University of Idaho Agricultural Education, Leadership, and Communications

By Jake Smith A 2-year-old named Ryder Coats is the reason a nationally recognized Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athlete sits in University of Idaho’s distance education classrooms in Boise. That athlete, Mitch Coats, said having Ryder made him think about how he could set an example to invest in the future and build a strong work ethic for his son. Coats said that is why he decided to take on a heavy workload as a full-time student in UI’s Agriculture Extension Education program in the Treasure Valley, studying agricultural science, communication, and leadership through the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.  His degree is part of the of the 2+2 masticulation program between College of Western Idaho (CWI) and UI, in which students attend two years at CWI and transfer to a distance education program to attain their four-year degree from UI.  The 35-year old said the demands of raising a child and attending school full-time are matched by the ...

CALS student researches national FFA coaching styles Bret Kindall stepped away from seven generations of family beekeeping to discover his own path in life. At the University of Idaho, he found a passion for agricultural education through an undergraduate research project. Kindall, a sophomore in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) studying agricultural education and horticulture, wants to understand how FFA coaches can impact the success of students in competitions. His research over the past three months has included data from nearly 1,500 surveys of high school students and FFA coaches. He said his past experience winning a national FFA competition in floriculture provided valuable background for this research. Kindall says his project will influence his own coaching techniques when he becomes an FFA coach, but it also may impact how future agricultural education teachers are trained.  Agricultural and Extension Education assistant professor Jer...