Increasing the Number of Minority Food Inspectors Through Mentoring and Career-Oriented Experiential Learning at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This proposed enhancement of programs in Regulatory Science, Animal Sciences and, Food Service Management, and Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) will recruit, mentor, and train students for a Federal Food Inspector positions. Included in the training are: 1.) individualized mentoring by faculty with expertise in food safety and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) mentors, and 2.) career-oriented experiential learning obtained by serving two mandatory internships with the USDA/FSIS prior to college graduation. The academic programs will be enhanced with an additional course in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, guest-speaker lectures, and internships in plants. These experiences will advance the scholars' career placement as Federal Food Inspectors to protect the nation's food supply, public health, and food biosecurity. The internships with FSIS will allow students to complete the 640 hours required for noncompetitive placement into full-time Federal Food Inspector positions. Tuition assistance in the form of scholarships will be provided to the Federal Food Inspector scholars for 3 years toward graduation. This project will strengthen the 2004 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed upon by UAPB and USDA/FSIS to recruit food inspectors. This teaching proposal will address Program Priority Area #1 with emphasis area of Food Safety. The Teaching Project's Program Need Areas (Discipline Code EP.G) addressed include (v) Student Experiential Learning and (vi) Student Recruitment and Retention. This project will support USDA Strategic Goal 3: "Enhance Protection and Safety of the Nation's Agriculture and Food Supply" by fostering qualified Food Inspectors who will contribute to protection of the nation's food supply. The results of the proposed project are: 1) The improvement in the learning and the enhancement of academic performance of students due to exposure to visuals and practical laboratory classes, training in ServSafer and HACCP (with award of nationally recognized certificates), and participation in internships during the course of study; 2) An increase in the number of minority students enrolled in the School of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Human Sciences (SAFHS) ; 3) An increase in the number of minorities enrolled in FSIS internships; 4) An increase in the awareness of Federal Food Inspector profession and increased number of minorities from UAPB applying for jobs as a Food Inspector. Measurable outcomes will included an overall increase in the number of students in the SAFHS before and after the program, the increase retention rate of students in SAFHS, the higher Grade Point Average (GPA) of students enrolled in Federal Food Inspector program as compared with other students in the SAFHS, the higher graduation rate of students participating in the program, the increased number of minority students from UAPB participating in internships with FSIS, and an increase in the number of minority from UAPB applying and getting jobs with FSIS as a Food Inspector. <P>APPROACH: 1. Recruitment of qualified underrepresented students: Recruitment of candidates will be conducted at the freshman level in the School of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Human Sciences (SAFHS). Application forms will be sent to all the 1st year freshmen (who have completed a semester of classes) at the beginning of the fall semester by the secretary of the project. Candidates will apply using completed application forms or online. Selection of the candidates will be done during fall, and the scholars will be informed of their selection before the beginning of the spring semester. At the beginning of the program, ten sophomores (recruited as freshmen in fall 2008) will be enrolled in the program and will be mentored until they are hired as Federal Food Inspectors. Scholars entering the program must have a 3.0 GPA. Gender equality will be taken into consideration for selection. If needed, ACT score and high school participation in science will be considered. Advertisement of the program will be conducted at local high schools and summer recruitment events at UAPB by advisors and scholars. Contacts and website will be provided to the interested high-school students. Also, summer workshops held at UAPB, including the Summer Science Institute, and the Bridges program, will be used as forums for advertisement. <P>2. Mentoring of Scholars: The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is proud of its slogan "Education with a Personal Touch". This is a reality at UAPPB where students are advised according to their specific needs. This type of individualized mentoring and advisement will be applied in this project. The ratio of students/mentor will be at most 3 students per mentor. Once accepted, scholars should enroll as full-time students and maintain a GPA of 3.0. In addition, they will sign an agreement stating that they will complete the project. Moreover, the scholars are required to take at least 12 semester hours of science courses to qualify for Federal Inspector positions. All the selected academic majors satisfied this requirement (See curricula attached). Another requirement is the completion of the HACCP short-course to become certified in HACCP during the senior year. The liaison person with FSIS will be in continuous contact with the agency and will make sure that scholars take advantage of annual internship opportunities. Candidates will be required to spend 320 hours (8 weeks) of internships after the sophomore year and another 320 hours after the Junior year with a USDA-supervised slaughter plant. The locations of internships will depend on the availability of FSIS employees who will serve as mentors. Upon completion of the internship, students will be asked to write a report. The accomplishment of two internships will provide the scholars with the required 640 hours of internships required for him/her to convert to full-time positions as a Federal Food Inspectors without competition. Finally, on an annual basis, guest speakers knowledgeable of the profession of Federal Food Inspector (academia as well as USDA-FSIS experts) will be invited to lecture scholars on various topics in food safety and on the profession of Federal Food Inspector.