Date of Graduation

5-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Animal Science

Advisor/Mentor

Thomas, Lauren

Committee Member/Reader

Miller, Jefferson

Committee Member/Second Reader

Yancey, Janeal

Abstract

Having and maintaining good leadership skills should be an important way of life for most college students. As these individuals search for their first jobs and employment outside of the university experience, many businesses and employers will utilize these leadership traits and officer positions within specific clubs and organizations to select who to extend a job offer. Many student associations which place their focus on animals, both agriculturally raised livestock and companion animals, take pride in the skills and proficiencies they teach their members. This study utilized a survey of both multiple choice and Likert Scale styled questions in order to determine if there was any correlation between owning and raising companion and livestock animals and possessing leadership skills. This survey was administered to 324 University of Arkansas students seeking various college majors and of multiple ages. The results were then run through the SAS analysis programs in order to determine if there is a significant difference in the strength of perceived leadership practices between students who raised strictly companion animals, those who raised both companion and livestock animals, and those who did not raise any animals at all. Analysis was also run in order to determine if there was a relationship between the types of animals raised or not raised and the amount of leadership officer positions held by the students, the level of involvement with these animals and the leadership positions held, and to see if there was any correlation between the majors involved in the survey and the number of leadership positions they have held. Analysis of variance between the groups of students and the mean scores for each of the five leadership practices showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in four out of five of the practices. However, one practice, Enabling Others to Act, did show significant difference (P < 0.05). The results for the chi-square test between the groups of animals raised and the number of officer positions held showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), as did the results for the chi-square test between level of involvement with each type of animal (companion and both companion and livestock) and the amount of officer positions held. The final chi-square test between the indicated major in college and the amount of officer positions held showed no significant difference (P > 0.05).

Keywords

leadership; animal ownership; companion animals; livestock animals; students

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