In 1971, the decision was made by the College of Agriculture and Cornell Cooperative Extension, upon the recommendation of the University Senate, to initiate a new program called the Agricultural Manpower Project. Karen Tobin (Hanson) was hired as the first director and it was based in Wayne County. In 1972, under the direction of David Dik, the program was renamed the Wayne County Special Migrant project. Stephen P. Johnson and Herbert J. Engman were hired as youth specialists, and in 1977 the three men left the project, which became part of the Rural Economic and Social Development Program of the Department of Rural Sociology.
In 1979 the program was transferred to the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and renamed the Cornell Migrant Program. Engman became the director and Kay Embrey became the Wayne County office director in 1980. Kathy (Fox) Castania was hired in 1981 and she and Embrey founded the Wayne Action for Racial Equality. For the first years of the program all funding was provided by the College of Agriculture and Cornell Cooperative Extension. By the mid 1970's, grant money was being raised to expand programs. As of 1994, the financial support was divided between the College of Human Ecology, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell Cooperative Extension and grant money.
From the description of Cornell Migrant Program records, 1953-2005. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64692810
