An evaluation of undergraduate merit scholarships awarded by the University of Illinois College of Agriculture
Crinion, Penelope Gebhart
This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/23730
Description
Title
An evaluation of undergraduate merit scholarships awarded by the University of Illinois College of Agriculture
Author(s)
Crinion, Penelope Gebhart
Issue Date
1989
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Langston, Ira
Department of Study
Education, Higher
Discipline
Education, Higher
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ed.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Higher
Language
eng
Abstract
Problems of declining undergraduate enrollment and attracting higher ability students to careers in agriculture influenced resources allocated for merit scholarships by the University of Illinois College of Agriculture. This study was designed to examine and evaluate the relationship between the awarding of merit scholarships by that College and the College's undergraduate student enrollment. An examination of enrollment data and students' perceptions related to the awarding of merit scholarships provided a basis for assessing this relationship.
Enrollment data was gathered and compared for the five-year period prior to and the eight-year period following the 1979 initiation of the Jonathan Baldwin Turner Agricultural (JBT) Merit Scholarship program. Analysis of this data does not suggest that a significant positive relationship exists between the awarding of merit scholarships and the (a) total undergraduate enrollment or (b) total freshman higher ability enrollment in the College of Agriculture.
However, when University of Illinois College of Agriculture enrollment maintenance data on a subset of higher ability students were compared (JBT Merit Scholarship recipients versus non-recipients with comparable academic entry qualifications), a significant positive relationship was observed between the awarding of merit scholarships and the enrollment of this subset of higher ability students. Likewise, an examination of these students' perceptions gathered via mail survey suggests that there is a positive relationship between the awarding of merit scholarships and these students' decisions to (a) enroll in the College, (b) enroll in a major field of study related to a career in the food and agricultural industry, and (c) maintain enrollment in the College. Of the 1986 JBT Merit Scholarship recipients 24% who considered enrolling in other institutions and 13.6% who considered majors other than agriculture or home economics-related ones reported merit scholarship receipt to be the marginal factor influencing initial enrollment decisions.
Additional subjective data collected from JBT Merit Scholarship recipients indicates that the articulated benefits of scholarship receipt include (a) financial support, (b) recognition and motivation, (c) interpersonal and social opportunities, (d) college enrollment choices influence, and (e) advanced study and employment opportunities.
Use this login method if you
don't
have an
@illinois.edu
email address.
(Oops, I do have one)
IDEALS migrated to a new platform on June 23, 2022. If you created
your account prior to this date, you will have to reset your password
using the forgot-password link below.
