KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In an agreement between the University of Tennessee Herbert College of Agriculture and UT Extension, which oversees the statewide Tennessee 4-H Program, senior level 4-H students can now apply for college credit in 10 project areas, according to the UT Institute of Agriculture.
The new program was announced on July 19 at the annual 4-H Roundup. The Roundup is a five-day event where seniors present their project portfolios to panels of experts who judge the presentations and effort surrounding their projects.
The top-tier projects in certain categories earn students scholarships. The currently approved projects represent coursework in the Department of Animal Science or the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
"I am more than thrilled to be able to announce this new collaboration between our Herbert College of Agriculture and UT Extension," said Carrie Castille, Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the UT Institute of Agriculture. "I believe this is the first time that the dedication and in-depth knowledge of our 4-H'ers have been recognized on the college level."
"Of course, the students must reach certain benchmarks within each project," said Ashley Stokes, Dean of UT Extension. "We are working to add to the number of projects for which students can receive credit, but we must ensure the academic integrity of each college course and ensure that the 4-H project objectives and accomplishments line up with the college course requirements."
Stokes expects the college credits to be available at the start of the fall semester.