Evaluating the Poultry Science Summer Institute (PSSI) as a Recruitment Tool for High School Students from North Carolina Counties to Enter the Prestage Department of Poultry Science 1

The constant rise in consumption of poultry products within the United States has resulted in increased career opportunities within the poultry industry. However, currently there are not enough graduates to fill the available positions. The cause may be associated with the increased competitiveness for university admissions or unawareness of many opportunities in poultry science. To address this need and increase the awareness, the Prestage Department of Poultry Science started the Poultry Science Summer Institute (PSSI), a five-day overnight camp for high school students. During their stay, the students were given the opportunity to learn about genetics, reproductive physiology, avian anatomy, poultry processing, and feed milling. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rate of return of students who participated in the PSSI summer camp and then entered the NCSU four-year poultry science program or the two-year Agriculture Institute (AGI) program from 2008 through 2014. During this time, the number of PSSI alumni who pursued a degree in poultry science from the Prestage Department of Poultry Science ranged from 10% to 31%. The overall average of participants entering the Prestage Department of Poultry Science four-year program was 19.35%, while an additional 7.74% entered the two-year program. Overall, the PSSI camp has increased the exposure of high school students to the poultry science department and potential career opportunities within the poultry science field.