Prior 4-H and FFA Involvement on TN Tech SOA Enrollment

Abstract

One hundred thirty (42% of total enrollment) randomly selected students in the School of Agriculture (SOA) completed a survey instrument designed to determine which factors impact their decision to attend Tennessee Tech and the SOA. More specifically, this section of the larger study aimed to determine the importance of prior involvement in 4-H and FFA and their decision to enroll in SOA. Students were asked how many years they participated in each of these organizations, and to rank the factors that influenced them to attend based on a Likert scale: 1 (no influence), 2 (little influence), 3 (some influence), 4 (influence), and 5 (high influence). Fifty-four percent of students surveyed were prior FFA members, with 80% responding that their agriculture education teacher had high influence on their decision to attend the SOA, followed by high influence from a friend (62%), family member (51%), and attendance at FFA State Convention (51%). Thirty-two percent of students surveyed were prior 4-H members, with 47% responding that their family had high influence on their decision to attend the SOA, followed by high influence from a 4-H agent (30%), 4-H club leader (19%), and 4-H Alumni (17%). As previously stated, the respondents represent 42% of total enrollment in SOA and the results indicate that both 4-H and FFA involvement played a significant role in their decision to attend Tennessee Tech. Current 4-H and FFA members should be targeted during future recruitment events.