By Donald Stotts

Alumni and professional organizations have given their input, the Board of Regents has voted and the third-largest academic department in Oklahoma State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Sciences now has a new name.

“Our new name - the department of agricultural education, communications and leadership - more accurately describes our primary academic majors and areas of scholarship,” said James L. Leising, head of what was previously called the department of agricultural education, communications and 4-H youth development.

The department has an enrollment of nearly 300 undergraduate students and more than 60 graduate students. In the college, only the departments of animal science and agricultural economics have larger enrollments.

Leising said modifying the name will enable students, staff, faculty, stakeholders and the public to more easily identify the academic teaching, research and service programs associated with the department.

A 4-H youth development administrative unit is maintained within the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and provides identity and support for the statewide 4-H program.

“4-H has a presence in every department in OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, plus having 4-H be part of one academic department’s name was confusing to some people who wanted to contact the State 4-H Office,” said Charles Cox, State 4-H Program leader.

The department also works closely with FFA and other youth development organizations, none of which were listed in the previous name.

Input was solicited from the Oklahoma Agricultural Education Teachers Association, Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development Extension Educators organization and OSU agricultural communications graduates regarding a name change for the academic department.

“Generally, all agreed that the words ‘agricultural education, communications and leadership’ needed to be in the department name,” Leising said.

Leising said the rationale for “agricultural education” being listed first was based on the department’s large number of agricultural education alumni and graduates, as well as the visibility of the stakeholder group throughout Oklahoma.

“The meaning of ‘agricultural education’ is broad and includes both formal and informal education in agriculture,” Leising said. “Agricultural education has been part of the university’s focus since 1920. All of society is affected by our food and fiber industries, and the ways in which we use land are becoming increasingly important to greater numbers of individuals, communities, organizations and governments.”

Approximately 140 undergraduate students are currently enrolled in OSU's agricultural education academic program. Some students have double majors, which are available in animal science, agricultural economics and horticulture.

“During the past five years, 70 percent of our agricultural education graduates took teaching jobs and the other 30 percent took jobs in corporate agriculture, Cooperative Extension, sales or banking,” Leising said. “The combination of broad-based agricultural knowledge and people skills that form the basis of our agricultural education program is attractive to a variety of professions and employers.”

Agricultural communications, with roots going back to the first agricultural journalism class offered at OSU in 1927, experienced significant and rapid growth as a major in the 1990s. OSU’s agricultural communications curriculum prepares students for a variety of jobs ranging from photography, newspaper and magazine writing, Web design and public relations to radio and television broadcasting, advertising and sales.

“Our agricultural communications academic program today is one of the largest and best in the nation, with more than 150 students enrolled and a recent graduate program created,” Leising said. “The OSU chapter of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow has won more national ACT awards than any other chapter in the nation.”

Agricultural leadership is an emerging academic program of great importance to the department, the college and the division.

“Effective leadership is one of the major factors critical to the revitalization and development of rural America,” said Robert E. Whitson, vice president of OSU agricultural programs and dean and director of the division. “The agricultural leadership program prepares graduates who work in agricultural organizations, government agencies and businesses to manage human and physical resources effectively.”

OSU’s agricultural leadership teaching program offers students the opportunity to earn either a major or minor in agricultural leadership education.

“We expect our graduates to be leaders in their organizations and communities,” Whitson said. “By providing academic knowledge about leadership, our graduates will have a better chance to succeed in their chosen careers and affect others’ lives in a positive way.”