Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Expanding the TExAS Scholar Program (TExAS: Teaching with Experiential Learning in Animal Science)is an integrated project (education, research, and extension)that focuses on increasing the success of underrepresented students by preparing them to address needs related to animal health, production and animal products. This collaborative project includes three Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI): Texas A&M University-Kingsville, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and West Texas A&M University. A minimum of 60 underrepresented students will be selected (through an interview process) to participate in the program. The goal is to recruit, cultivate, and graduate the next generation of a highly-skilled, diverse workforce that will contribute to innovations in animal production capable of achieving global food security. Hispanic leaders in animal science will be increased with participation in experiential learning activities to increase retention and graduation rates, and enhance technical, scientific, and professional skills of Hispanic undergraduate students recruited from the three collaborating HSIs. Program objectives will be met with a unique, multifaceted approach to experiential learning that includes: student research, extension program participation, professional meeting participation, educational tour, job shadowing, journal club, and leadership development and mentoring. Success of Expanding the TExAS Scholar Program will be a direct result of financial support, career awareness, and a diverse network of mentors and professionals to guide students in making informed decisions regarding their future. The result of Expanding the TExAS Scholar Program will be highly qualified Hispanic graduates equipped with technical, scientific, and professional skills required to be competitive for graduate school, or careers in the food and agriculture sector.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
50%
Developmental
10%
Goals / Objectives
The primary objective of Expanding the TExAS Scholar Program is to recruit, cultivate, and graduate the next generation of a highly-skilled, diverse workforce that will contribute to innovations in animal production capable of achieving the NIFA priority of global food security. Specific objectives are:Objective 1: Develop a cooperative link amongst Animal Science programs at 3 Hispanic Serving Institutions [HSIs; TAMUK, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez (UPRM) and West Texas A&M University (WTAMU)] and with external collaborators (Agrilife Research & Extension, USDA-ARS, other universities and industry), to improve the success of underrepresented students through professional development opportunities. Developing professional skills of Hispanic students at TAMUK, UPRM, and WTAMU (all HSIs) is necessary for improving retention, graduation rates, acceptance into graduate/professional school and career success. Activities such as research projects, educational tour, participation in extension programs, visits with collaborating institutions and professional conferences will enhance collaboration and networking. Students will develop a relationship with a network of academia and industry professionals that may lead to internship, graduate school, or job placement opportunities. Exposing students to occupations in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences, will increase awareness of educational opportunities and career options to aid students in making informed decisions regarding their future.Objective 2: Educate undergraduate students in the field of animal science through hands-on experiential learning. Funding of this proposal will provide a minimum of 60 underrepresented animal science students with a one-year fellowship (n=50) or summer internship (n=10) to gain hands-on experiential learning primarily through an individual research project. Students will be required to work with a faculty mentor within their animal science field of choice (genetics, nutrition, reproduction, meats, etc.), to design and implement skills to conduct a research project and analyze data for presentation and written publication. Research will be presented to a scientific audience and/or transformed into an extension presentation or publication targeted toward a general audience, such as livestock producers, to develop skills in applying research results to real world scenarios. An additional experiential learning opportunity will be provided in the form of a one-week educational tour in which students will tour industry operations, USDA-ARS centers, and university research and extension facilities. Furthermore, students will have an opportunity to "shadow" a county extension agent, extension specialist, scientist, or industry professional. These opportunities will allow students to develop a professional network and enhance exposure to educational/career options in the animal industry.Objective 3: Develop skills and gain experience necessary for joining the agricultural workforce or pursuing graduate studies by participating in research and extension projects. Conducting animal-based research will allow students to apply knowledge they gain in the classroom, giving them a deeper understanding and appreciation for course content. Research provides a multifaceted approach to improve retention and graduation rates. Students will be mentored by faculty and trained in discipline-specific research techniques. A sense of responsibility and accountability will be instilled as students take ownership of their projects. Additionally, students will feel a sense of accomplishment as they report to producers and the scientific community. Extension collaborators will provide opportunities to aid with extension programs as well as in written publications. Experiences gained will aid in developing future leaders with the technical, scientific, and professional skills necessary for pursuing graduate studies or joining the agricultural workforce to become productive members of society.Objective 4: Foster and develop faculty-student mentor relationships to aid students in defining goals and evaluating educational and professional careers. TExAS Scholars will be mentored by teaching, research, and extension faculty, county extension agents (CEAs), USDA scientists, industry professionals, graduate students, and peers. Personal relationships will develop through one-on-one interaction outside the classroom. Mentors will have greater ability to monitor student progress (grades, adaptation to college life, engagement in campus activities, forming of support networks, etc.) and help students define goals and evaluate future educational/career plans.
Project Methods
Efforts:Key elements of Expanding the TExAS Scholar Program include experiential learning activities (individual research projects, educational tours, visits with collaborating institutions, participation in extension programs, presentations at professional meetings, job shadowing experience, and journal club) that will lead to increased retention and subsequent graduation rates of Hispanic students in the field of animal science.Evaluation:An External Evaluator and Advisory Board (Drs. A. Foote, K. Hales, D. Poole, and A. Relling) will be the primary method of program evaluation. The External Evaluator will provide a written annual evaluation. The Advisory Board will utilize this evaluation to identify pitfalls and limitations of the program and provide recommendations and strategies for addressing them to improve the program in future years. Additionally, a formative and summative assessment will be completed at the end of each fellowship year. Historic retention and graduation rates, graduate school acceptance rates, and post-graduation employment will be compared to Expanding the TExAS Scholar Program data. Data from this analysis will be included in the final report.