A&M-Commerce Receives Grant for Agricultural Dual Credit Courses

Texas A&M University-Commerce Agricultural Science faculty, Dr. Jackie Wahrmund, Ms. Erin Fortenberry, and Dr. Robert Williams, are partnering with agricultural and food science teachers from local school districts to plan, develop, pilot and promote two Agricultural Courses for Dual Credit (AC/DC). The project stems from a $200,000 grant awarded to the university by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The project will utilize a combination of university-delivered web-based instruction and laboratory instruction by cooperating teachers on each secondary campus.

“Once tested through this project, the innovative AC/DC model of course development, delivery, promotion and support will be easily adopted and replicated by other institutions,” said Dr. Robert Williams, project director and associate professor of agricultural sciences. “It appears that A&M-Commerce is the first university in Texas to pursue the development and delivery of agricultural courses for dual credit.”

Funding for the program will be used to support curriculum planning and development, orientation of teachers from secondary campuses, dissemination of products and evaluation. The first schools participating in this program include South Garland, Kemp, and Sam Rayburn high schools. Planning and development for the program will begin in 2014, with pilot course testing beginning in 2015.

“This project will expand the potential number of students enrolling in university agricultural courses and hopefully strengthen the informal recruiting network that already exists between the School of Agriculture and high school Ag programs,” said Williams.

To learn more about the Agricultural Science program, visit https://www.tamuc.edu/academics/colleges/scienceEngineeringAgriculture/departments/agriculturalSciences/default.aspx.