended weekly career readiness webinars. Each intern also prepared for and presented a poster and a presentation at the 2023 ASPIRE Symposium. Research project standards and guides were prepared and shared with students by the grant team via webinar, virtual office hours and emails. Data was collected through weekly digital journal reflections, mentor surveys and post-internship exit interviews. 100% of the interns who completed the exit survey reported a positive internship experience. Only 54.55% of the interns completed the exit survey, however the feedback across all completed surveys was positive with one exception. In the first survey, one intern expressed dissatisfaction with their experience being tasked with "organizing an office that had been piled up with things overtime". This intern did not complete any other surveys. Goal 2: 27.27% of the students explicitly indicated an interest in continuing their education or career in the field of agriculture, while 100% of students discussed using this internship on future resumes to advance their careers and further their educational goals. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural career and degree awareness, responses including new programs or careers interns were made aware of, and responses indicating a newfound awareness of programs and careers that intersect with programs and careers previously not considered, with the exception of one intern who did not move past the first survey 100% of interns met expectations for increasing awareness of agricultural careers. Survey responses included: I think the most effective part of this program in helping me learn more about careers in agriculture would be that opportunities are endless, and I don't have to be afraid to step out of my comfort zone and do something new. I have also learned that networking is really important, and to learn more about the opportunities in agriculture, you have to talk with your professors, classmates, anyone who is willing to help you. I am learning so much from my mentor about professional development and graduate school or career options. I can stay connected online through email or LinkedIn as well as attending events she hosts like horticulture field days. My understanding of careers in agriculture has improved tremendously over the course of my internship. Before my internship experience, I was not considering Graduate school, but now that I have been exposed to conducting research and the opportunities that come with going to grad school, I will be applying once I graduate with my bachelor's degree. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural knowledge related to specific internship area, responses including new terminology or processes interns were made aware of, and responses indicating newfound knowledge of that area not previously realized, with the exception of the one intern who did not move past the first survey 100% of interns met expectations for increasing agricultural knowledge related to specific internship area. Survey responses included: With my mentor especially, I have found it beneficial to learn how the experiment works and then reteach it to him as if he didn't know what was going on. This way, it helps me really remember what I am doing, and when he asks questions, I am able to answer them in a way that an average person will understand. I am working towards getting experience from every type of animal there is on SU's campus. With all these new experiences, I can mention it in my future job interviews and put it in my resume to show my future employers what type of environments I have worked in. Based on statements directly communicating an increase in team building skills, responses indicating that the interns were provided with opportunities to work with a team or group, and responses indicating that the interns had a positive outlook on how they are able to work in a team environment based on information learned in program workshops, with the exception of one intern who did not move past the first survey 100% of the interns met expectations for an increase in confidence and ability to work in a team environment. Survey responses included: Collaborating with a diverse team during my internship has really helped me see our projects from different angles. Tasks such as harvesting crops and data collection take a collaborative effort to complete efficiently. Yes i have been engaged in collaborating with many other people during this internship. I am learning a lot of tactics when working with others. I was engaged in using critical thinking skills this week at work by engaging with new coworkers and learning how to collaborate with a diverse team of people that I haven't worked with before. 100% of interns met expectations for increased professionalism based on statements directly communicating newfound knowledge of navigating a professional environment based on networking, time management, dress, and demeanor (with the exception of one intern who did not move past the first survey). All of the interns, with the exception of the one intern who did not move past the first survey, showed that they felt like they belonged or were valued in their area. Overall, feedback was so positive this year with some interns feeling confident enough to think of great recommendations for future interns building on their own positive experiences. 100% of interns (with the exception of one intern who did not move past the first survey) met expectations for enhanced communication skills and motivation based on the excellent quality of final presentations and weekly journal responses. Weekly journal responses indicated self-perceived improvement and an improvement in written skills and the length/quality of journal entries. Goal 3: To study if the internship had any effect on increasing the overall goal increasing diversity in the field and improving the quality of professionals entering the agricultural career pipeline, data is currently being collected on alumni engagement in agricultural careers post-internship. Goal 4: Weekly webinar panel discussions, along with the ASPIRE Symposium panel discussion played a role in enhancing intern's knowledge of career pathways and opportunities, along with informal discussions with their mentors and graduate assistants over the course of the 10-week summer internship experience. Data was collected through digital journal entries, a post-internship survey and through exit interviews. Goal 5: Through the third grant cycle, relationships with partner institutions were strengthened through in-person networking, digital communication and intern-sharing. LSU AgCenter Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Monica Guient promoted the ASPIRE Program at the Louisiana Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Conference. Data was collected through application materials and the internship/mentor 'matching' process. Pre/post assessments directly pertaining to graduate school and career decisions have been developed and there will be follow up with this year's intern cohort to determine their next steps on their educational and career paths. In addition, data is being collected on ASPIRE program alumni through online surveys to track their career/education progression since participating in the program. Further analysis of the interns reaching graduate studies and career goals will test the effectiveness of the program on long term goals.

Publications

Progress 04/01/22 to 03/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for the project efforts included 8 undergraduate interns, who each participated in a summer internship. Each intern was paired with a faculty mentor to work with throughout the summer. The interns who were selectedfor the summer of 2022 internships were 62% Black or African American and 38% White. From those students, 0% of the interns identified as being Hispanic or Latinx. In addition, 75% of the interns identified as women and 25% of the interns identified as men. The class included 2students from Southern University (HBCU), 4 students from Louisiana State University, 1 student from Sam Houston State University, and 1 student from Baton Rouge Community College. The 2022 class consisted of 1 black male, 1 white male, 4 black females, 2 caucasian females (1 was an international student, originally from Albania). Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Interns and mentors completed the Real Colors Personal Assessment Training as part of the onboarding process. Interns also participated in weekly career readinesswebinars, featuring various guest speakers from industry and the educational sectors.Webinar topics included financial education, professionalism, business communication, personal branding social media etiquette, leadership, diversity and inclusion. Upon completion of each weekly webinar, interns participated in a reflective journal exercise, which involved reflecting upon their internship experience and writing about a specified key competency from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Mentors were also offered the opportunity to attend the weekly webinars. In addition, the interns collaborated with their menots to plan and conduct a research project. Interns presented their projects and findings at the ASPIRE Symposium. In the process, each intern created and presented a research poster and gave a presentation about their project to faculty, mentors, and stakeholders. Mentor check-ins were conducted mid-way through the summer program through phone calls and challenges were addressed as they arose. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Each intern's research project was featured in a Symposium book. The book was shared with Symposium guests as well as with partner institutions. In addtion, the interns presented their researc throughpresentation sessionsat the Symposium event. Weekly career readiness webinars were also recorded and shared with the interns and mentors each week as a professional development resource. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to implement similar strategies to achieve the project goals. We began recruitment in the fall of 2022. LSU AgCenter Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion promoted the program at the nationalMinorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS)Conference. Digital promotions also began in late 2022 for the 2023 program year. We are planning to pilot a rolling admission process andhave the 2023 mentors review applicaiton materials before the interns are officially hired. We plan to coontinue hosting the ASPIRE Symposium, and plan to invite additional faculty and partner institution representatives in 2023.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1:Interns and mentors participated in aReal Colors Self- Assessment Orientation seminar as part of the onboarding process. In addition to working with their respective mentors on a specific research project, interns also attended weekly career readiness webinars. Each intern also prepared for and presented a poster and a presentation at the 2022 ASPIRE Symposium. Research project standards and guides were prepared and shared with students by the grant team via webinar, virtual office hours and emails. Data was collected through weekly digital journal reflections, mentor surveys and post-internship exit interviews. 75% of the interns reported a positive internship experience and a positive mentor to peer relationship. 25% of the interns reported a negative internship experience. Goal 2: 88% of the students indicated an interest in continuing their education or career in the field of agriculture. One student indicated that they would not return to the area studied - but did not demonstrate that they would not return to agriculture overall. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural career and degree awareness, responses including new programs or careers interns were made aware of, and responses indicating a newfound awareness of programs and careers that intersect with programs and careers previously not considered, 75% of interns met expectations for increasing awareness of agricultural careers. Based on statements communicating that interns learned more about the details of their mentor's career and/or other jobs available in their specific area, but not indicating any new knowledge gleaned about other agricultural careers or programs, one of the interns had an adequate increase in awareness of agricultural careers . Survey responses included: The research and presentation aspect really opened my eyes to how much one can study in agriculture. Having to put together a presentation has prepared me for future presentations I will need to give in the future. I was interested to learn about everyone's internships and what all they did. I also got to speak with my mentors about their career paths and learn about new options. I also learned about an industry different from my major which has open up some new ideas for me. I have learned so much about the different areas of research one can go into when they study agriculture. The research and presentation aspect really opened my eyes to how much one can study in agriculture. Having to put together a presentation has prepared me for future presentations I will need to give in the future. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural knowledge related to specific internship area, responses including new terminology or processes interns were made aware of, and responses indicating newfound knowledge of that area not previously realized, 88% of interns met expectations for increasing awareness of agricultural careers. One intern communicated dissatisfaction with the internship area in which they participated. Survey responses included: I have learned how to read and research using electronic documents during my internship. I had to do background research before beginning my project, and most of that research came from electronic documents that I read online. Some digital media tools I learned how to use is the SEM microscope and I'm not a pro whatsoever but got a pretty basic rundown of how to use it and I learn how to use a few spectrophotometer and I learned how to use PowerPoint to make posters and all of these scientific machines helped me to gather results and data for my internship. Making my poster is something I've never done before so it was good to get help from my mentor on how to use PowerPoint to make a really good poster. Based on statements directly communicating an increase in team building skills, responses indicating that the interns were provided with opportunities to work with a team or group, and responses indicating that the interns had a positive outlook on how they are able to work in a team environment based on information learned in program workshops, 100% of the interns met expectations for an increase in confidence and ability to work in a team environment. 88% of interns met expectations for increased professionalism based on statements directly communicating newfound knowledge of navigating a professional environment based on dress, demeanor, language, and non-verbal communication. One intern did not respond to the professionalism survey. Goal 3: To study if the internship had any effect on increasing the overall goal increasing diversity in the field and improving the quality of professionals entering the agricultural career pipeline data is collected on intern engagement in the field of agriculture post-internship. 64% of interns are working in an ag related field. 27% participated in presentations/conferences post-internship. Because the intern population of year one was 70% White and 70% male, it cannot be stated that this has had an effect on increasing diversity in the field at this time. Future iterations of more diverse intern cohorts may be better predictors of that trend. ?Survey responses include: My current career aspirations are to start a career in the USDA either with NRCS or APHIs. I would like to move up north to the midwest to pursue my career there with the agriculture field being so large. I also would like to train, breed, and sell horses on the side as my side business. (Career aspirations) To gain a local and social media following to spread horticulture awareness Goal 4: wo webinar panel discussions, along with the ASPIRE Symposium panel discussion played a role in enhancing intern's knowledge of career pathways and opportunities, along with informal discussions with their mentors and graduate assistants over the course of the 10-week summer internship experience. Data was collected through digital journal entries, a post-internship survey and through exit interviews. Goal 5: Through the second grant cycle, relationships with partner institutions were strengthened through in-person networking, digital communication and intern-sharing. LSU AgCenter Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Monica Guient promoted the ASPIRE Program at the Louisiana Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Conference. Data was collected through application materials and the internship/mentor 'matching' process. Pre/post assessments directly pertaining to graduate school and career decisions will be added and there will be follow up with this year's intern cohort to determine their next steps on their educational and career paths. In addition, data is being collected on ASPIRE program alumni through online surveys to track their career/education progression since participating in the program. Further analysis of the interns reaching graduate studies and career goals will test the effectiveness of the program on long term goals.

Publications

Progress 04/01/21 to 03/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for the project efforts included 13 undergraduate students, who each participated in a summer internship. Each undergraduate intern was paired with a faculty mentor throughout the summer. The intern classincluded 5 students from Southern University (HBCU), 5 students from Louisiana State University, 1 student from South Louisiana Community College, 1 student from McNeese State University, and 1 student from Arkansas Tech. The 2021 intern class consisted of 3 black males, 5 caucasian males, 1 Hispanic male, 2 black females and 2 caucasianfemales. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A program handbook was created and emailed to all mentors and interns before the program began. The handbook featured expectations, dress codes and professionalism tips.Interns completed the Real Colors Personal Assessment Training as part of their onboarding process. Mentors partcipated in aNational Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Welcoming Diversity Workshop as part of their onboarding process. Interns also participated in weekly career readiness webinars presented by various guest speakers. Webinar topics included financial education, career exploration strategies, professionalism, communication strategies, leadership, diversity and inclusion and teambuiding. Upon the completion of each weekly webinar, interns participated in a reflective journal excersise, which involved reflecting on their internship experience and writing about a specified key competency from theNational Association of Colleges and Employers. Mentors were also offered the opportunity to attend the weekly webinars. Throughout the program, the interns collaborated with their respective mentors to plan and conduct a research project. Interns presented their findings at the ASPIRE Symposium. In the process, each intern created and presented a research poster and an gave an oral presentation about their project. Mentor check-ins were conducted mid-way through the summer program, via phone calls, and challenges were addressed as they arose. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Each intern's research project was featured in a Symposium book, through their research poster and through their presentation at the Symposium event to faculty members. In addition, the Symposium book was also distributed to partner academic institutions and program stakeholders. Each weekly webinar was also recorded and shared with interns and mentors to refer to as a professional development resource. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to implement similar strategies to achieve the project goals in the next reporting period. However, we have recruited LSU AgCenter Vice Chancellor of Diversity and Inclusion Monica Guient to assit in this effort. We plan to boost recrutiment efforts, especially for underrepresented students.In additon, we plan to invite additional stakeholders(as COVID restrictions are easing) to the ASPIRE Symposium, in an effort to recognize the interns and their efforts.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1:Interns were required to attend a Real Colors Self Assessment Orientation seminar. Mentors were required to attend a National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Welcoming Diversity Workshop, as part of the onboarding process. In addition to working with their respective mentors on a specific research project, interns also attended weekly career readiness webinars. Each intern also prepared for and presented a poster and a presentation at the 2021 ASPIRE Symposium. Research project standards and guides were prepared and shared with students by the grant team via webinar, virtual office hours and emails. Data was collected through weekly digital journal reflections, mentor surveys and post-internship exit interviews. 80% of the interns reported a positive internship experience and a positive mentor to peer relationship. 20% of the interns reported a negative internship experience. Based on statements directly communicating an increase in team building skills, responses indicating that the interns were provided with opportunities to work with a team or group, and responses indicating that the interns had a positive outlook on how they are able to work in a team environment based on information learned in program workshops, 90% of the interns met expectations for an increase in confidence and ability to work in a team environment. One intern indicated a positive outlook on how they are able to work in a team environment based on information learned in program workshops and outside situations, but indicated that there was little opportunity for teamwork in their internship area demonstrating an adequate increase in confidence and ability to work in a team environment. 90% of interns met expectations for increased professionalism based on statements directly communicating newfound knowledge of navigating a professional environment based on dress, demeanor, language, and non-verbal communication. One intern indicated that new information was learned in the workshops but not in the program area, indicating an adequate increase in professionalism. 80% of interns met expectations for enhanced communication skills and motivation based on improvements in presentation skills and weekly journal responses. Weekly journal responses indicated self-perceived improvement and an improvement in written skills and the length/quality of journal entries. One intern indicated self-perceived improvement but showed no improvement over the course of journal responses. Goal 2:In addition to on-the-job observations, interns participated in 3 different panel discussions, which featured panelists from various agricultural careers. Two of the panel discussions occurred during weekly webinars, while the final panel discussion took place, in-person, at the ASPIRE Symposium. Data was collected through digital journal reflections, post-program surveys and exit interviews. 90% of the students indicated an interest in continuing their education or career in the field of agriculture. One student did not indicate that they would be interested in an Ag field but was able to relate how elements of the agricultural industry impact the area of research and career opportunities in which they are interested. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural knowledge related to specific internship area, responses including new terminology or processes interns were made aware of, and responses indicating newfound knowledge of that area not previously realized, 80% of interns met expectations for increasing awareness of agricultural careers. Based on statements communicating that interns learned a minimal increase in knowledge of that area and also expressed a desire to have learned more or gained experience in that area outside of administrative duties, 10% of interns had an adequate increase in awareness of agricultural careers. One intern communicated dissatisfaction with the internship area in which they participated. Goal 3:Recruitment efforts were primarily conducted digitally, through email and social media and in partnership with partner institutions, due to the short time frame between the project award and the program start launch for year one. Also, COVID restrictions created a barrier for in-person recruiting for 2021. Data was collected by reviewing application materials, weekly journals and exit interviews. Only one intern included responses that demonstrated an increased sense of belonging. This intern is from an underrepresented background. Because the goal of increasing diversity was not met, measuring an increase in the sense of belonging and working to prepare mentors to provide inclusive environments for interns will become more important as reaching the goal of increasing diversity in this field improves. Goal 4: Two webinar panel discussions, along with the ASPIRE Symposium panel discussion played a role in enhancing intern's knowledge of career pathways and opportunities, along with informal discussions with their mentors over the course of the 10-week summer internship experience. Data was collected through digital journal entries, a post-internship survey and through exit interviews. Based on statements directly communicating an increase of agricultural career and degree awareness, responses including new programs or careers interns were made aware of, and responses indicating a newfound awareness of programs and careers that intersect with programs and careers previously not considered, 70% of interns met expectations for increasing awareness of agricultural careers. Based on statements communicating that interns learned more about the details of their mentor's career and/or other jobs available in their specific area, but not indicating any new knowledge gleaned about other agricultural careers or programs, 30% of interns had an adequate increase in awareness of agricultural careers. Goal 5:Through the first grant cycle, introductions with partner institutions were made through digital correspondence and word of mouth networking. Data was collected through application materials and the internship/mentor 'matching' process. Based on data collected in the first iteration of this grant, adjustments will be made to ensure the success of this program for future iterations. The first being the addition of Monica Guient to the grant team. Guient's expertise, specifically in the field of diversity and inclusion, will better guide and improve decision making in the recruitment of diverse populations. Because of the short turnaround between award and implementation of this grant, the recruitment and interview process was not as robust as it should have been. Given more time to plan, the issues of recruitment and interview processes will theoretically be ironed out. This research analysis serves to improve the quality of internships in the ASPIRE program. Based on the findings of this study, critical research contributing to the study of improving internship quality and increasing enrollment for underrepresented populations is needed. For the evaluation process, metrics will be added to evaluate program offerings. Pre/post assessments directly pertaining to graduate school and career decisions will be added and there will be follow up with this year's intern cohort to determine their next steps on their educational and career paths. Further analysis of the interns reaching graduate studies and career goals will test the effectiveness of the program on long term goals. It is recommended that, with these changes, the grant move forward in providing this internship opportunity to students.

Publications