Applied Economics Teaching Resources

an AAEA Journal

Agricultural and Applied Economics Association

Research Article

An Evaluation of Undergraduate Student Diversity Experiences in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University

Lonnie Hobbs(a), Jr., Zelia Z. Wiley(a), Raymond Thomas(a), Summer Santillana(a), and Andrew Barkley(a)
(a)Kansas State University

JEL Codes: A2, D63, D91
Keywords: Diversity, diversity experience, diversity programming, inclusion, student success

Publish Date: January 9, 2023
Volume 5, Issue 1

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Abstract

As diverse student populations increase in colleges of agriculture at Land-Grant universities, diversity experiences are critical to the academic and personal development of undergraduate students. At Kansas State University, where enrollment of nonwhite undergraduate students has increased from 8 percent (2008) to 12 percent (2022), proper understanding of the factors that affect experiences with diverse groups is vital to foster positive diversity experiences among students. This study applies an ordinary least square (OLS) regression estimation approach to identify and quantify the determinants of positive or negative diversity experiences for students enrolled in the College of Agriculture (COA) at Kansas State University. Data were collected in a survey during Fall 2020, with 359 observations included in the analysis. The period is unique due to the Covid-19 pandemic, causing the data to be particularly informative. The level of diversity experiences is found to be statistically associated with participation in diversity class activities and workshops, ethnic background, small-town background, degree being sought, and living situation. However, student diversity experience levels were relatively low. Overall, the results show that student diversity experiences could be increased through the implementation and promotion of diversity programming based on the determinants of diversity experiences identified in this study.

About the Authors: Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. is a PhD student and Research Assistant at Kansas State University. Zelia Z. Wiley is an Assistant Dean and Director of the College of Agriculture Diversity Office at Kansas State University. Raymond Thomas is a PhD student and Research Assistant at Kansas State University. Summer Santillana is a the Diversity Office Program Coordinator in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University. Andrew Barkley is a Professor and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Kansas State University (Corresponding author: barkley@ksu.edu).

Copyright is governed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA

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