Project Grant 20243882142036

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO DEVELOP THE INSTRUCTIONAL CAPACITY OF LANGSTON UNIVERSITY SHERMAN LEWIS SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE AND APPLIED SCIENCES (LU-SL/SAAS') NEW AGRIBUSINESS AND APPLIED ECONOMICS ACADEMIC PROGRAM TO ENHANCE STUDENTS' QUANTITATIVE AND ANALYTICAL COMPETENCIES WHILE EXPAND STUDENTS' POTENTIAL FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN FANH AND RELATED INDUSTRIES. THIS BROAD GOAL WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: (1) ENHANCE THE AGRIBUSINESS/APPLIED ECONOMICS UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM BY INCORPORATING INNOVATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES REGARDING AGRICULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DATA TREATMENT USING STATISTICS, QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS, AND ECONOMETRICS AND RELATED COURSES. (2) STRENGTHEN STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ACTIVITIES, PLACING PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON RECRUITMENT OF STUDENTS WITH QUANTITATIVE INCLINATIONS. (3) ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AGRIBUSINESS/APPLIED ECONOMICS RESOURCE CENTER TO PROVIDE TUTORING, MENTORSHIP AND TO FACILITATE REAL-WORLD EXPOSURE TO FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND BROAD AGRICULTURAL, FINANCIAL, AND ECONOMIC DATA. (4) FOSTER DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS' SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRIBUSINESS/APPLIED ECONOMICS THROUGH INTERNSHIPS AND OTHER EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THIS VAST PROGRAM UPGRADE IN SL/SAAS, WILL GIVE LU THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FANH PRACTITIONERS AND LEADERS WITH SPECIFIC AGRIBUSINESS/APPLIED ECONOMICS DISCIPLINARY TRAINING TO SUPPORT FOOD AND AGRICULTURE FROM PRODUCTION THROUGH CONSUMPTION AND, INDEED, SUPPORT PUBLIC POLICIES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AS AN 1890 LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITY, LU HAS THE MISSION TO HELP INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MINORITIES, PARTICULARLY AFRICAN AMERICANS, THAT ARE TRAINED IN AND ENTER THE FANH WORKFORCE. AFRICAN AMERICANS MAKE UP ONLY 5.6% OF THE AGRIBUSINESS/APPLIED ECONOMICS WORKFORCE, COMPARED TO OTHER RACIAL GROUPS, AND ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF INCOME EARNERS IN THE DISCIPLINE, MAKING $15,000-$24,000 LESS THAN ALL OTHER GROUPS. DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION IS A SOCIOECONOMIC GOOD AND IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE TANGIBLY TO COMMUNITIES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THROUGH VARIOUS AREAS, HOWEVER, MODERN SCIENTIFIC DATA-DRIVEN EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL.