Purpose: To develop a greater sensitivity among students, faculty and stakeholders about the inextricable relationship between "agriculture" in its broadest context and human health, international and environmental concerns through a course that makes this connection, student exchanges with Mexican counterpart institutions and broadening stakeholder participation.
Process: Workshops and curriculum development, student participation in community and political process, establishment of advisory council for College of Agriculture and Human Sciences
Advisory Council for the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences met for the first time in late March, 1998. Participants were enthusiastic, motivated, and involved. Of the 20 invited (all of whom agreed to be on the council), eleven were able to attend. The dean, Dr. Charles DeYoung, addressed the group and observed briefly during the day. Dr. Delmy Salin also spent part of the day with the group. The group generated a list of "what could or should the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences at TAMU-K be doing to be the best possible College of Agriculture and Human Sciences?" Members felt especially strong that the curriculum and programs in the college should emphasize international issues, that mentoring was important for students, and that the college should develop and emphasize unique strengths. The dean will be reporting back to the group in early September about those things in the list already engaged in by the college in some way. The Advisory Council will meet again on September 19, 1998 to explore the mission for the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences.
Agricultural and Human Sciences Awareness week was held April 20- 24, 1998. Each day, a different group or discipline in the college had exhibits outside the Student Union Building in the mall area. To persuade passersby to view displays and learn, quizzes were distributed, the answers to which could be found in the information associated with the displays. The incentive to take the quiz was prizes donated by local merchants that could be won through a drawing held of all correct quizzes. Frank Escobedo from the Kleberg-Kenedy County Extension Office organized school visits by local schools and Jon Perez from the Texas Department of Agriculture had a booth and distributed materials to the school children and college students. A survey was handed out to participants every day and responses tallied by each day. Overall, for the week as a whole, the results to the question "As a result of your attendance at this event have you increased your understanding of food systems, agriculture, and human sciences?" using a scale of 1-5 (1=not at all, 3=somewhat, 5=alot) were as follows (n=274): 5.5% rated a 1, 5.5% rated a 2, 42.0% rated a 3, 20.4% rated a 4, and 26.6% rated a 5. Attendees were also asked what they found most interesting and what suggestions they would make. Responses were constructive as well as amusing. Comments provided by attendees were supportive and constructive and will be useful as we expand and improve this activity. The local ABC network affiliate sent a reporter out and the event was featured in a very well done piece on the dinnertime evening news. The reporter spoke with other faculty and will be doing followup stories about their particular programs.
Students are organizing a Student Advisory Council to serve as a liaison among student groups to build student participation in cocurricular and extracurricular activities, to advise the administration about appropriate matters, and build the college in areas like mentoring and recruiting.
Ten students from TAMU-Kingsville and 2 faculty joined forces with students and faculty from Tarleton State University for a 10 day agribusiness study tour of Mexico. The group spent 1 day in the Nuevo Laredo area where they were addressed by people with expertise in agribusiness matters in Mexico and related border issues. The group toured quarantine pens and explored livestock import-export issues with guest speakers. During the 2 days in Monterrey, stops included the recently opened HEB superstore, lectures on Mexican agriculture and agribusiness at Monterrey Tech University including a visit to the university farm. Other stops included a private wild bird rehabilitation sanctuary, a world class equitation center which holds Grand Prix competitions, and a meat processing plant. On the way to Cuidad Victoria, the group toured the Linares Experimental Ranch Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. In the Cd. Victoria area, sisal production from plantation to harvest to processing into rope was experienced. Other plantations producing other crops such as mangoes, aloe vera, and agave (tequila) were also visited. Once in the Tampico area (4 days of the tour), the group visited an animal/rangeland experiment station, a modern USDA quality slaughterhouse, and numerous cattle ranches. The group was treated to a charreada and visited the Asociacion Mexicana de criadores de cebu (Zebu Mexican Breeders Association). The tour was rewarding and exhausting, the group started at dawn and went till well after dark. Dr. Tony Hinojosa served as tour director and guide and Dr. Ashley Lovell assisted and organized events. Students wrote papers about their experiences and were effusive about the experiences they had with 4 students expressing strong interest in either attending college in Mexico or working there or both.
Food Systems Professions - AGSC 4395
Course objectives: Students should make the connection between production agriculture (livestock and crops), agricultural education, agribusiness, and the human sciences with healthy, happy children and a healthy environment
Key components of course: Service learning, participation in political processes (campus, community, state, national), conflict management/resolution and case studies, budget analysis for College, critical thinking/creative problem solving
Earth Day (April 1996)
A symposium entitled "Agriculture and Foods Systems: Striving for Environmental Success" was held on April 22. Attendees viewed the video "Diet for a New America" and listened to faculty panel response to assertions made in video. The symposium was held on campus and attended by students, faculty, staff and was open to the Kingsville community (n=35). The purpose was to increase awareness and understanding of agriculture's/food system's role in environmental issues and the need to respond to the public image of agriculture. Students had conversations and questions for days following the symposium on issues raised.
World Food Day and Hunger Awareness Month (October, 1996)
Activities were held on campus and involved participation by university students (n=6) and high school students (n=20) who attended the internationally televised interactive teleconference and participated in a community food needs assessment. The purpose of the activities was to aid participants in recognizing the need for grass roots efforts to address the issue of hunger and food security in the local community. A curriculum from Food Industry Campaign Against Hunger was used with the high school class which did a food drive for the Food Bank and linkage was formed between project and Food Bank of Corpus Christi.
Food Bank of Corpus Christi (October 1996-present)
Component Director, Doreen Kinkel, has been actively involved with the Board of Directors of the Food Bank of Corpus Christi, Executive Director, and staff (n=6-15) holding visioning activities using two students as cofacilitators. The activities helped to determine mission direction for the Food Bank and possible adoption of a new mission and served to strengthen linkage between project and Food Bank. The Food Bank ultimately made significant revisions in their mission statement.
Beach Retreat (March 1997)
Students from TAMU-Kingsville attended a statewide student Food Systems Professions conference (n=100+). The intention was to initiate action on campuses and form linkages with other institutions. An outcome of the Beach Retreat was Agriculture and Human Sciences Awareness Week on the TAMU-K campus totally student conceived, designed, organized, and executed.
Agriculture and Human Sciences Awareness Week (April 1997)
The campus and Kingsville community were invited to attend (n=150+) to see displays inside and outside the Student Union and to learn about agriculture and human sciences affect on and role in daily life. This led to increased understanding and awareness of the importance and sophistication of agriculture and human sciences. Results of surveys completed by attendees indicated a significant impact on awareness. Students became empowered and found they could organize and hold a significant event and receive recognition from higher administration.
Earth Day Symposium (April 1997)
A symposium was held on the campus (n=14). Attendees viewed a video about the W. K. Kellogg Food Systems Professions Education initiative, listened to student presentations about how agriculture and human sciences are or can address environmental issues. The effort sought to increas understanding and awareness of the actions being taken and the potential in agriculture/human sciences to improve the environment.
Organizational Needs Assessment for Food Bank of Corpus Christi (January 1997-May 1997)
An organization needs assessment was conducted by the component director, Doreen Kinkel for the Board of Directors of the Food Bank and selected agencies of the Food Bank. Agencies participated in an assessment of operations as related to serving clients and organizational policies regarding clients. The primary purpose was to determine the current level of sensitivity to client issues to provide a data base to develop programs to work with agencies.
Community Food Needs Assessment (April 1997)
A randomly selected group of citizens of the Kingsville community (n=25) were contacted by telephone to participate in a community food needs assessment. This provided information about the extent of knowledge about what is available in the community to meet people's food needs and what an individual can do about it. The results of the assessment will provide guidance for the "next steps." People surveyed expressed concern for the community and the need to do more. Results provide encouragement for the project to get more information and develop programs.
Courses/Curriculum Legislative Project (1995-present)
Students in senior level nutrition/nutritional biochemistry class (n=20+ each semester) act as legislative assistants in preparing a report in response to constituent concerns related to agriculture/food systems. This assists students in becoming more responsive to public and policy-makers and improves skills writing for a "different" audience. Student feedback has been highly encouraging, students see the application to the "real world" and the need for being responsive.
Food Systems Professions Course (Fall 1997)
Agriculture and human sciences students (n=10) enrolled in AGSC 4395. These
students are being prepared to become catalysts for change in food systems
professions education. In deriving a mission statement for class, two
descriptors for students in class were "pioneers of change" and "influential
force"
The picture above was taken at the Hunger Awareness Banquet held November 19, 1997, hosted by students in the Food Systems Professions Education class. The person in the foreground is the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Dr. Charles A. DeYoung, next to him is the Department Chair of the Human Sciences Department, Dr. Janice Van Buren, the rest are faculty and other invited guests. The reason they are sitting on the floor is because the number they drew when they came into the dinner put them into the lowest socioeconomic class and they were to experience conditions like nearly 60% of the people in the world experience. They were served a boiled potato and "muddy" water out of a common container. Those who drew numbers in the middle economic group were served chili and corn muffins, those in the privileged 15% upper economic group ate turkey and gravy, and all the trimmings. It was quite an experience for them and us!