There are many benefits to being involved in a school-based agricultural education program (SBAE). Engagement of students in SBAE programs provides students with a milieu of opportunities; as such, it is imperative to determine strategies for recruitment and retention that are impactful. Research surrounding the recruitment and retention of SBAE…

Given the shortage of agriculture teachers across the country, understanding individuals' motivation to pursue a career in teaching agricultural education is critical to developing strategies for teacher recruitment and teacher education. Several studies have investigated factors that motivate preservice and in-service agriculture teachers to…

Demand exists for a workforce with graduate degrees in agricultural and environmental sciences. However, research on effective graduate student recruitment into colleges of agricultural and environmental sciences (CAES) is limited. Prospective graduate students consider distinctive factors when selecting an institution, necessitating further…

Agricultural and natural resource leadership development programs are designed to build leadership capacity amongst emergent and established leaders within the industry. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of leadership development program participants and to propose a conceptual framework within which to…

Effective recruitment initiatives for underrepresented student populations interested in pursuing degrees in agricultural-related sciences have the potential to diversify colleges of agriculture while also increasing enrollment. In the current study, we used a qualitative case study approach to examine the effectiveness of the recruitment…

Universities often overlook prospective graduate students--significant contributors to research productivity--as an audience requiring strategic recruitment communication. Uses and gratifications theory posits audiences intentionally select specific communication channels to fulfill self-actualization needs. Therefore, the purpose of this study…

Extension program assistants' turnover intention is a key indicator of human resource development practice and overall effectiveness of organizational leadership. We used a survey design with four instruments to investigate the factors that influenced 149 Ohio State University Extension program assistants' turnover intention. The data showed…

In an effort to measure the influence of an immersive recruitment event, we sought to evaluate high school students' perceptions toward university climate before and after engaging in a day-long event hosted as part of National Teach Ag Day. The Inviting School Survey-Revised (ISS-R) was administered via paper and pencil when the students arrived…

The shortage of teachers in Illinois is reflective of a recent trend where agricultural education graduates of in-state post-secondary institutions have not met the need for the number of available teaching positions. The retirement of the many teachers from the Baby Boomer generation is looming over the profession, making recruitment efforts…

This case study outlines an appreciative inquiry approach to program reform using an agricultural teacher education program at a land-grant university that had begun to suffer from a large decline in student enrollment. Documents were analyzed that provided recommendations toward a master plan for reform made by 23 key agents based on their…

University graduates are entering a workforce where global competencies are important; yet, a vast majority graduate with limited international educational experience. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to describe themes of international educational experiences currently being offered to students of agricultural leadership,…

Agriculture continues to struggle to find enough qualified students to advance the industry. Thus, recruiting practice improvement is imperative. This study assessed the efficacy of message strategies, message channels, recruiting materials, and messages for recruiting students into an academic program with low enrollment. Focus groups were…

This qualitative study utilized focus group interviews of secondary Illinois agricultural education teachers to investigate the continuing problem of student recruitment into teacher preparation pro-grams of agricultural education. Using signal theory, image theory and person-organization fit theory, the researchers identified five themes relating…

This descriptive-correlational study examined the personal factors that may affect the self-determination of 110 freshmen who have elected to enroll in an urban agriculture program. The personal factors, termed the motivational profile, consisted of influences in the decision to enroll in the program, the student's type of motivation to attend the…

This study analyzed Texas secondary agricultural education teachers' (n = 232) attitudes toward diversity inclusion in Texas secondary agricultural education programs. Using a web-based questionnaire, the researcher employed a nonproportional stratified random sampling technique. Researchers used descriptive statistics to report demographic and…