Results and Impacts for
the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Educational Grant Program
The following represents results and impacts for the
Hispanic-Serving Institutions Educational Grant Program
from activities that occurred from January 2003 through
June 2005.
California State University - Fresno
California State University-Fresno is improving the instructional
capability of its interdisciplinary dairy science and technology
program. It is also maximizing student learning by integrating
theory with experimentation and application. It has updated
its 50-year-old equipment for pasteurization and homogenization
of milk and milk products. Former equipment was manually
operated and required constant attention, while the new equipment
is computerized with touch pads requiring minimum attention
once the process has been initiated. Also, the noise level
at the laboratory has been significantly reduced, making
the plant safer and allowing for clearer communication. Previously,
students and instructors had to leave the processing room
to communicate because of the excessively high noise levels.
Neighboring industries have contacted the dairy department
to conduct workshops using the automated equipment. The grant
allows the department to synthesize the learning experience
to include both technology and conceptual design.
California State University - Monterey Bay
California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and Hartnell
Community College, also in California, have partnered in
a long-term commitment to design and initiated a seamless
four-year agribusiness management degree program; final approval
is expected by the end of the year. Students may pursue either
an agricultural sciences or a business administration career
path at Hartnell or another community college and then go
on to earn a baccalaureate degree in business administration
with a concentration in agribusiness management. The project
has built relationships with key community stakeholders (including
representatives of industry, labor, government, and the general
public) for the design and approval of the curriculum on
this program. Local industries have agreed to support internships
and other hands-on work experiences, a central part of the
curriculum. Recruitment of students for the program has begun.
CSUMB is also partnering with Hartnell College to provide
student/parent field-based agriculture and watershed workshops
and curriculum, hold a student/parent University Science
Day, and provide tutoring/mentoring to underrepresented students
from local area high schools. Collaboration between these
two institutions is expected to result in a coordinated transfer
system between Hartnell and CSUMB and a support mechanism
that assures successful transitions between institutions.
Finally, students from CSUMB, Hartnell, and other collaborating
community colleges will enjoy internship opportunities at
local and regional agriculture and watershed agencies and
organizations. Fourteen underrepresented students have been
placed in community-based agriculture and watershed-related
internships this year. More than 30 students will be placed
in similar internships during the upcoming year. The project
has emphasized connecting these students to their internship
sites and to their academic paths through increased mentoring
and academic advising. As a result, these students are: 1)
improving their academic skills to successfully complete
a four-year university program, 2) interested in pursuing
careers in similar fields as their internship, and 3) interested
in continuing their education at the graduate school level.
California State University - San Bernardino
California State University at San Bernardino is addressing
the shortage of environmental health professionals entering
into the work force by recruitment and retention of bilingual
pre-professionals in environmental health science. The project
supports paid internships, tuition, and science supplemental
education for deserving students.
Coastal Bend Community College
Coastal Bend Community College in Texas has expanded and
strengthened its agricultural curriculum to increase student
recruitment and retention. It also has been providing scholarship
and internship opportunities, offering dual-credit courses
at rural high schools via videoconferencing, and recruiting
at high schools and agriculture-related organizations. Through
the grant, this community college has provided release time
for faculty to recruit and mentor students and to write curriculum.
It also has increased the number of articulation agreements
with area universities and conducted career workshops.
Columbia Basin College
A community college in the state of Washington, Columbia
Basin College (CBC), has targeted high school seniors and
college freshmen wishing to pursue a four-year degree in
agricultural sciences. The students will earn an associate
degree at CBC and transfer to Washington State University
for the completion of a bachelor's of science in agriculture.
The program has successfully established an educational relationship
with CBC's math and science faculty, WSU academic advisor
for the agricultural sciences careers, and the WSU faculty
in the entomology department. Students have developed a better
understanding of the curriculum, expectations, and requirements
for careers in agriculture and related fields.
Glendale Community College
Glendale Community College in California , a two-year institution,
has amended three of its certificate programs to allow a
seamless transfer of students to four-year food and nutrition
programs. It also has created a new two-year degree and articulated
courses with a four-year institution to coordinate student
transfer. Fifteen of the 25 students to be funded by the
grant have been recruited.
Long Beach City College
Long Beach City College in California has installed equipment
and developed curriculum to teach the skills needed for success
in the horticulture industry. It has familiarized students
with equipment that is up to industry standards while providing
innovative instruction using computers and a variety of learning
tools. Most important, the project provides educational and
career options for students and ultimately leads them toward
transfer to a four-year university.
New Mexico State University
A project at New Mexico State University has provided opportunities
for underrepresented students to increase their technology
skills, develop long-term integration of technology in the
classroom, progress toward the use of electronic portfolios
(e-portfolios), and apply innovative technology in the classroom.
Faculty, staff, and students within the college of agricultural
sciences have benefited from technology awareness workshops.
South Mountain Community College
A two-year institution in Arizona , South Mountain Community
College (SMCC), has expanded student opportunities in biosciences
careers. It has developed a comprehensive biotechnology curriculum
and the laboratory facilities necessary to promote student
success in biosciences in the context of a high-school-to-college
transfer and another transfer to either university or the
employment pipeline. The project has focused on establishing
a highly interactive comprehensive learning environment that
includes experiential learning and internships. As a result
of enrollment growth in biosciences (from 53 to 230 students),
South Mountain Community College is adding one fulltime biology
faculty in 2005 (increasing the number of biology faculty
from three to four), one fulltime chemistry faculty in 2005
(increasing the number of chemistry faculty from one to two),
and one environmental science faculty in 2005 (the first
faculty for a new interdisciplinary program starting at this
institution). High school and college students have produced
15 research projects. In addition, the bioscience students
have delivered both local and regional oral presentations
of their work. Northern Arizona University (NAU) and SMCC
are forming a 2+2+2 partnership to increase the number of
Hispanic and other minority students enrolling in NAU's environmental
science program to earn Baccalaureate of Science and advanced
degrees. The NAU/SMCC partnership was precipitated by support
from USDA /CSREES and by SMCC Bioscience successes that resulted
from USDA grant funds.
St. Augustine Community College
St. Augustine Community College in Illinois has improved
the facilities of its culinary laboratory to meet industry
standards and developed a rigorous internship that places
students in the industry. Scholarships have been used successfully
as recruitment and retention tools.
Sul Ross State University and Texas A&M University
The Department of Natural Resource Management at Sul Ross
State University (SRSU) in Texas has partnered with the Institute
of Renewable Natural Resources at Texas A&M University
to develop a cooperative doctoral program in natural resources;
facilitate educational exchange via shared courses, conferences,
and meetings using “smart” class/conference rooms;
initiate a team-taught summer course to promote cultural
exchange and awareness between students and faculty at SRSU
and TAMU; enhance experiential learning opportunities for
minorities through internships; and strengthen linkages with
other HSIs with agriculture programs. These two institutions
have formalized the cooperative doctoral program by forming
an advisory board, reciprocating adjunct faculty status for
cooperating faculty at partnering universities, and formalizing
a memorandum of agreement for the cooperative doctoral degree.
Each graduate student in the program is mentored (co-chaired)
by faculty at both institutions. Additionally, the program
has two outstanding doctoral students an additional four
master's students who are being groomed for the program,
and has identified four baccalaureate students to be recruited;
they have already been hired as interns.
Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Texas A&M University in Kingsville (TAMUK) is enjoying
100 percent retention on a project that teaches and mentors
south Texas students who commonly would have lacked the opportunity
to improve their skills to compete in a science-oriented
job market. Fourteen undergraduate students and four graduate
students would receive two-year research assistantships and
trained in a hands-on laboratory that incorporates the most
recent advances in several areas of agricultural research.
Students have gained experience through individual research
projects under the supervision of TAMUK faculty mentors.
They have been presented the opportunity to solve complex
problems applicable to real-world needs, consequently increasing
their vision regarding career choice, life direction, and
achieving their professional goals. Participant students
recently won first, second, and third place in regional animal
science research competition.
Trinidad Community College
Trinidad Community College in Colorado is creating career
pathways and innovative training in aquaculture for underrepresented
students in its aquaculture technician program. In collaboration
with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and local aquatic
resources owners, more than 16 students have been placed
in internships that will lead to technical positions with
jobs starting at $30,000 with an associate degree.
Universidad Del Turabo
Universidad del Turabo in Puerto Rico is strengthening recruitment
and retention of underrepresented students in their baccalaureate
nutrition/dietetics degree while providing them the necessary
skills to overcome obstacles during college. Twenty-six students,
65% of the total projected, have been recruited during the
first six months of the project. Parent and student focus
groups were held to validate perceived needs. A Saturday
Academy Enrichment Program has been started, two nutrition
courses have been developed, and the mentoring system has
been established.
University of Puerto Rico
This project is a collaboration among three departments
at the University of Puerto Rico: Food Science and Technology,
Agronomy and Soils, and Chemistry. The goal is to create
a state-of-the-art instrumentation liquid chromatography-mass
spectrometry laboratory which can be used for teaching and
research. Acquired equipment has enhanced the educational
experiences and allowed faculty and students to pursue advanced
research problems, respond to the specific needs of government
and industry, and expanded the analytical and educational
capabilities. The project has enhanced the institution's
ability to serve as a strong partner in multi-institutional
research programs and to compete for funds designated for
undergraduate and graduate programs in food, soils, and environmental
sciences.
Ventura College and Allan Hancock College
Two institutions in California, Ventura College in collaboration
with Allan Hancock College, are training and supporting underrepresented
students in integrated sensor technologies, Global Information
System/Global Positioning System (GIS/GPS) and data management
to assist farmers in using precision agriculture techniques
during farm operation to increase yields and decrease or
hold costs steady. This project is training agricultural
supervisors to master data collection, data analysis, decision
making, and variable application of treatments using GIS/GPS.
West Hills Community College
A two-year institution in California , West Hills Community
College has assembled resources to increase participation
and retention of Hispanic and other underrepresented students
in the agricultural science instructional programs. This
project has attracted the support and participation of 14
faculty and administrators who will implement the new program
in the fall of 2005. Students will begin studies in all of
the Learning Communities courses at that time. The program
has already begun to disseminate information about the new
approach to ag science instruction through regional consortia.
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