Improve Undergraduate Student Access and Success
2022 Strategic Initiative - Focus Area for the NC Agricultural Foundation, Inc.
![Student smiling on campus](https://calsboards.cals.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/114/2022/06/ImproveUndergradStudentAccessSuccessPage.png)
Overview
The USDA forecasts annual demand for college graduates in the agriculture and food industries at 57,900. American agricultural colleges are only producing 35,400 graduates a year. We need to increase the number of graduates in our 4-year degree programs by 1.5 to 2 percent a year and add 90 students to our 2-year degree programs to meet the needs of our state.
Key Takeaways
- Traditional Freshman Admission – the most competitive path for students is traditional freshman admission
- Spring Semester Admission – this new program is largely targeting our under-enrolled degree programs in the crop and soil sciences, horticulture, plant biology, poultry science and others.
- Hands on, 2-Year Degrees – we recognize not all students need or want a 4-year degree to start their career in agriculture. NC State’s Agricultural Institute provides career-ready students a hands-on technical education through a variety of 2-year associate degrees.
- Community College Partnerships – we are expanding our community college partnerships, increasing the number of community colleges with 1+3 and 2+2 admission paths to CALS.
- CALS Nominate a Student – we want successful students in CALS. If you know a student who would be a good fit for CALS, tell us and we’ll contact them and help them apply.
Opportunities
- Help spread the word about the pathways to CALS for undergraduate students and the “CALS Nominate a Student” program.
- Support for the CALS Scholars Program helps us attract the best and brightest students who are passionate about agriculture and the life sciences to CALS. The program provides four-year scholarships awarded based on academic accomplishments, financial need and leadership potential.
- Gifts of every size and type matter. Your gifts, especially when combined with gifts from other donors, change lives.