Recipient Organization
LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
LANGSTON,OK 73050
Performing Department
School of Agriculture
Non Technical Summary
"Expanding Opportunities in Food and Agriculture: Investment in Student Success and Workforce Readiness"The long-term goal of this proposal is to increase the diversity of the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences (FANH) workforce, especially among African Americans and Underrepresented Minorities (URM) students. The primary objective is to increase retention and graduation rates among Langston University students pursuing bachelor's degrees in agricultural sciences by providing scholarships, experiential learning, and career development opportunities. The project will achieve this through three secondary objectives, 1: Recruit and train 56 Scholars per year; 2: Increase retention and graduation rates of scholars through mentoring, experiential learning, and professional development, 3: Increase the employment rates and/or graduate school admissions of scholars by providing the necessary skills and career services. These objectives will lead to greater retention and recruitment of students, specifically African American and URM students, and increase rates of persistence to baccalaureates among Langston University's School of Agriculture and Applied Science students (LU-SAAS). Indeed, all project goals and objectives included in the proposal are compatible with those articulated in the 1890 Scholarship Program.The addition of 56 Scholars per year, who likely would not otherwise matriculate in LU-SAAS due to financial and other constraints, will have a positive impact for both Scholars and for strengthening the academic mission of Langston University (LU) Land-Grant Programs. For Scholars, the program will increase their skills and engagement, resulting in enhanced retention and employment rates. For LU, the program will increase the diversity of the University in general and will enable LU to build linkages with high schools, communities, and businesses in Oklahoma and beyond. The proposed program will promote LU as a major producer of highly trained agricultural graduates in Oklahoma. Additionally, the food and agriculture workforce will be enhanced by the graduation of these trained and talented Scholars.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Measurable Objectives: Our long-term goal is to increase the diversity of the FANH sciences workforce, especially among African Americans and URM students. The primary objective of this application is to increase retention and graduation rates among Langston University students pursuing a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences by providing scholarships, experiential learning, and career development opportunities. This project will achieve this through three objectives: Objective 1: Recruit and enroll 56 scholars per year. This includes offering 40 full 4-year and or 2-year scholarships to matriculating high school and or transfer students per year. Additionally, 16 partial scholarships will be offered to rising juniors who did not previously qualify for scholarships but excelled academically through freshman and sophomore years at LU. Objective 2: Increase retention and graduation rates of scholars and other students through mentoring, experiential learning, and professional development from 50 percent to 80 percent Objective 3: Increase the employment rates and/or graduate school admissions of scholars from the current 60 percent to 90 percent by providing the necessary skills and career services. We anticipate that these objectives will lead to greater recruitment and retention of students, particularly African Americans and other URM's while increasing rates of persistence to a baccalaureate among Langston University's School of Agriculture and Applied Science's (LU-SAAS). Table 8 includes an overview of the objectives and expected measurable outcomes.
Project Methods
The proposed program will support Scholars' intent to pursue a FANH career by providing six components as discussed below. Overall, the project represents a highly effective approach to encourage traditionally marginalized populations to gain university-level education and realize their intent to pursue careers in the food and agricultural sciences, including careers in agribusiness, energy and renewable fuels, or financial management.Scholarships: The academic goal of LU-SAAS is to create a high-quality academic environment that is attractive to a diverse student population, provide them with the knowledge necessary to enter the workforce and/or graduate schools, provide an enriching academic experience, and experiential exposure needed for lifelong career paths in FANH. The Scholarship Program will help to ensure that this goal is achieved by increasing retention rates and Scholars' needed skills. Many young people who would not otherwise have an opportunity to earn a college education necessary to enter the food/agriculture workforce due to the financial burden will get the unique opportunity. A major challenge that is faced by many students interested in food and agricultural science located in rural and inner-city urban areas is the limited resources and limited exposure to groups and organizations that can provide resources for training beyond high school. The resource constraints make the opportunity of a bachelor's degree infeasible or require students to pursue majors they believe are a great return on investment. This delicate situation leads to the loss of potential members of the food and agricultural labor force that is already taxed and projected to have a labor shortfall.Faculty Mentoring and Advising: As discussed further in Section C-i, Scholars will work with a Faculty Mentor, which has proven effective as a retention strategy (Figure 8). We will assign Faculty Mentors based on the Scholars' majors and focal areas. Scholars and Mentors will meet regularly to ensure the Scholars are progressing and to mitigate any potential challenges. Additionally, the Mentors will assist Scholars to prepare for conference presentations and connect with professionals in their fields of study.Experiential Learning: Many agriculture-related businesses and graduate schools are seeking individuals with experience including research and/or internships. By fostering experiential learning, Scholars will meet this requirement and become more attractive to businesses and graduate schools.Clubs and Group Engagement: By participating in clubs and groups, Scholars will enhance skills development and leadership opportunities. The clubs will expose them to opportunities within agriculture. An example club includes Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS).Student Ambassadors: Scholars will have the opportunity to serve as Student Ambassadors, which will allow them to lead, network, and serve as peer mentors as well as tutors. Networking Opportunities: The program will provide Scholars with opportunities to network with businesses and alumni. This will increase their career options, promote LU-SAAS students to the community, and enhance opportunities for experiential learning.