The linkages between interventions and outcomes of leadership initiatives have been insufficiently studied. To better understand these links, the Virginia agricultural leadership program conducted a pathway mapping session to investigate the program's theory of change. In this novel process, program participants engaged in collaborative…

The study discussed in this article assessed the impact of Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) on the Virginia wine grape industry. An online survey was developed and administered to members of the Virginia Vineyards Association. The results indicate that the resources and recommendations VCE and Virginia Tech have provided have been beneficial…

This article investigates the effectiveness of a film-based assignment given to adult learners in a graduate-level group counseling class. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four students; data analysis suggested film-based assignments may promote deep approaches to learning (DALs). Participants indicated the assignment helped them…

The ability to evaluate and accurately articulate the outcomes associated with leadership development programs is critical to their continued financial and administrative support. With calls for outcome-based accountability, the need for rigorous evaluation is particularly relevant for those programs administered through the Cooperative Extension…

Though many experts argue that semester or year abroad study is the optimal path, short-term programs meet the needs of students who would not otherwise study abroad and can be effective at increasing intercultural competency. The present study describes one type of short-term program--the embedded faculty-led model--and provides evidence that…

Virginia's SHARP logger program is a Cooperative Extension program currently providing training to over 1,500 loggers, foresters, and others. We conducted a mail survey of SHARP loggers to characterize program participants, assess programming needs, and evaluate program effectiveness. Results indicate a diverse group of participants in terms of…

Students' perceptions and satisfaction with online learning courses have drawn a lot of attention from educational practitioners and researchers. However, an empirical study of perception and satisfaction with online learning is yet to be found in the hospitality area. Thus, this study addresses gaps in previous studies. This study was…

Telephone-survey data were gathered from parents and youth in five of America's largest and most distressed cities to estimate unmet demand for after-school programs. Unmet demand was conceptualized as a function of low utilization and dissatisfaction with one's current arrangement; furthermore, the authors argue that dissatisfaction must stem…

In 2004, immigrant-rich Annandale High School in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., launched a focused effort to bring more parents of students from immigrant families into school leadership. Nearly half of the parents of Annandale High students are immigrants to the United States--and they come from more than 80 different countries.…

The report is a one shot followup study of 128 secondary school students who had completed a health careers course at Jefferson High School in Roanoke, Virginia. The response rate was 87 percent. The former students were surveyed by questionnaire to determine the effectiveness of the program and to provide data relevant to program improvement. It…