Contributions Of Agricultural Education, FFA, And 4-H to Student Leadership In Agricultural Colleges

Abstract

University administrators have questioned the value of FFA and 4-H to agricultural colleges. Student leadership may be one unforeseen value of these organizations. FFA and 4-H have proclaimed to develop high levels of leadership in youth. To date, little research exists on the leadership outcomes of students who have participated in FFA and 4-H. Research presented in this paper identifies undergraduate student leaders in an agricultural college, delineates their prior leadership training and participation in high school activities, and proposes relationships between involvement in FFA and 4-H and undergraduate student leadership in a land-grant college of agriculture. The population studied in this research was undergraduate positional leaders (n=167) in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Florida. Findings indicated that student leaders, one-third of which were former FFA members, were involved in a variety of high school leadership organizations. Student leaders across the college served in an average of 1.45 offices and participated in 2.36 organizations. Former FFA and 4-H members held more offices and participated in more organizations than non-FFA and non-4-H members.