Interpersonal and Career Skills Gained from Competing on an Oklahoma State University Judging Team

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived impact Oklahoma State University (OSU) animal science judging programs have had on the development of interpersonal and career skills of former judging team members. The scope of this survey included the OSU animal science department's three core judging programs: livestock, meat, and horse evaluation teams. The population consisted of former OSU students who had participated on one of the-se OSU judging teams between 1948 and 2012 (N = 1,094). Due to framing error the accessible population included (N = 846) with a total of (n = 301; 35.6%) respondents. A mailed questionnaire based on an instrument developed by (Cavinder, Byrd, Franke, and Holub (2011) was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used in the methodology to describe interpersonal and career skill development as perceived by former judging team members.Former judging team members at OSU perceive interpersonal skill development through livestock, horse and meat judging teams to be effective. Through judging team participation at OSU, former judging team members learned to communicate verbally with others and gained confidence as leaders, in social situations and with authority figures while learning to be assertive, patient, prioritize task and goals, and work well with others. Former judging team mem-bers perceived communication and decision-making skills were important. Through judging team participation at OSU, former judging team members indicated they enhanced the skills needed for career development and for their current positions. The average judging team member at OSU is a male who competed on the live-stock judging team and whose current career field is in industry. He had four years of experience competing on an organized judging team prior to college and three years of collegiate judging team experience. For future research, subsequent studies regarding interpersonal skill development found through judging teams should continue to be conducted at OSU and every other university and community college with an animal science judging team program to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the activity.