Mississippi State University extension undergraduate apprenticeship program

The Mississippi State University Extension Undergraduate Apprenticeship Program was implemented in 2017 to give undergraduate juniors and seniors the opportunity to work one-on-one with an Extension mentor and explore careers in agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community resource development, or youth development, while participating in research and outreach activities that directly benefit Extension programs and community stakeholders. The program is rooted in the principles of mentoring adult learners in an organizational context. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model and the DEAL Model for Critical Reflection serve as the conceptual framework, whereby students engage in critical reflection to enhance their integrated research-and-outreach learning experience. An evaluation of the first two student cohorts (n=19) revealed a significant production of scholarship, an increase in discipline-specific knowledge, enhanced critical thinking and problem solving skills, a greater understanding and appreciation for Extension, and a desire to pursue related graduate studies.