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Dean outlines plan to grow Eastern's agriculture programs to 150–200 students
Summary
Eastern Oklahoma State College's agriculture dean presented a strategic plan to expand programs including agronomy, horticulture, forestry and meats, setting an enrollment goal of 150–200 students over 3–5 years and highlighting recent competition success and a proposed forestry grant.
Dean Rene' McCracken reported to the Board of Regents that enrollment in agriculture programs has been "relatively flat," moving from about 95 students in the fall to roughly 98–99 in the spring, and laid out a plan to expand the division.
McCracken said her priorities include growth in agronomy, horticulture, forestry and wildlife offerings; expansion of the stocker cattle and meats programs; submission of a forestry-related grant proposal; and emphasis on workforce-aligned certificates tied to direct job placement pathways. She established a goal of increasing enrollment to "150–200 students," with an estimated timeline of about 3–5 years while acknowledging external factors could extend that timeline.
The dean described recruitment tactics to reach that goal: increased campus-hosted contests and events to bring prospective students to campus, more outreach to high schools through faculty engagement, and use of agriculture ambassadors to support recruitment. She also stressed strengthening industry partnerships and advisory boards to create clearer workforce pipelines.
Board members acknowledged the strategy and noted the meats judging team's recent national victory as a positive indicator of program quality and recruitment appeal. The Board offered its support for efforts to build a "destination" agriculture program and encouraged continued focus on retention and direct-employment pathways.
