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INVESTIGATOR: Johnson, A. B.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
Central State University
1400 Brush Row Rd.
Wilberforce, OHIO 45384

INCREASING STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: College of Science and Engineering at Central State University proposes to use an integrated approach to increasing student enrollment by 30% annually. With a combined effort of our College's academic, extension, and research staff, we propose to: 1) empower the 4-H Youth development program to engage limited-resource communities and assist youth with the appropriate life and career choices in agriculture and life science, 2) develop an academic outreach program to increase student enrollment in agriculture and life sciences, and 3) develop strategies to retain students in the College. To achieve our goal, we will conduct workshops, meetings and programs with parents of high school students; conduct in-service trainings for high school agriculture and science teachers; host FFA Career Development Events; teach K-12 life skills and career choices; conduct high school summer programs; and establish intrusive advisement and early intervention for enrolled at-risk students in the College. With these activities, we will be able to develop relationships with the agriculture and science teaches; establish a collegiate FFA chapter; targeted parents and students will be aware of the academic programs in the College; and enrolled at-risk students will be aware of university services that will help them keep focused in their pursuit of academic excellence. We propose to institutionalize this project into a program, so that our capacity will be enhanced in developing the human capital that will contribute to the agricultural and STEM related workforce of the United States.

OBJECTIVES: The overall goal is to increase student enrollment in the College of Science and Engineering. The following three objectives will enhance our ability to accomplish the above goal: 1) Empower the 4-H and Youth Development program to engage limited-resource communities and assist youth with appropriate life career choices in agriculture and human sciences, 2) Develop and academic outreach program to increase student enrollment in agriculture and human sciences, and 3) Implement strategies to retain students in the College.