Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Kentucky. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that most influence African Americans to enroll in agricultural science programs at 1890 and 1862 Land Grant universities. This study used a quantitative approach in researching the problem of identifying the factors that led minorities to enroll in agricultural science programs at 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions. A survey instrument was designed which collected the factors, demographics, and attitudes that influenced minority enrollment in agricultural sciences at 1890 and 1862 universities. The setting for the data collection in this study is 1890 and 1862 land grant universities in the southern states of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. These states were chosen because their close proximity to Mississippi State University and their willingness to participate in this study. The population in this study consists of African American undergraduate students at 1890 and 1862 Land Grant universities. The students were selected from colleges within the university where the agriculture component is taught. The findings were based on the data collected from the 172 undergraduate African American students enrolled in agriculture majors at 1890 and 1862 land grant universities.

As universities enhance their civic engagement and build connections between campus and communities across the state, the county extension office and local staff have an opportunity to broker resources between the two entities. The question is not ‘if’ this needs to happen, but specifically what role Extension should play. County Extension Coordinators in Alabama have differing opinions about the role of their office and the value of specific engagement activities to the community. These differing opinions may make it difficult to achieve uniformity in what faculty can expect of a county extension office. Three different opinion groups were identified in this study. One group of County Extension Coordinators felt that engagement activities should focus on issues affecting local economic impact. Another group chose activities that would avoid potential problems due to interagency conflict and local politics. The third group saw the civic engagement of their land-grant university as an opportunity to make Extension look good in their county. Group membership could be explained by tenure of the County Extension Coordinator and their subject matter expertise. Given the results of this study and engagement scholarship, strategic areas for Extension to explore include (1) the activities of the county extension office as influenced by local advisory groups, opinions of the County Extension Coordinator, and needs of the Land-Grant University; (2) the role of the County Extension Coordinator in facilitating university-wide outreach; and (3) the need for County Extension Coordinators to have extensive networks and networking skills in order to embrace the breadth of opportunities to facilitate the civic engagement of a Land-Grant University.

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This study examined the factors that influence minorities to enroll in agricultural science programs at Virginia Tech. Minorities have been and continue to be under-represented in most areas of the agricultural sciences. The presence of African-American and other minority students in the agricultural sciences is, therefore, very important. Enrollment numbers in programs across the country indicate that agriculture, does not appeal to many minority groups. Wardlow, Graham, & Scott (1995) noted that there is little doubt that minorities are underrepresented in academic departments at land-grant universities, professional roles in agricultural industries, and in governmental agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The data collection in this study was through a survey developed by the researcher. The population in this study consisted of minority undergraduate and graduate students in the Minority Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) organization at Virginia Tech. The respondents in this study selected agricultural science as a major due to their personal decision, input form family members and friends, and the guidance form a high school or faculty member. They also noted there was opportunity for them in the agricultural sciences and felt that professors, administrators and students within the department were fair and supportive. Financial assistance was an important factor in the student's decision enrolling in the program, and the majority of the respondents were receiving financial assistance. However, the respondents noted that they would be enrolled if they were not receiving financial assistance and felt they had the opportunity to succeed in the agricultural sciences at Virginia Tech / Ph. D.

The primary purpose of the study was tri-fold. The study was conducted to (1) determine differences between faculty users and faculty non-users awareness, perceptions and attitudes about the role and processes of the IRB on one 1890 land grant campus; (2) determine when controlling for status, rank, years of service, and age and the degree to which these variables contributed to the identification of the faculty profile for faculty users and faculty non-users of the local IRB at one 1890 land grant university; and (3) expand scholarly works and empirical literature related to the local IRB's role in human participant's research and its impact upon the university land grant community. This study was conducted at one 1890 land grant institution located in south central United States during the fall of 2007. The sample group consisted of 50 faculty who were self-identified as faculty users and faculty non-users of the IRB and reported their status, rank, years of service, and age. An electronic survey instrument was used to obtain data for this study. Secondary data was secured and analyses were conducted to assess the levels of awareness, perceptions, and attitudes about the role and processes of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), using the SPSS analysis package. Several procedures were employed to aggregate the data: frequencies and cross tabulations, analysis of variances of covariates (ANCOVA), and multivariate analyses of covariates (MANCOVA) to compare specific group mean scores of faculty users and faculty non-users, tenure and tenure track. The significance level was set using an alpha level of .05. The findings revealed (1) that faculty users and faculty non-users had differences between the levels of awareness and attitude; (2) perception remained high among faculty users and faculty non-users; however, (3) when controlling for years of service and age, there were significant differences between the faculty user and faculty nonuser groups.

The study is an interpretative analysis of Virginia Cooperative Extension that examined the mission of the agency, as defined through its history and enabling acts of legislation. The study investigated how the mission has evolved during the eighty-four years of its existence. The study used the intent and context of the federal Smith-Lever legislation of 1914 as its benchmark to discover what the desired and anticipated outcomes were for Cooperative Extension by the original patrons of the legislation. Subsequent legislative acts at both the state and federal levels, as well as actions by the executive branch of government, were studied to discover if and when the mission of cooperative extension has changed and to identify the political, economic, and social factors that influenced the changes. The study incorporated accepted methods of historical research and included the review and analysis of both primary and secondary sources of information. Interviews of key leaders who have influenced the policy position of Virginia Cooperative Extension over the past thirty years were conducted. The data gathered by the study were analyzed and presented to highlight major themes that could have influenced critical policy issues that have confronted Virginia Cooperative Extension. The conclusion is that the mission of extension is two fold: (1) to provide education that could lead to increased economic opportunity and, (2) to enhance the quality of life enjoyed by Virginia’s citizens. Three critical attributes are identified that relate to the ability of Virginia Cooperative Extension to fulfill its mission: (1) access to research-based information, (2) a strong presence in local communities, and (3) a capacity to provide timely responses to emerging issues. / Ph. D.

With the number of adult undergraduate students and the competition for these students at an all-time high, educators and administrators must have an understanding of how to not only attract these individuals, but to retain them throughout their educational careers. Recognizing the diverse needs of adult students and the importance of retaining them should be a major priority for colleges and universities. For higher educational institutions attempting to attract and retain the adult student population, a clear understanding of their experiences was warranted. This research utilized a qualitative design that focused on adult (defined as age 24 or older) undergraduate students currently enrolled at a major land-grant institution. An interpretive case study was undertaken to examine the adult students’ perception of their experiences. Questions were designed to learn (a) what the students perceived as barriers to their educational journey, (b) what the students perceived as factors contributing to their success, (c) how their experiences at the land-grant institution impacted their lives; and (d) how the students perceived the services and policies of the land-grant institution. Interview data were supplemented by data gathered from document analysis, reflective journals, photographs, and researcher field notes. A total of 14 themes were identified within the various categories. With regards to barriers, the most frequently mentioned themes included (a) role conflict (b) time management, and (c) institutional barriers. The most frequently mentioned themes related to factors enabling success included (a) being a role model, (b) parental support, (c) student support, (d) faculty/staff support, and (e) internal desire. The most commonly mentioned themes related to how their experience has impacted their lives included (a) sense of self, (b) broader view of the world, and (c) goal setting. Finally, with regards to university services and policies, the most frequently mentioned themes included (a) advisement, (b) orientation, and (c) technology training. Analysis of the data and findings established the basis for recommendations and comments that may be useful to administrators and faculty in an effort to establish the most efficient and effective services and policies necessary for the recruitment and retention of the growing adult student population.

With each new cohort of directors entering the field of alumni relations in agriculture, a pattern emerges. They often are not adequately prepared to assume the responsibilities of the position. There is a perception that attention to detail and event planning skills are sufficient qualifications to manage an alumni volunteer program successfully. Managing the people and activities involved with the programs in the ever-growing field of alumni relations requires much more than event planning know-how. Implementing impactful alumni engagement programs requires knowledge of leading and managing programs, budgets, and people, specifically volunteers. Alumni engagement involves extensive communication skills and, depending on the institution, knowledge of board organization procedures. As we all strive to advance agriculture, we must put in place qualified individuals to engage our alumni and stakeholders, specifically volunteers. Are there programs in place to provide training for the candidates selected? Are resources readily available that provide good practices for these individuals to follow as they build their alumni volunteer programs? Although there is a demand for more rigorous and sophisticated professional practice, there continues to be a gap between research and practice in the field of volunteer administration (Seel, 2013). Resources available for volunteer managers are often how-to manuals with practical suggestions and approaches (Fisher and Cole, 1993). Associations such as the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association (NAADA), and BoardSource® provide opportunities for networking with colleagues through conferences and online resources. Still, these are often costly and fragmented with regard to the presentation of content. The purpose of the study was to examine how alumni relations professionals are prepared to carry out their roles and responsibilities as administrators of alumni engagement programs and volunteers in colleges of agriculture at land-grant institutions. The study sought to describe good practices for support, training, communication, and volunteer management that can be utilized by new members of the field and seasoned veterans alike. Thirteen current alumni relations professionals in agriculture at land-grant institutions who are members of NAADA were interviewed. Job descriptions were reviewed prior to each interview. Interviews were transcribed by TranscribeMe, Inc., analyzed using a form of whole text analysis with open coding. Common codes were merged to develop the themes. Research Questions 1. How do alumni directors administer alumni engagement programs and associated volunteers? 2. What skills should alumni directors bring to their positions upon employment? 3. How do alumni directors identify individuals or groups to connect to in order to accomplish their goals? 4. How do alumni directors identify and implement communications strategies to make successful connections to use with individuals and/or groups? 5. How do alumni directors continue to improve their skills and knowledge to meet their job expectations related to administering alumni engagement programs and associated volunteers? Through a thematic analysis of the data, the following themes emerged: management of volunteer boards; management of general volunteers; perceptions of alumni directors; engagement with alumni, faculty, and students through events and programs; partnerships with university-level advancement and college leadership; communications tools; and professional development. Overall, the findings were not surprising other than lack of knowledge of volunteer management models or prior experience in volunteer management. Participants who had the support of leadership, who arrived to their positions with at least some background working with volunteers, and those who were willing to try new tactics to engage volunteers set an outstanding example of how success is possible in the role of an alumni director. Communications is a powerful tool for all alumni directors but can also be a significant challenge. Participants who expanded their definition of "volunteer" beyond alumni to include faculty, staff, and students appeared to have better-developed strategies to engage, empower, and lead individuals. Participants who partnered with colleagues in academic programs were better positioned to engage students in programming, find student volunteers and interns to assist in their efforts, and create and maintain stronger connections as they become young alumni. Seven key good practices can be elevated from the data: 1. Familiarize with volunteer management models to understand how and why people are motivated to volunteer and develop skillsets and tactics to recruit, train, retain, and recognize volunteers 2. Empower volunteers to develop their own mission and goals, strategize their plan of work, and lead the execution of their programs and organization 3. Expand the definition of "volunteer" 4. Build collaborative partnerships across the team, college and university 5. Develop innovative approaches and partnerships to engage students 6. Expand professional development resources 7. Advocate for yourself and your program After interviewing thirteen alumni relations professionals, it was clear that those land-grant institutions have passionate, volunteer-centric professionals who diligently work every day towards the mission and goals of the colleges they serve. But there is much work to be done to create an environment that is more supportive of them. Efforts should be made to help college and university leadership better understand the qualifications required for alumni relations positions, elevate alumni engagement and volunteers' impact, and provide more targeted professional development opportunities. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Good practices of alumni relations professionals leading engagement programs and volunteers in colleges of agriculture at land-grant institutions contribute to the advancement of agriculture. The purpose of the study was to examine how alumni relations professionals are prepared to carry out their roles and responsibilities as administrators of alumni engagement programs and volunteers in colleges of agriculture at land-grant institutions. The study sought to describe good practices for support, training, communication, and volunteer. Thirteen current alumni relations professionals in agriculture at land-grant institutions who are members of the National Alumni and Development Association (NAADA) were interviewed. Research Questions: 1. How do alumni directors administer alumni engagement programs and associated volunteers? 2. What skills should alumni directors bring to their positions upon employment? 3. How do alumni directors identify individuals or groups to connect to in order to accomplish their goals? 4. How do alumni directors identify and implement communications strategies to make successful connections to use with individuals and/or groups? 5. How do alumni directors continue to improve their skills and knowledge to meet their job expectations related to administering alumni engagement programs and associated volunteers? Participants who had the support of leadership, who arrived to their positions with at least some background working with volunteers, and those who were willing to try new tactics to engage volunteers illustrated success in the position. Communications, while a powerful tool for all alumni directors, was often a significant challenge. Participants who expanded their definition of "volunteer" beyond alumni to include faculty, staff, and students appeared to have better-developed strategies to engage, empower, and lead individuals. Participants who partnered with colleagues in academic programs were better positioned to engage students in programming, find student volunteers and interns to assist in their efforts, and create and maintain stronger connections as they become young alumni. Seven key good practices identified: 1. Familiarize with volunteer management models to understand how and why people are motivated to volunteer and develop skillsets and tactics to recruit, train, retain, and recognize volunteers 2. Empower volunteers to develop their own mission and goals, strategize their plan of work, and lead the execution of their programs and organization 4. Build collaborative partnerships across the team, college and university 5. Develop innovative approaches and partnerships to engage students 6. Expand professional development resources 7. Advocate for yourself and your program Participants were passionate and volunteer-centric, diligently working every day towards the mission and goals of the colleges they serve. But there is much work to be done to create an environment that is more supportive of them. Efforts should be made to help college and university leadership better understand the qualifications required for alumni relations positions, elevate alumni engagement and volunteers' impact, and provide more targeted professional development opportunities.

Around 2011, hybrid learning became an official delivery modality for education. Hybrid learning is defined as the blend of online and face-to-face learning. The ratio of that blend, however, is often defined by state and higher education standards. At Virginia Tech, ALCE 3624: Communicating Agriculture in Writing is a hybrid delivery undergraduate writing course. The purpose of this study was to explore the system of hybrid learning in this course at a land grant university. This research used a qualitative methodology with a case study approach. Data was collected via four different measures: cognitive maps, cognitive map narrations, fieldnotes, and a survey. These measures collected data regarding the role of the teacher, student, and technology within ALCE 3624: Comm Ag in Writing. This study found that the student experience of learning was affected by noteworthy course content and face-to-face interactions. Further, students connected the course content and interactions to future implications of the coursework, appreciating how differentiation of learning affect the overall experience. Further, the study found that intentional course design was critical in hybrid learning. Within course design, the value of face-to-face interactions, online learning, and the blend of online and face-to-face learning were key factors. Additionally, the importance of teacher relationships and feedback and implications for the future were also significant. Finally, the dynamics between the teacher and student were found to be influential to student growth, the learning process, and face-to-face interactions. These findings are expected to be helpful in furthering the understanding of hybrid learning as a delivery modality. Specifically, the implications for practice are helpful to understanding hybrid learning in higher education, especially regarding course design, relationship building, differentiation of materials and practices, and technology use and accessibility. The implications for research show that higher education needs a better understanding of the future of hybrid learning, delving into the complexities of the delivery across all subject matters. Further, there is a need for training for teaching hybrid learning courses. / Ph.D. / In recent history, there are two common course delivery methods in higher education: face-to-face and online. More recently, a third course delivery method called hybrid learning has developed. This delivery is defined as the blend of online and face-to-face learning. There are different rules about the ratio of the blend, depending upon the state and institution rules. At Virginia Tech, there is a course titled ALCE 3624: Comm Ag in Writing. This undergraduate writing course uses the hybrid delivery method. The purpose of this study was to better understand hybrid learning at a land grant university. This research used a qualitative methodology with a case study approach. Data was collected via four different measures: cognitive maps (drawing a response to a prompt), cognitive map narrations (providing a spoken explanation of the cognitive map content), fieldnotes (weekly reflections from the teachers of the course), and a survey (ten open-ended, free response questions aimed at understanding the student experience in the course). These measures collected data regarding the role of the teacher, student, and technology within ALCE 3624: Comm Ag in Writing. This study found that the student experience of learning was affected by coursework they found to be meaningful, face-to-face interactions during class, the future applications of what was being learning, and different ways of learning. Course design was also highlighted as a critical aspect of hybrid learning. Results showed that face-to-face interactions, online learning, and the blend of online and face-to-face learning were important to effectively designing a hybrid learning course. Additionally, the importance of positive relationships with the teacher, regular feedback on completed assignments, and implications for the future were noted. Finally, the dynamics between the teacher and student were found to be influential to students in their understanding of course content. These findings are expected to be helpful in furthering the understanding of hybrid learning as a delivery modality in higher education. Specifically, the implications for practice are helpful to understanding how hybrid learning can be used in higher education, especially regarding course design, relationship building, different types of materials and practices, and technology use and accessibility. The implications for research can help to provide a better understanding of the future of hybrid learning in higher education and land grants, as well as training for hybrid learning courses.