459 New Ideas for Recruiting Horticultural Undergraduate Students

Abstract

For about 65 years, I have tried many ideas for recruiting horticultural students. Each has been effective to a limited extent, often involving much time in contacting vocational–agricultural schools and high school career advisors, making movies and slides, printing and distributing brochures, and designing and distributing displays at meetings. These continuing efforts are worthwhile and needed; however, I have found it easier, perhaps less expensive, and more effective, to recruit students already on campus. On college campuses, there are always a wealth of students still undecided on a major or minor, even in their senior year. The problem is to find a way to attract these students to stimulating experiences in horticulture and, at the same time, gain administrative credit for more undergraduates in departmental classes. Since 1990, the Univ. of Florida has been offering a 1-h credit “snack” course titled “Growing Fruits for Fun and Profit” at the noon hour two days a week in the spring and summer semesters. We serve the students a few fresh strawberries in that fruit is the topic, a big cookie or two, and a fruit drink. Enrollment has grown to a limited 300 students in spring and 80 students in summers—with a waiting list! We cover most fruits grown in Florida, with help of extension personnel specializing in the respective fruit and with the leader (Rebecca Darnell or me) offering a few of the 15 lectures. One session is a tour of the Univ. of Florida fruit plantings. Students are required to be present (given one absence) and keep a notebook. There are no exams. Students are graded on their attendance, notebooks, and attentiveness. One lecture from vegetables or ornamental faculty may be invited during the course. Most students get an A or B. For further attraction, 12 to 15 scholarships of $500 to $1500 are offered. We have been able to capture a few majors each year from students coming from across the campus.