March 1, 2011 - July 15, 2012
Builders of Men since 1928 ... Building on Tradition Building for the Future
New house opens in Fall 2012 at 305 S. Monroe
37,000 sq. ft. with capacity for 88 members
Oklahoma State Chapter UNDER CONSTRUCTION
FarmHouse Fraternity
Staff Cowboy Journal
Editors: Stephanie Bowen & Lisa Brown
Graphic Coordinators: Shae Kennedy & Molly Witzel
Photography Coordinators: Mitchell Alcala & Amy Harper
Sponsorship Coordinators: Krista Anderson & Brittney Wilson
Circulation Coordinator: Amanda Lanning
Staff:
Karolyn Bolay, Emily Grundy, Kaleb Summers, Dani Thompson, Caleb Wilds & Ashley Willis
Managing Editor: Shelly Peper Sitton
Assistant Managing Editors: Cindy Blackwell, Dwayne Cartmell & Tanner Robertson
Contributing Photographers: Loren Blake, Brian Carter, Todd Johnson, Sarah Lancaster, Lyndee Strader, Lisa Walgren & Paul Weckler
Photo Illustration (left): Amanda Lanning & Molly Witzel
Cover: Sophia Bonjour, Stillwater High School senior and concurrently enrolled OSU student, examines a tarantula at the Insect Adventure.
Photo by Mitchell Alcala
Inside this issue
IImplementing the skills developed within the past four years, Cowboy Journal staff members reached beyond expectations this semester resulting in a high-quality capstone class project. With the professional potential we see in our fellow classmates, we are proud to present this magazine to our future colleagues.
In preparation of cultivating strong, talented individuals entering the communications industry, our mentors, advisers and professors, Cindy Blackwell, Dwayne Cartmell, Tanner Robertson and Shelly Sitton, truly deserve our appreciation for the dedication they have to our education and future. Without their contributions, CJ would not be the award-winning magazine it has become.
As a new chapter in our lives begins, the knowledge gained from our alma mater will serve as the backbone for our future. We take our next step with John Wayne’s wise words, “Tomorrow hopes we have learned something from yesterday.”
DDay after day, students with disabilities navigate obstacles, just for a chance to further their education. Many times these daily obstacles go unnoticed to those who surround these students.
However, professors in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources reach out to all students, regardless of their academic challenges, to assist them in achieving their career goals while enhancing their experiences at Oklahoma State University.
“Students who enter into our college have the desire to be as self-reliant as possible,” said Ed Miller, associate dean of CASNR. “I think that is the nature of our college and the people from agricultural communities.”
Advocating is invaluable for students with disabilities, said Becky Poehling, who serves deaf students as a full-time interpreter for OSU Student Disability Services.
“Before attending college, these students had people wanting to ‘help’ them through life,” Poehling said.
However, at OSU this is less likely because college students are expected to be independent, Poehling added.
Some students face barriers most people simply cannot comprehend, Miller said. However, some CASNR faculty have children with disabilities and can use their experiences in class and as advisers.
“Many of us within CASNR have personal experience with children who have special needs and understand the additional help [students] may or may not need,” said Jerry Fitch, animal science professor, adviser and father of a 17-yearold autistic son.
Kyla Nabb, an agricultural education master’s student from Thomasville, Ga., said she found her professors receptive to her documented comprehension-retention disabilities.
“My professors and advisers really understand and know my limitations,” she said.
Traci Rutledge, a biochemistry and molecu-
lar biology freshman from Mooreland, Okla., who is paralyzed from the waist down because of a car accident in August 2009, said the CASNR faculty are friendly and understanding.
“One morning I woke up and a tire was flat on my wheelchair,” Rutledge said. “I e-mailed my freshman orientation professor, and she was very understanding of why I could not make it to class.”
In addition, Rutledge said it can be really tough to get to class on days when the weather is unfavorable, “especially when the wind is making it harder to wheel or the rain is falling right in your face.”
CASNR advisers work to ensure students enroll in the correct classes with compassionate instructors, Fitch said. Faculty advisement in CASNR is a top priority, especially for students with disabilities.
“If we have a mobility situation, we try not to schedule classes back-to-back, giving students enough time to get to their next class,” Fitch said.
Anyone with a disability has the right to attend college, and most professors support these students’ rights, Poehling said.
“I expect teachers to do everything possible to help [my autistic son] through school, whether it requires additional time and effort or a different type of teaching,” Fitch said. “I expect teachers to do whatever is necessary to make him successful. And, I expect the same from us.
“As a teacher and adviser, I go beyond that,” Fitch said.
Fitch said he provides any student with additional notes or further explanation of course materials as needed. Although Fitch said he can be more compassionate for students with disabilities, he said he does not “expect any less from those students in class.”
While CASNR faculty members have high expectations from all students, several students with disabilities said they share those same expectations for themselves.
“I don’t consider myself special,” said Brooke Hendricks, an animal science/pre-veterinary freshman from Broken Arrow, Okla., who became legally deaf from a high fever at age 2. “If I think I can do something, then I will do it.”
Nabb said she has always felt everyone is entitled to the best of what the world has to offer.
“Some of us just have to work a little harder,” Nabb said.
Allison Potts, an animal science freshman from Decaturville, Tenn., who tested positive for severe dyslexia at age 7, said having teachers who genuinely care about why she is attending OSU is motivating – personally and academically.
“They truly want to help further my education,” Potts said.
Colton Castle, an animal science senior from Jett, Okla., has short-term memory loss caused by a traumatic brain injury in 2006. Castle said a professor provided his cell phone number.
“He told me to call him whenever I need additional help,” Castle said.
By offering students personal phone numbers and expecting high performance in class, CASNR professors create an inviting and genuine atmosphere.
Hendricks said the atmosphere and the people within the college have really made her feel like she belongs in CASNR.
“I feel more comfortable in [my agricultural classes],” said Amber Bedwell, an agricultural ed-
ucation junior from New Richmond, Ind., who is medically treated for Attention Deficit Disorder. “If I ever need special accommodations, I know my professors will be understanding.”
Students like Bedwell, however, have taught themselves learning techniques to stay focused on accomplishing career goals.
“I take a lot of notes and tell myself to concentrate,” Bedwell said.
Fitch said these students are more focused on identifying career goals because their strengths and weaknesses are more apparent to them.
Bedwell said she plans to use her experience with ADD to assist future students with similar learning disabilities during her teaching career.
“It will help me understand the students’ learning styles,” Bedwell said.
More teachers should have the ability to adjust to individuals requiring different teaching styles, Bedwell added.
All students should be able to show what they can accomplish in a specified area and a disability should not be a hindrance to that accomplishment, said Joe Schatzer, agricultural economics professor and adviser.
“To me the word disability is harsh,” Nabb said. “So, don’t get stuck on the word ‘disability.’ Coin your own phrase for it.
“For me, I just have a comprehension-retention issue,” Nabb said.
Poehling said once students land a position within a desired industry, many of them will set high performance expectations for themselves and others who will follow in their footsteps.
“Our students have the mentality ‘I am in charge of me and I am responsible to get the job done,’” Miller said, “so, they take responsibility in demanding needed access and assistance, in addition to working especially hard to pursue their academic and career goals.”
Lisa Brown of Keenesburg, Colo., showed Morgan horses before attending OSU as a freshman. After graduation in May, she will pursue a career in agricultural media to inform consumers.
Lisa Brown of Keenesburg, Colo., showed Morgan horses before attending OSU as a freshman. After graduation in May, she will pursue a career in agricultural media to inform consumers.
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Kyla Nabb Thomasville, Ga.
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Allison Potts Decaturville, Tenn.
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Brooke Hendricks Broken Arrow, Okla.
Traci Rutledge Mooreland, Okla.
Colton Castle Jett, Okla.
Amber Bedwell New Richmond, Ind.
Opposite Page: Students like Traci Rutledge face daily barriers to obtain their education.
Focus: Ability Redefined
Advocatingforassistance
Students with learning disabilities may struggle through college because they do not seek additional help at the university level.
Michael Shuttic, Oklahoma State University Student Disability Services coordinator, said only 550 of the estimated 23,000 enrolled students currently document disabilities to receive academic accommodations to enhance their educational careers.
Both visible and invisible disabilities, such as deafness, dyslexia and other learning disorders, are documented by a small percentage of students at OSU.
Kyla Nabb, an agricultural education master’s student from Thomasville, Ga., who has comprehension-retention disabilities, said she felt uncomfortable handing her professors a letter explaining her learning disability because her peers are expected to attend class and take notes without special accommodations.
“At first, I wasn’t really ashamed about [documenting my disability], but I was uneasy about what people would think of me asking for special accommodations,” Nabb said.
Shuttic said students should focus on what they want to do in their careers and determine what it will take to get them there.
“I missed out my first semester here,” Nabb said. “I finally realized it’s not me notifying the
instructor. [Student Disability Services] notifies my professors directly by an e-mail and a letter.”
Other students said they were hesitant to document their disabilities because they do not want to use them as a crutch when accomplishing personal goals.
“For me, it’s like a security blanket,” said Amber Bedwell, an agricultural education junior from New Richmond, Ind., who is medically treated for Attention Deficit Disorder. “So, if there is a class where I need additional accommodations, the professor can provide them.”
and opportunity in classes and academic programs, Shuttic said.
“Documenting your disability can be very beneficial,” Nabb said.
For me, it’s like a security blanket.
– Amber Bedwell
If agreed upon by the professor, Nabb said she can use certain notes on various quizzes and tests, which help her remember material needed for application on a proctored assignment. In addition, Nabb said receiving access to free e-Texts – books on audio – has increased her comprehension-retention rate during graduate school.
Bedwell said if students do not document their disabilities through Student Disability Services, then professors cannot assist them as much in their courses.
“We work with the student so they understand the benefits of receiving additional course material to fit their disability without drawing unwanted attention to that disability or student,” said Joe Schatzer, agricultural economics professor and adviser.
Students can request note takers, additional time to take exams, a different location to complete exams, and a variety of other accommodations and resources to ensure equal access
“I have to read, re-read, listen to the e-Texts, take notes in class, re-write my notes, and make note cards,” Nabb said. “Over the years, I have mastered little techniques. It’s all about repetition with me.
“I’m seeing [the text], hearing [the material], and re-writing [my class notes],” Nabb added.
Although students have access to supplemental learning tools provided by Student Disability Services, Schatzer said CASNR faculty members will work with students to fulfill the additional accommodations needed for success in the students’ classes.
“I asked my agricultural economics professor if I could use a dictionary on his quizzes,” said Allison Potts, an animal science freshman from Decaturville, Tenn., who tested positive for severe dyslexia at age 7.
Faculty members do not have a problem accommodating students’ special needs, as long as they have the documentation supporting the students’ disability, Potts added.
“[Providing these services] is our job,” said Becky Poehling, a full-time interpreter provided by Students Disability Services for deaf students.
“You have the right to equal access and equal communication,” Poehling said. “Just because students are blind or in a wheelchair does not
Most students compare notes with their peers. However, in some instances, students can request note takers through their professors to fulfill a special requirement as an academic learning tool.
assistance
give them fewer rights to equal access to everything their peers have access to.”
Shuttic said Student Disability Services empowers students to take an active role in corresponding with their professors independently, in addition to advocating and educating others about their disabilities.
Students learn to advocate for themselves in college by requesting special accommodations and develop those small skills they will need when they enter the work force, Poehling said.
Shuttic said he wants students to understand their disability does not give them an advantage over other students.
“It’s not giving you a one-up on other students,” Nabb said. “It’s just making sure you are on the same playing field.”
— Lisa Brown
Members of the OSU Alumni Association are an integral part of OSU. The Association funds a number of programs on behalf of the university including Homecoming and OSU Chapters worldwide. By becoming a member of the OSU Alumni Association, a portion of your membership goes back to the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources to sponsor alumni programming and events within your college.
Animal science professor and adviser Jerry Fitch assists all students, including Emily Hollarn, an animal science senior with narcolepsy, in his sheep production class.
TTThousands of blue corduroy jackets filled the seats as Oklahoma State University junior Riley Pagett entered Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Oct. 23, 2010.
His heart pounded within his chest. Perspiration formed on his brow, and his hands started to shake.
Riley spent years preparing for this opportunity. Long hours, hard work and dedication had brought him to this very moment. This was his dream, and at age 20 it was about to come true.
“From the Great State of Oklahoma — Riley Pagett!” echoed as the applause thundered through the arena, and the former Woodward FFA member ran to the stage to take his place as the new National FFA president.
“I honestly did not even hear my name being called,” Riley said. “I just heard ‘Oklahoma.’ I assumed since two other individuals from the central region received offices, having a third would be out of the question.”
Riley’s agricultural roots stem from his family’s rich tradition in the agricultural industry and their involvement in the Oklahoma and National FFA Organization.
“My grandpa was on the winning national livestock judging team in the early ’50s,” Riley said. “Growing up seeing those pictures, I knew that was what I wanted to try. My dad was chapter president and showed hogs and cattle. I followed in those direct footsteps.”
Tradition was not the only reason Riley enrolled in agricultural education his freshman year of high school, he said.
“I remember sitting in my fourth-grade class when FFA members came to speak to us on agricultural literacy and agricultural education,” Riley said. “Hearing them speak was what really caught my attention and made me want to join the FFA when I grew up.”
Riley said he always had a “support team” while growing up, including one of his biggest fans: his great-grandmother Hopie.
Riley said when he was younger he would get off the bus after school and walk to his house. But if he forgot his key, he would walk across the street to Hopie’s house to wait for his parents to arrive home.
“She was the most encouraging woman I
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have ever been around, and she motivated me in everything I participated in, whether everyone agreed with me or not,” Riley said. “She always told me ‘You’ll do good, I know you will.’ Sometimes when I would leave my house in the morning, I would forget my key on purpose so I could purposefully walk over to her house and talk with her.”
Riley said the encouragement from his greatgrandmother and his family stayed with him throughout his high school FFA career.
In addition to showing livestock and serving as his chapter president like his father, Riley competed in public speaking contests while in high school.
“Riley was and still is a great public speaker,” said Christi Pagett, Riley’s mother. “When his great-grandmother passed away two years ago, my mother and her siblings asked him to do her funeral service. He was really close to her, and to see him stand up at the front and conduct her service was a proud moment for us.”
Riley continued to use his public speaking skills as Oklahoma FFA’s 2008-2009 Northwest District Vice President.
“Riley was heavily relied upon for his creativity,” said Chelsea Clifton, 2008-2009 Oklahoma FFA Association President. “From a business aspect, he was a pure joy. He is very selfless, and he is all about doing things for the members and for people other than himself.”
Riley said during his time as a state officer he realized how vast and impactful the FFA organization is toward students. He said serving as an officer was a great way to start his OSU career and improve his leadership qualities.
Riley said he served on Freshman Representative Council, coordinated FRC as a sophomore, served as chief of staff for the OSU Student Government Association president, joined Alpha Gamma Rho and participated in Overflow, a campus wide worship service on Tuesday nights.
“I have learned what it means to walk with numerous groups of individuals and how to lead each effectively,” Riley said.
“This past year, an FFA member from Edmond, Okla., had a brother seriously injured in a car wreck,” Boggs said. “Riley had made an earlier connection with this FFA member, and he acted upon his compassion during this difficult time. I know he missed several of his classes to drive an hour one-way to spend time and be with her and the family at the hospital.”
There is a reason nothing is printed on the back of a national officer’s jacket except the emblem.
When the member’s brother died, Riley attended the funeral, an example of the “servant’s heart” he will bring his new national officer team, Boggs said.
The agricultural communications major’s journey to National FFA president was not a walk in the park, he said.
“My freshman year of college, I ran for state FFA president and did not get it,” Riley said. “The following October, I ran for a national FFA office and did not get that either. Coming back to Stillwater, I had to tell everyone around me I had failed. Not only that, I had to tell them I had faced defeat twice in one year.”
Kent Boggs, executive secretary of the Oklahoma FFA Association, said Riley’s leadership skills have helped not only the teams he has served but also the FFA members he has met.
Riley said during this time he had to step back and examine what he was doing and the center of his passion. Once he discovered the National FFA Organization was what made his heart beat faster, he knew he had to continue down that road, he said.
“Throughout all my failures and setbacks, I have realized that if I had not experienced failure those two times, this team would not have been brought together,” Riley said. “We would not have had the opportunity to change lives one FFA member at a time.”
Boggs said because Riley is a very real, approachable person as well as a team player and a consensus builder, he will bring his team to a whole new level.
“One of the first things Riley said to his new teammates was that he wanted to drop the titles they each held and to serve as equal members of a team,” Boggs said. “That is one of Riley’s best qualities. He is an outstanding team player.”
“As a leader, Riley will bring servant leadership to his new team of national officers,” Wade Pagett said. “They are all leaders, so it will be about teamwork and achieving a common goal, which is serving the organization to the best of their abilities for the next year. Riley looks forward to meeting and getting to know all FFA members, particularly at the chapter level.”
– Riley Pagett
Riley said putting on his new National FFA president jacket for the first time felt good. He said he knew in that moment he was representing something much greater than himself.
“I wasn’t just representing Woodward or Oklahoma anymore,” he said. “I am representing everyone involved in the entire FFA organization. There is a reason nothing is printed on the back of a national officer’s jacket except the emblem. It is what encompasses every FFA member from across the nation, and I was wearing it.”
Riley’s father said his son also will bring charisma, goal-setting abilities and encouragement to the team.
At the end of his year of serving the National FFA Organization, he plans to return to Stillwater to finish his degree as well as a minor in religious studies, Riley said, and his plans after graduation include either moving back to northwest Oklahoma as an advocate for agriculture or attending law school to serve the agricultural industry to a higher degree.
He said his love for the FFA is not for him, but for the organization’s 523,309 FFA members. He serves as the National FFA president for them, he said, and is ready to lead them, challenge them, and allow them to see how high they can set their goals.
For them, this servant’s heart will illuminate the nation’s local chapters, while demonstrating how passion and FFA come together.
Ashley Willis served as FFA chapter vice president in her hometown of Kingfisher, Okla. She mentored FFA members as a smallgroup leader at Oklahoma FFA Alumni Leadership Camp for two summers.
CASNR students excel at National FFA Convention
Eleven College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources students earned honors during the 83rd National FFA Convention for excelling in proficiency award areas, career development events and service to the national organization.
Tara Newton, an agricultural economics freshman from Kingfisher, Okla., placed first in the National Prepared Public Speaking CDE.
Ashton Mese, an agricultural communications freshman from Kingfisher, placed first in the National Extemporaneous Speaking CDE.
Emily McCullough placed first in the National Veterinary Medicine Proficiency Award area. She is a sophomore from Lone Grove, Okla., and is majoring in animal science.
Emily Handke, an animal science freshman, gained second-high individual honors as a member of the second-place National Horse Evaluation team from Oklahoma Union High School, near South Coffeyville, Okla.
Oklahoma State University freshmen and Kingfisher FFA members Kyle Mueggenborg, McKenzie Walta, Josh Lippoldt and Audrey
Gruntmeir earned first place honors in the National Livestock Evaluation CDE. Mueggenborg, a biosystems and agricultural engineering major, was the first-place individual. Walta was the third-place individual and is an animal science major. Lippoldt was the seventh-place individual and is an agricultural economics major. Gruntmeir, a biochemistry and molecular biology major, was a gold individual.
Three CASNR students assisted on National FFA committees.
Emily Beanland of Hollis, Okla., is Oklahoma FFA president and an agricultural communications sophomore. She served as the chairwoman for FFA Degree Expansion.
Marty Jones, an agricultural education freshman from Owasso, Okla., is the Oklahoma FFA secretary. Jones was the vice chairman for the Atlarge Election of National Officers Committee.
Josh Goff of Woodward, Okla., was on the National Officer Nominating Committee. He is an animal science sophomore and former Oklahoma FFA northwest district vice president. — Shae Kennedy
Serving Cowboys and Cowgirls
Helping
‘hands to larger service’
WWith wrinkled hands of experience, Marjorie Moesel cultivates the soil and cares for seedlings in her flowerbeds, much like she teaches citizenship and life skills to 4-H youth and has for decades.
The 79-year-old Oklahoma County 4-H leader was raised on a dairy and diversified farm near Yukon, Okla. She said her desire to join 4-H started at an early age.
She knew there was potential and saw a void that needed filled and thought 4-H was a way to do it.
“I was probably nine when I started, I think,” Marjorie said. “But I had two older brothers and a sister who were in 4-H, so I had always wanted to join as soon as I could.”
Her long list of 4-H achievements, awards and projects during her career as a 4-H member illustrate her passion and belief in the organization.
She attended Oklahoma A & M College with the intention of becoming a home economics extension agent, like her own 4-H role model, Margaret Edsel Fitch.
“4-H was so good to me,” Marjorie said. “I had plans when I went to college. I was going to be a home demonstration agent like my 4-H agent, Margaret Edsel Fitch … She really was probably the best 4-H agent I ever knew. My mother was also a very good volunteer leader. They both made a real impression on me.”
At OAMC, Marjorie studied home economics education, while staying true to her 4-H background. As an active Collegiate 4-H member, she continued to develop her own leadership skills.
Her horticultural roots grew with her involvement in A&M’s Horticulture Club, where she met her late husband, Richard, a horticulture student from New York.
After her graduation in 1953, continuing education and work relocated the Moesels to two other states but did not impede Marjorie’s involvement in 4-H. She was a leader in Ohio and New Jersey before her family returned to Oklahoma.
In 1957, Marjorie and Richard opened a greenhouse, nursery and truck farm operation, Moesel’s Hort Haven, in Pauls Valley, Okla. (It was later relocated to Oklahoma City.) She said she used the family business to educate and to recruit 4-H’ers.
“I had so much benefit from 4-H that I certainly thought it was a good thing for all young people and encouraged that through the years,” she said.
Charles Cox, director of the Oklahoma 4-H program, recalled the family’s operation at its Oklahoma City location near the Oklahoma County Cooperative Extension office.
“Whenever families would go in there, she would give kids a bulb to go home and plant, or she would give them a cutting, or they would plant something,” Cox said. “She was recruiting kids with things related to horticulture all the time and would encourage young people and their families to get involved with 4-H.”
– Rodd Moesel
Besides sup porting the youth who entered the store, Marjorie continued her involvement with 4-H through her own children.
“Mom was always telling stories about her 4-H experiences,” said Marjorie’s oldest son, Rodd Moesel. “We heard all kinds of stories. I was anticipating 4-H before I was nine and old enough to start.”
Rodd said his mother was a mentor who helped him and his three siblings achieve their personal 4-H goals and successes.
“She was always a good coach and encourager,” Rodd said. “She’d stay up late helping us the night before a speech contest or whatever, preparing.”
Marjorie’s most recent 4-H endeavor exhibits her commitment to positive youth development in a diverse population, he said.
“We had a Hispanic group come to our church, and they were having separate services at a different time,” Marjorie said. “I said I would be glad to stay with the kids while the parents had study group on Wednesday nights.”
Marjorie Moesel (third from right) helped Memorial Wonders 4-H Club members Lorena Tepe (left), Patience Ogunbase, Edi Tepe, Joshua Jackson and Joshua Ogunbase enter posters and terrariums in the Oklahoma County Fair.
The act of kindness eventually turned into an opportunity for learning and another gateway for Marjorie to share her passion for 4-H and horticulture.
“After a while, I said [to the children], ‘While we’re here, wouldn’t it be fun to do some things?’” Marjorie said. “I was telling them about 4-H, and they said they’d like to be involved. So, we started a 4-H club, and we did some things as a group and as individuals.”
The Memorial Wonders 4-H Club, named for Memorial Christian Church where the club originated, is in its third year. The club’s 16 members include several immigrants from different countries, she said.
“None of them have animal projects, but they do a number of citizenship things,” Marjorie said. “We’ve planted some at the church, and we’ve also helped with two different schools in
the area doing some planting and beautification. At one of the schools, we don’t even have any kids who go to that school.”
Rodd said his mother recognized a need in her community. Coupled with her persistent personality and desire to make her community a better place, she has influenced the lives of the youth around her, he said.
who wouldn’t otherwise have any. A youth-atrisk-type audience is what she’s focused on now.”
Marjorie said because of 4-H she has seen countless examples of members who have overcome fears and discovered opportunities they did not know existed.
4-H not only opens doors to you, but it makes you realize there are doors to open.
“She knew there was potential and saw a void that needed filled and thought 4-H was a way to do it,” he added.
Cox said Marjorie’s approach to youth makes her an outstanding leader.
“Obviously, it would be easier to go after the kids who are already going to be successful anyway, but that’s not necessarily her goal,” he said. “Her goal is to provide opportunities for kids
– Marjorie Moesel
“4-H not only opens doors to you, but it makes you realize there are doors to open,” she said. “A lot of times kids don’t even try things because they don’t realize opportunities are there. They may not be the best at first, but you keep going until the best gets better.”
Marjorie said 4-H gives members the opportunity to set goals and the ability to reach them.
“She helps us by guiding us, and she helps us with whatever we need,” said Lorena Tepe, president of Memorial Wonders 4-H Club. “If you just say her name, she’ll be there and make the activity really fun.”
Cox said Marjorie’s bold personality is an asset to the youth she helps.
“I don’t think she’s afraid to ask anybody for anything,” he said. “It’s not that she’s pushy. It’s just that she’s brave enough and doesn’t see limitations.”
Memorial Wonders is an example of Marjorie’s steadfast mindset and wholehearted approach to enable youth, Cox said.
Marjorie said she wants all her 4-H’ers to learn the end result of a project is about more than just winning a blue ribbon at the fair. She said she wants them to learn how to give back to others.
“We hope they learn a lot of citizenship, too,” she said. “Not only do you receive a lot, but you want to learn to give.”
With no end to her 4-H career in sight, Marjorie said one of her favorite aspects of her nearly lifelong commitment to 4-H is seeing the youth she has influenced return and contribute to the organization.
“It’s rewarding to see young people you’ve worked with when they were younger grow up and become leaders,” Marjorie said. “It’s very rewarding to see young people grow and bloom.”
4-H leader Marjorie Moesel has dedicated most of her life to making a positive difference in the lives of Oklahoma youth.
Molly Witzel grew up on her family’s farm north of Kanorado, Kan. She plans to earn a master’s degree in agricultural education from Colorado State University.
TThe sun beats on the backs of the workers, knee-deep in centuries-old soil as they dig and sweep through the layers of time. They search for what has never been discovered. Until now.
Brian Carter, Oklahoma State University’s lead researcher in soil morphology, is an expert in discovering how and why objects become buried under layers and layers of soil.
So, when the Oklahoma Historical Society wanted to study the original foundation of old Fort Gibson, Carter was at the top of the contact list.
“I work with the historical society to help archeologists understand how soils become buried,” Carter said.
Carter works closely with Leland Bement, a University of Oklahoma professor and researcher for the Oklahoma Archeological Survey.
The original location of Fort Gibson was
a mystery until Bement discovered it in March 2007. A modern reconstruction exists at the site, Carter said, but it is at least one-third the size of the original fort.
“Once we located the fort,” Carter said, “I thought my job was done.”
However, he said he could not have been more wrong.
The Oklahoma Historical Society then joined forces with the Oklahoma Archeological Survey, the University of Oklahoma and volunteers from the Oklahoma Anthropological Society to excavate the site.
During the process, the team started to question the construction techniques of the structure, Bement said.
“We became curious about how the civilian contractors were able to create the mortar, using only the natural resources found in the area,” Bement said.
Carter described mortar as the substance
holding the building stones together. To understand how builders created the mortar, the team would have to find the “recipe” for the substance.
Carter said they began a different type of digging, this time through literature on construction in the Pre-Civil War era.
Patrick Hurley, a plant and soil sciences master’s student, said he jumped at the chance to be a part of this unusual project.
“Dr. Carter knew that I was kind of a history nut, especially military history,” Hurley said. “So we sat down, talked it out, and decided to get more involved.”
Hurley soon traveled to the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.
“Patrick went and found the original military documents ordering the construction of these forts in the territory,” Carter said.
With the research in hand, Carter and Hurley began sampling the mortar for analysis.
To discover just what the mortar recipe was, Hurley said they tested the samples for calcium carbonate content and soil mineral identification.
“Patrick spent many hours peering through the microscope identifying soil minerals and documenting limestone amounts,” Carter said.
Carter said the main ingredient for the mortar is a quality limestone.
“Since the limestone is the most important part of the mixture,” he said, “it has to be stretched as far as it can go.”
To extend the life of the limestone, the builders added sand, Carter said.
“Basically, we had to discover how much sand could be added before the mixture would fall apart,” Carter said.
Bement said all the forts in Oklahoma –Forts Gibson, Towson and Washita – were built on limestone deposits. He said limestone is an
Patrick Hurley, a Master of Science student in plant and soil sciences, records mortar samples at Fort Washita near Durant, Okla.
CARTER
excellent building stone and may have been a requirement for the building site.
Carter said because the builders would have had to mine, cook, and break the limestone into powder, the fort could not be too far from the limestone source.
“Once discovered, the recipe for the mortar could be replicated and reproduced [to use in reconstruction efforts],” Carter said.
Bement said all historical structures have a lot of maintenance needs and are constantly requiring restorations.
“With the actual mortar and the naturally occurring limestone formations, more authentic means can be used to preserve and restore the structures,” Hurley said. “They can be preserved on the same level they were built without having to use any modern commercial products.”
Hurley said with the actual mortar being applied, the reconstruction will closely match the older materials and make it more authentic.
“Before, when a particular area needed upkeep, it was ‘go grab a bag of concrete,’” Bement said. “And you could obviously see where the work had been done.”
By having the recipe, the historical society can make the mortar on site, just like when the original structure was built, Carter said.
This type of project is particularly important because it develops and continues the knowledge of these techniques, Bement said.
“Some of the knowledge and techniques of the 1800s are not being applied today,” Bement said. “By going back and analyzing and reconstructing these techniques, we are keeping alive knowledge of certain techniques as we move on into the 21st century.”
Brittney Wilson grew up on a cattle and horse ranch in Coalgate, Okla. Wilson will continue to raise and train horses and pursue a master’s in international agriculture.
Established in 1824 in northeastern Oklahoma, Fort Gibson served as a starting point for several military expeditions that explored the West and sought peace between the tribes in the region. The military occupied Fort Gibson during most of the Indian removal period and then abandoned it in 1857. The post was reactivated during the Civil War, and the army stayed through the Reconstruction and Indian War periods to combat the outlaws and squatters.
Fort Washita was established in 1842 in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, as the southwestern-most military post of the United States, serving as protection for the recently immigrated Choctaw and Chickasaw. On May 1, 1861, the fort was abandoned by U.S. forces and occupied the next day by Confederate troops from Texas. Southern soldiers used the post as a headquarters during the remainder of the Civil War.
Fort Towson, in southeastern Oklahoma, was established in 1824 in response to settle conflicts between Native Americans and settlers. The fort served as a gateway for settlers bound for Texas during the 1830s. During the Civil War, it served as headquarters for Confederate forces operating in Indian Territiory. In 1865, General Stand Watie surrendered his command near the fort, becoming the last Confederate general to do so. Information obtained from the Oklahoma Historical Society
love is ...
WWhen you choose to make a difference in someone’s life, it doesn’t matter how old you are or what skills you possess. When you set your mind to something, all you need is passion and Thanda.
Biochemistry and molecular biology senior Alyssa Peterson helped start the Thanda After School program in rural Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, in May 2008 with four friends. Thanda means love in the native Zulu language, and the founders planned to teach HIV/AIDS prevention. However, because of the culture in South Africa, this would not be a welcomed task.
“We had to gain [the children’s] trust so we could talk about something uncomfortable,” Peterson said.
They gained trust by fostering relationships with children, being positive role models and helping children learn skills necessary to work and survive, Peterson said.
The South African school year is from January to December. During this time, 325 children, mostly orphans, attend the Thanda After School program daily.
“Thanda strives to give its students a way to rise out of poverty,” Peterson said. “Children
study agriculture, play sports, and learn about computers and technology.”
HIV/AIDS prevention, the main emphasis of the program, is introduced in the last part of the school year. One-third of the South African population has HIV/AIDS. Thanda focuses on a long-term solution, so the students can break the cycle for future generations, Peterson said.
“The only way to start to pull yourself out of poverty is through education,” Peterson said.
This is why Thanda places such an emphasis on educating and empowering students, she said.
One-third of all adults in the Kwazulu-Natal area are unemployed, and most children are malnourished. One of Thanda’s main goals is to enhance the lives of the students in the program and ultimately change the community for the better, Peterson said. Thanda is locally sustained; all 14 of the Thanda staff members are from the Kwazulu-Natal area.
Chris Price, a business management senior from Tulsa, Okla., recently spent time at Thanda working with the students. He said Thanda makes a difference because of its genuine desire to help the people of South Africa.
“Thanda stands out from the rest of the orga-
nizations doing work in South Africa because it is teaching people how to choose their own paths and be successful in the world on their own –instead of giving them things and then leaving,” Price said.
During the summer of 2010, the South African government learned about the Thanda After School Program and asked Thanda to present their prototype model to the department of education. Peterson said this was a long-term goal for Thanda and the staff is excited to have the opportunity so soon.
Thanda will expand to other schools in the country beginning in January when the new school year begins. The staff members also are working on curriculum for programs like Thanda in other countries.
Thanda currently operates on $9,000 a month, Peterson said. She said they hope for Thanda to one day be sustained through the sales of Thanda Zulu jewelry, which is handmade by women in Kwazulu-Natal.
“We can’t do this alone,” Peterson said. Currently, fund-raising plays an important role in keeping the program running.
“I heard about Thanda through a friend who knows Alyssa,” said Oklahoma State University freshman Libby Nicholas. “I thought what set [Thanda] apart from other organizations was we could see exactly where the money was going.”
While in high school, Nicholas raised $6,000 for Thanda through a philanthropy week at her high school called Students Helping Other Kids. She said when she told other students about Thanda they were excited to help.
Three children can eat at Thanda for $1 a day. They receive two peanut butter sandwiches and a glass of juice. Peterson said the meals provided at Thanda are often all some children eat for an entire day.
OSU students have offered assistance in support and fund-raising. Thanda is now also trying to strengthen its agricultural program and needs the support of students, professors and others in the agricultural community, Peterson said.
Since Thanda’s founding, Peterson and four other individuals have remained active in running the program. Peterson spends as much time as possible at Thanda, she said.
Peterson has raised funds stateside for the program. While at Thanda, she sustained the computer program for high school students and developed the post-high school entrepreneurship program.
Peterson also has performed more than 40 cesarean sections while in South Africa. She was shown what to do one time before she began performing them herself with no formal training.
Peterson said she understood the need for accuracy and caution during the deliveries, the majority of which were performed on HIV-positive women. When she got back from South Africa, she read academic books to better understand what she was taught in South Africa, she said.
“I was able to learn why I was doing what I was doing,” Peterson said.
Peterson plans to graduate in May and continue her education in medical school, which will allow her to play a larger role in the medical care at Thanda, she said.
“We have the clinics, connections and drive, now I just need the degree,” she said.
Peterson knew she wanted to go into the medical field, which led her to OSU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her desire to help people and her love for the
people in South Africa led to continued involvement with the Thanda After School Program.
“It’s everything I live for,” she said. “There’s nothing else I’d rather do. When you find your passion, you have to go with it.”
Shae Kennedy grew up in Tuttle, Okla. She serves in a new media and marketing position with the Chickasaw Nation at Riverwind Casino.
Want to get involved?
Learn how you can support the Thanda After School Program at www.thanda.org. To request more information, e-mail Alyssa Peterson at alyssa@thanda.org
Proceeds from Thanda Zulu jewelry fund the Thanda After School Program. To view the jewelry, go to www.thandazulu.org
... Thanda.
Above:Thanda co-founder Alyssa Peterson gives Lwandile a shoulder ride in Africa. Opposite Page: Students in the Thanda After School Program learn life skills to help “break the cycle” of poverty.
More than coffee &
Internships provide students with experience
Johnna Rushin
Agricultural Economics/ Accounting
Intermediates Accountant
Flint Hills Resources, a subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc.
Wichita, Kan.
May - August 2010 • Paid
Assistance was provided to find housing
Responsibilities:
I was in charge of the intermediates accounting for one of the large refineries. My main task was position management, which required me to determine if more of certain products were needed.
Outcome:
Although I was offered a full-time position, I plan to return as an intern this summer.
Favorite Part:
The intern activities available to us, such as Habitat for Humanity, were my favorite part. In the workplace, I was accountable for a portion of the monthly profit and loss statement. By the end of the internship, I could go into the monthly meeting with market analysts and traders and tell them what the numbers meant.
Advice for students:
I suggest starting to look early for internships. Not everyone you are interested in will attend career fairs, so take advantage of other networking opportunities.
AAbout 87 percent of U.S. students surveyed complete formal internships. Additionally, about 92 percent of employers expect to hire interns in 2010, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Are you ready?
“Internships and other career experiences demonstrate a desire to learn more about a given industry,” said Holly Head, human resources manager for Osborn & Barr Communications.
Internships are completed for different reasons and provide a variety of experiences. The benefits include gaining work experience, ex-
Brittany Looke
Biosystems & Agircultural Engineering
Summer Research Intern
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
10 weeks • Paid
Housing Provided
Responsibilities:
I completed assigned lab work associated with my project. Additionally, I completed a poster and gave a presentation about the project.
Favorite Part:
My favorite part was the overall experience of working with a real company to accomplish real goals. I was able to contribute to an important research project while gaining valuable work experience.
Advice for students:
Look everywhere and know what you are looking for. Just because a company does not attend a career fair or communicate the need for interns doesn’t mean they won’t consider you.
panding a professional network and experimenting with careers, Head said.
Just as the benefits of internships vary, so does the length, location and compensation associated with each. Some are paid, while others are voluntary.
“An internship can be two weeks, two months, or two years,” said Amy Gazaway, career development coordinator in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
Regardless of the length, employers anticipate students will graduate with some type of career-related work experience, Gazaway said.
Through internships, students have the op-
Tyler Burelson
Natural Resource Ecology & Management
Fuel Technician
Bureau of Indian Affairs SCEP Student Shawnee, Okla.
June 1, 2010 - Present • Paid
Responsibilities:
I remove hazardous fuels and conduct prescribed burning.
Outcome:
I accepted an extended internship, leading to a full-time position after graduation.
Favorite Part:
The prescribed burns are my favorite part of the internship.
Advice for students:
Many opportunities exist in the natural sciences, especially in federal government programs such as the Student Temporary Employment Program and the Student Career Employment Program.
deRSON
AN deRSON
AN deRSON
& copies ...
portunity to “try on” different careers to determine if a job is something they would enjoy pursuing as a career or not, Head said.
“They get a chance to try us out, and we get an opportunity to try them out,” Head said.
Gazaway said an internship leading to a change of heart is just as valuable as affirming a career interest.
In any internship, the opportunity exists for students to prove to the employer how they are likely to perform as an employee, Gazaway said.
“An employer is able to basically test out [someone who could be] a full-time employee upon graduation,” Gazaway said. “It will show the employer what the student’s capabilities are.”
This works both positively and negatively, based on the performance level of an intern.
“We look at interns as opportunities to find long-term employees,” Head said.
In fact, this past summer Obsorn & Barr offered about half of their summer interns full-time positions or extended internship opportunities, Head said.
Because employers put emphasis on hiring interns, anyone, even freshmen, can complete internships, Gazaway said.
“[We are] starting to see it be more common that freshmen and sophomores are getting that [internship] experience,” Head said.
Internship responsibilities for a freshman differ from a senior due to experience, but they are sought after nonetheless, Gazaway explained.
“Employers recognize the value of having students complete multiple internships,” Gazaway said.
Furthermore, internship experience helps students realize the importance of classroom application, Gazaway said.
Although no universally accepted definition exists, an internship has three core criteria, Gazaway explained. First, it is a supervised experience, meaning the intern is mentored by one or more individuals during the experience.
Second, educational objectives are established to help students to learn and accomplish their goals. Finally, internships are experiential.
“Students will be doing hands-on activities,” Gazaway said. “It’s not simple observation.”
Although some academic departments within CASNR require students to complete intern-
Lance Swearengin
Horticulture
College Program Cast Member & Horticulture Intern
The Walt Disney World Resort Orlando, Fla.
January 2010 - August 2010 • Paid
Housing & Transportation Provided
Responsibilities:
I worked in attractions at EPCOT during the college program and in the Magic Kingdom gardens throughout the horticulture internship.
Outcome:
I was offered many jobs during both internships in Florida.
Favorite Part:
My favorite experience was working behind the scenes to create Disney Magic.
Advice for students: Go for a paid internship!
ships, the majority of students participate for the experience rather than for credit toward graduation, Gazaway said.
Finding an internship can be done through a variety of ways, similar to searching for a job. OSU offers multiple career fairs and lists internships at hireosugrads.com.
However, depending on the type of internship, additional and better ways to find one may exist, Gazaway said. Some employers find interns through personal industry or professional networking contacts or even through being in the right place at the right time.
Some companies without designated internship programs may be willing to take on an intern if approached appropriately, Gazaway said.
Derek Kelso
Plant & Soil Sciences
Plant & Soil Sciences
Student Career Experience Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resource Conservation Service Ottawa County Field Service Center in Miami, Okla., and Craig County Field Service Center in Vinita, Okla.
May 2010 - Present • Paid
Responsibilities:
I write conservation management plans for landowners and use GIS to make conservation maps of their properties. I also provide consultations regarding resource concerns.
Outcome:
I gained a full-time position while completing coursework to obtain my degree in plant and soil sciences. Following graduation, I will continue as a soil conservationist with the Oklahoma NRCS.
Favorite Part:
This internship provides the opportunity to see how people handle natural resources and work with them to ensure the future of our natural resources.
Advice for students:
You can’t expect an internship to fall in your lap. You have to get out and promote yourself to people looking to hire interns. Go to every job fair, and be prepared when you go.
Regardless of how an internship is obtained, the key is to have at least one before entering the work force, Gazaway said.
Although it is “fairly common for new hires to have internship experience,” having passion and drive to complement hands-on experience is just as critical when entering the job market, Head said.
Krista Anderson of Escalon, Calif., raised and exhibited swine in 4-H and FFA. The December graduate plans to earn a Master of Science in agricultural communications at OSU.
COURTESY
ENGINEERING I It:Y
IIt’s 10:45 on a Wednesday night, and after a long day’s work, you finally make your way to bed. You let in the dog to settle at the foot of the bed and turn out your bedside lamp before crawling under the covers.
As you take a deep breath and enjoy a peaceful moment, you hear the steady drip, drip, drip from the bathroom faucet.You throw off the covers and stomp to the bathroom to turn the sink knob a fraction farther to quell the noise.
While many Americans consider a drippy faucet a nuisance, residents of Seis de Mayo, Honduras, would consider it a welcomed luxury.
Thanks to the Oklahoma State University Engineers Without Borders, families in this community soon will enjoy clean drinking water.
“I have realized how much I take for granted that I can turn on the tap at my house and drinkable water comes out,” said Austin Burton, OSU-
EWB student president. “That is not the case in Seis de Mayo and many parts of the world.”
In 2009, OSU-EWB launched a project to bring a relatively inexpensive and sustainable water filtration system to the community to increase the availability of clean drinking water.
OSU-EWB learned about the community through one of its members, Sarah Cary of Tulsa, Okla. Cary, who graduated in May 2010 with degrees in mechanical and civil engineering, knew of the service opportunity through her involvement with Gathering Hearts for Honduras.
In March 2010, seven OSU-EWB students traveled with adviser Paul Weckler to Honduras to gather and assess data on the water quality and the community of Seis de Mayo.
“The initial visit was an assessment trip,” said Weckler, associate professor in OSU’s biosystems and agricultural engineering department.
While in Seis de Mayo, the group divided into two teams. One team conducted interviews with community members and surveyed the area. Using GPS technology, the other team surveyed and collected information about roads, bridges and the village’s main water source, a mountain stream running through the village.
They used the information to create a village map for placement of the water filtration systems to ensure every home has access, Burton said.
“The water filtration systems will be strategically located throughout the community, providing convenient accessibility to the residents,” said Eric Lam, project manager and biosystems and agricultural engineering junior.
Meanwhile, the community team counted homes and conducted interviews with villagers.
“OSU-EWB’s purpose is to educate the community about the health benefits of clean drinking water by getting them involved in the process,” Weckler said.
If the community is not involved in the project, then it will not benefit, said Gary Kuney, Gathering Hearts for Honduras co-founder.
“A community’s attitude toward a problem is much greater than the quality of the solution,” Burton said. “Education matters.”
The community team established relationships with the village elders, Weckler said. The elders voiced the community’s concerns about their water source and discussed OSU-EWB’s solution for the problem.
“We fielded questions about the water source and emphasized that even if the source is clean, the water is contaminated as it travels through the village,” Burton said.
The community team discovered most villagers did not believe the water was contaminated because of its pristine appearance, Burton said.
“It is remarkable how clear the water is both at the source and the tap, hiding its sinister nature beneath a calm, clear surface,” Lam said.
During the meeting, OSU-EWB team members described a rough plan for the in-home water filtration systems, including the approximate costs and size of materials required. The community leaders estimated each unit would cost $75 if local materials were used, Lam said.
The people asked when they should start saving, showing an interest and commitment to a solution, he added.
OSU Engineers Without Borders members worked in Honduras to purify the water to provide the luxury of clean drinking water to those living in Seis de Mayo.
Weckler
) THE BORDERS
“We hope to travel back to Honduras in March 2011,” Burton said, “but we did not want to make any empty promises. We told them to wait until we had the chance to take more data and begin a design before they started saving.”
Until then, OSU-EWB is conducting an alternative analysis on water-filtration design concepts, including the construction and testing of filter systems.
Currently, the organization is testing two water filtration systems in Seis de Mayo. The first, a ceramic bucket filter, forces the dirty water through tiny pores where 99.9 percent of bacteria are removed from the water.
The second design is a slow-sand filter. The filter works by letting dirty water drain through layers of sand, where growing microbes will trap and remove the harmful bacteria from the water, he added.
“We must find the best solution for the people with respect to their capabilities,” Lam said.
EWB is a non-profit humanitarian organization, and members work to improve the quality of life by partnering with communities world-
Stuff Your Chops.
Members of OSU Engineers Without Borders help villages in Honduras obtain clean drinking water: Austin Burton (back row, left), Brian Lewis, Nathan Muschinske, Amelia Wilson, Daniel Riddle; Eric Lam (front row, left), and David Pitcher.
wide to implement sustainable engineering projects. The OSU-EWB group is partnered with the Tulsa professional chapter of EWB.
“Engineering students aren’t the only ones in the group,” Weckler said. “To educate and make the project as successful as it can be, we need all sorts of majors like elementary education, plant and soil sciences, even agricultural communications students. Having people who speak Spanish would be extremely helpful.”
Last year, students created a shanty-town on the library lawn to demonstrate living on $2 a day to raise awareness and funds, Weckler added.
“OSU-EWB is not a group you can just float by or stick on your résumé,” Burton said. “Every member is involved with the project, but we have a blast!”
OSU-EWB is a way for students to experience the world and make a difference while traveling, Burton added.
“OSU-EWB gives students the opportunity to travel abroad and use their skills to serve those in need of clean water, sanitation and energy,” Burton said. “It gives students the chance to work toward an end greater than themselves. To use one’s knowledge, skills and energy to help other human beings is extremely rewarding.”
Emily Grundy grew up in Ft. Worth, Texas, and will enter the event planning and photography industries after graduation.
WECKLER
Shufran, OSU entomology educational outreach coordinator. “It’s not intended to be locked away and carefully preserved so the public can’t see it. For us, this will take the outreach program and [the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources] to the next level.”
Purchased from a private collector, the collection traveled from New York to Stillwater, Okla., during the summer of 2010. The seller, who wishes to remain anonymous, spent more than 50 years collecting the insects, Shufran said.
“[The department] purchased the collection for less then a third of its true dollar value,” Shufran said. “The actual value was estimated at $350,000 to $400,000, but [DASNR] purchased it for $110,000.”
The price of the collection was worth it, said Phillip Mulder Jr., OSU entomology and plant
an important role in both teaching and research, Mulder said.
“The collection has so many different types of insects, from every single part of the world,” said Xandra Robideau, an entomology senior. “It will really broaden people’s perspectives on what exactly an insect is, how big it can get, and how pretty it can be.”
Portions of the collection are available for viewing at the Insect Adventure, outside the main office of the entomology and plant pathology department in the Noble Research Center, and with the Insect Adventure mobile classroom.
“There is only so much you can learn from looking at a picture [of an insect] in a book,” Robideau said. “Seeing [the collection] in real life is just incredible.”
ALCALA
1. These Jewel beetles were pinned by the private individual who sold the insect collection.
2. Sophia Bonjour, Stillwater High School senior and concurrently enrolled OSU student, examines a rhinoceros beetle.
3. Insect Adventure student workers pin insects for display.
4. Insects from around the world can be found in the OSU Insect Collection.
5. Phillip Mulder and Andrine Shufran admire part of the collection housed in the Noble Research Center.
6. Joseph Kellum, senior animal science production major, views a box of insects.
7. Pinned Hercules beetles are on display at the Insect Adventure.
8. The entomology case is open for viewing on the first floor of the Noble Research Center.
Mitchell Alcala developed his love for agriculture on his family’s beef operation in Shell Knob, Mo. As a photojournalist, Alcala intends to teach the world about agriculture through his images. 3 4 8 7 6 5
E perience theExchange x
WWhile American students may begin college hoping to study abroad during their academic career, few realize how many students abroad hope for the same opportunity.
To study abroad at another university, experience another culture, and learn a new language is now a reality for students across the globe.
The U.S.-Brazil Higher Education Consortia Program established an agreement with Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and Okmulgee, the University of Arkansas, the Universidade Estadual Paulista – Campus de Botucatu, and the Universidade Estadual de Londrina.
“I was a little reluctant to become involved in the exchange program because I didn’t know what it would entail,” said Jim Stiegler, previous plant and soil sciences department head and initial exchange director for the OSU-Stillwater campus. “Once I got into the project, it became clear it offered great opportunities for students.”
Stiegler said he knew the program would benefit students in the plant and soil sciences department because it focused on global bioenergy production. This project would give them
the chance to travel abroad, experience being an international student, learn about a different culture, and study agriculture production methods, he said.
“The fact that Brazil is a leader in the production of ethanol from sugar cane and OSU is a leading research university in cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass made it an ideal fit,” Stiegler said. “Many OSU agricultural students have hardly traveled outside of Oklahoma, much less to a foreign country.”
The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, supports an exchange of American students between universities and provides each student with a $3,500 stipend they can use to fund travel, tuition and housing.
A similar Brazilian grant funds the exchange for their students.
The grant allows the exchange students to study bioenergy production beyond their home country’s borders, Stiegler said. Students from both countries receive a cultural and informa-
Above:Travis Collier, OSU agricultural leadership alumnus, participated in the exchange during summer 2009. While in Brazil, students gained first-hand knowledge of production agriculture. Opposite Page: Romulo Lollato, OSU plant and soil sciences master’s student, plants winter wheat at OSU’s Agronomy Farm as part of his curriculum. Lollato participated in the 2008 exchange.
tional exchange unlike other short-term studyabroad experiences, he added.
The first OSU students to participate in the exchange spent 10 weeks in the summer of 2008 studying in Brazil. They took short courses taught by Brazilian professors about Brazilian agriculture, economics and history. The experience also included learning in the field and sugar cane factories about biofuel production.
“The exchange pushed me as a person because I was living on a different continent, speaking another language in an entirely different culture,” said Paula Smithheisler, an OSU agricultural economics senior with a Spanish minor. “Having this experience changed my daily outlook on life.”
Smithheisler said she always wanted to study abroad and this experience helped start her international travels. She has continued by studying in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.
“Not only do I understand other cultures better, but also I understand their agricultural customs,” Smithheisler said.
While in Brazil, U.S. students live with Brazilian students, giving the Americans an opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and develop international friendships. Michael Reinert, an OSU plant and soil sciences master’s student, attended the exchange in summer 2009 during his undergraduate career.
During the exchange, Reinert spent three weeks with a host family. Their son, Renan Carvalhal, then came to OSU and interned in fall 2010 in the plant and soil sciences department and lived with Reinert.
“How many people do you know who visit another country, have a host family, and a year later get the opportunity to repay the favor?” Reinert said. “It has opened my eyes to be more culturally aware and not judge others so quickly.
“Before I went to Brazil, I believed if you are in America, you better speak our language,” Reinert added. “Now, having gone to a foreign country and not being able to understand the language very well, I can easily understand why it is difficult. [Thinking about] it actually makes me smile because it brings back memories.”
Through the exchange, Brazilian students learn about OSU and the opportunities in Oklahoma. Not only do these students participate in the exchange, but also they tell their friends about the opportunities available here, Reinert said.
As Brazilians have learned about OSU through the exchange, they have used their own financial resources to return for internships and master’s degrees. In fact, more than 20 Brazilian students attended the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in the fall 2010
semester through the exchange, internships and master’s programs.
While the exchange originated in OSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, it now includes students from multiple OSU CASNR departments: agricultural economics; agricultural education, communications and leadership; and animal science; as well as the Food and Agricultural Products Center, Stiegler said.
“I knew some students who came to OSU on the exchange and talked to them when I became interested,” said Caio Tozo, an agronomy junior at the Universidade Estadual Paulista – Campus de Botucatu, Brazil. “I could choose the university I wanted to attend and heard the agricultural program is strong [at OSU].”
for my master’s. It’s a great university, a great life experience, and great for my career.
“The cultural exchange is one of the most important things about the program,” Lollato said. “You make lifetime friendships with people from other places.”
It has opened my eyes to be more culturally aware and not judge others so quickly.
Lollato joined the Agronomy Club during his exchange experience and was able to attend the annual meeting for the American Society of Agronomy with other graduate students. He said he would strongly recommend it to future exchange participants.
– Michael Reinert
Tozo said he lived in OSU’s Kerr Residence Hall with a student from Vietnam.
“It is a good experience because I am experiencing the dynamics of another university, student life, agriculture and culture,” Tozo said.
The exchange impacts some Brazilian students enough to return and enroll in a master’s program, Stiegler said. By networking with professors while here on the exchange, they see opportunities to return for their master’s through scholarships offered from OSU professors.
“The exchange program opened plenty of doors for me,” said Romulo Lollato, a first-year exchange participant from the Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Brazil, and a current plant and soil sciences master’s student at OSU. “I couldn’t miss the opportunity to come back here
Jeff Hattey, the current OSU-Stillwater exchange program coordinator and the Dillon and Lois Hodges Professor of International Agriculture, said the exchange is impactful because it provides opportunities to interact with students around the globe, see other cultures, and witness their challenges. It also impacts CASNR by opening doors for new students in its departments, he said.
“The exchange has been a great way to recruit for our graduate programs at Oklahoma State,” Hattey said. “Many of these students become involved in our research programs and enhance these programs by becoming part of our research priority of the land-grant mission.”
Hattey also mentioned the exchange has increased interaction among faculty from multiple institutions. Faculty members have the opportunity to view production systems from around the world and see how different cultures define bioenergy, Hattey said.
Chad Penn, assistant professor of soil and environmental chemistry, advised one Brazilian intern during his time at OSU. The student, Samuel Zoca, wanted to continue working with Penn for his master’s degree, Penn said.
When Zoca returned to Brazil to complete his master’s, Penn applied to become an adjunct faculty member and a co-adviser at the Universidade Estadual Paulista – Campus de Botucatu. To be accepted into the program, an applicant has to show involvement at the university, Penn said.
To complete this requirement, Penn traveled to Brazil in July 2010 and taught a condensed version of his soil and environmental chemistry class while visiting Zoca’s research. He also toured coffee plantations and sugar mills.
“Their attitudes about bioenergy are different,” Penn said. “One hundred percent of their gasoline contains ethanol, and they produce it right there. We think it is new and cutting edge, but for them, it’s just a part of daily life.”
While participating in the exchange directly impacts OSU students and faculty, OSU students working with Brazilian students in OSU labs and research stations receive a cultural exchange, as well, Hattey said.
“I’ve never been abroad and am learning about a totally different world I never really knew about without the Brazilians,” said Casey Andrews, a plant and soil sciences graduate student. “I like to ask a lot of questions and learn what their lifestyle is like. I just want to learn as much as I can about their culture.”
With Brazil ranking No. 2 in world production of soybeans, American students on the exchange learn different production practices during field days.
The exchange is impacting CASNR and opening doors for its students, Hattey said. He said he hopes students come away realizing OSU’s unique concepts, like its land-grant mission, which aren’t necessarily true for the rest of the world.
“Students should participate in the exchange because most students who go on an exchange program or study abroad come back with an entirely different perspective of who they are, what is important, and the opportunities that are avail-
able to them,” Hattey said. “It certainly allows them to have a different context to understand the world.”
Stephanie Bowen of Newcastle, Okla., rides and shows Quarter horses at the state level. She plans to begin a career in public relations after graduation in May 2011.
United States, Brazil Agricultural Trade Impacts
As one of the world leaders in agricultural production, Brazil contributes to the United States’ imports and exports with more than $6.2 billion in trade between the countries annually. Brazil’s largest production crops and exports include coffee, sugar and frozen concentrate orange juice.
• Brazilian Agricultural Production: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus, beef, pork, poultry and cotton
• Major Brazilian Agricultural Exports: beef, pork, poultry, oilseeds, sugar, coffee, tobacco, cotton, frozen concentrated orange juice and corn
• Major U.S. Agricultural Exports to Brazil: wheat, consumer-ready products, cotton, intermediate products, feeds and fodder, sugars and sweeteners, and dairy products
Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
During the summer 2009 exchange, OSU students experienced hands-on sugar cane harvest in Brazil while learning about bioenergy production.
1 C!.-fleyoar tastebads
TThe sun sets slowly over the Jamaican Island, filling the sky with deep red and orange while dinner is served.
As people gather to enjoy a fine meal, their faces illuminate with each bite. Sparks of delightful flavor tickle their tastebuds, and smiles fill their faces. A unique taste overwhelms people with bliss. The deep colors enhance with each passing bite, and they yearn for the next taste.
This taste caught the attention of one woman, and one taste was all it took.
Suan Grant, a native Oklahoman, said she fell in love with the Scotch Bonnet Pepper the first moment she tasted it. While living in Jamaica for four years working for Project Hope, she tried numerous dishes cooked with the infamous Jamaican pepper.
“Jamaica is known for foods seasoned with the Scotch Bonnet Pepper, and it is used in many of the traditional dishes,” Grant said.
Numerous dishes filled with this pepper gave Grant the idea to bring this taste to Oklahoma in the form of Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly.
Through attending an Oklahoma State University seminar at the Food and Agricultural Products Center titled “Basic Food Entrepreneur,” Grant’s goal of producing Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly got off to a running start.
“Suan was always very focused and motivated
when we worked with her,” said Darren Scott, FAPC food scientist and sensory specialist. “She would take the suggestions we made and act on them. Her self-motivation and commitment has played a large part in the success she has had with her jelly.”
After the first seminar and many other training sessions, Grant said, OSU helped her gain her foothold into the food industry. She said everyone at FAPC was wonderful as they helped her achieve her goal of producing jelly.
“It’s a huge investment, not only in money but also in time and skills,” Grant said. “It’s kind of scary as you are discovering if people really do like your product.”
Erin Johnson, the client coordinator for FAPC, said the center’s main goal is to teach its clients the best and most important skills they need to produce their products. She said it is vital they know how everything works before their product is put on the shelf.
“Many more aspects of developing a product were discussed than I realized were possible,” Grant said. “It was a huge help and a push in the right direction. I am grateful for FAPC’s help.”
According to FAPC, its staff keeps its clients up-to-date with cutting-edge technology and numerous educational programs.
Through FAPC, Grant said OSU not only
helps students but community members as well. The encouragement from the personnel helped her to continue moving forward, she said.
“FAPC mostly benefits the community members, rather than students,” said Mandy Gross, the FAPC communications services manager. “That is why we have such intense training for members of the community.”
Grant said with the support, encouragement and training from everyone at FAPC, she felt at home and more comfortable with producing her product on a greater scale. She said this greater scale takes cooking to a different level, a level beyond cooking for her family, which she has always loved to do.
Cooking for her family was how her dream started. At 8 years old, she was in charge of cooking breakfast for her mother and brother after her father died, she said.
“While my mom and brother were milking the dairy cows every morning, it was my job to ensure breakfast was prepared,” Grant said. “My worst cooking experience was trying to make pancakes the first time. They tasted horrible, but I’ve come a long way since then.”
Moving forward with her jump into the food industry, she went from cooking for her family with ingredients calling for one cup of sugar to ingredients calling for 150 pounds of sugar. She
said she was grateful the FAPC team was there to help her.
“Everyone from top to bottom helped develop my product, and I could not have done it without them,” Grant said. “They even helped me with nutritional information and labeling.”
Grant said FAPC was willing to help in any way possible, including letting her cook in their kitchen from September 2009 to May 2010. This type of hospitality enhances the way people look at OSU and the passion the university has for people, she said.
“We want to do as much as we can for our
• 8 pears
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 vanilla bean
• ½ cup Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly
clients, including helping them find places to sell their product,” Johnson said. “Suan started selling her jelly in Bricktown, and then we took her to a tradeshow where she was introduced to Alan Mills, the president and chief strategy officer of Reasor’s Foods.”
Johnson said Grant now hopes to sell her Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly on a regular basis at Reasor’s Foods in northeast Oklahoma. Considering her product is different from a lot of items sold at regular supermarkets, Reasor’s is a great place for her gourmet item to be sold, she said.
Not only is Grant selling her Scotch Bonnet
Pepper Jelly on a regular basis at places like the Bricktown Emporium in downtown Oklahoma City, but also she has developed a variety of different recipes allowing her customers to diversify her jelly’s use.
“One of my favorite recipes is when I make my infamous chicken by mixing my pepper jelly with Dijon mustard to give it a different flavor,” Grant said. “Everyone seems to enjoy it.”
Moments like these bring her joy when making and bottling her jelly for everyone to savor, she said.
Grant said FAPC is one of OSU’s best-kept secrets. The assistance it has provided her, not only making her jelly but also discovering places to sell it, has been an enormous help, she said.
“OSU has many excellent research, extension and academic programs, so we’re in very good company,” Scott said. “With each client we help, whether they are an established company or an entrepreneur, FAPC and our client’s products become a little more well-known. So it’s just a matter of time.”
Now, thanks to Suan Grant and FAPC, Oklahomans can enjoy the Jamaican sun with each taste in their next feast.
Ashley Willis
grew up in Kingfisher, Okla. She is majoring in agricultural communications and minoring in religious studies. She plans to become involved with ministry opportunities both inside and outside of the United States.
Melt Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly over low heat. Add one stick cinnamon, zest of lemon and one vanilla bean. Peel pears without removing stems, placing in a deep saucepan. In saucepan of melted Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly, add wine, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, vanilla bean and enough water to cover pears. Pour over pears and simmer very slowly until just tender (10 to 20 minutes). Remove pears carefully to a serving dish, rapidly boil down liquid to about one cup, pour over pears and serve cool to cold topped with whipped cream. These pears will be spicy; you may reduce the “heat” by reducing the jelly in half or increase the “heat” by increasing the amount of jelly used.
For more recipes, visit www.suansfoods.com.
Suan Grant sells her Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly among other Made in Oklahoma items at the Oklahoma’s Red Dirt Emporium in downtown Oklahoma City.
OpenSesame
Ancient crop brings diversity to Oklahoma farmers
OOpen Sesame! As the door opens, the mist clears. This door, however, does not open to a vast fortune or to a magical genie. Instead, this door is opening for sesame in Oklahoma.
“Sesame is grown worldwide, primarily in Africa and Asia,” said Joe Armstrong, plant and soil sciences assistant professor and weed science specialist for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. “However, it has been grown in the
United States for the last couple of decades, and it is fairly well adapted to Oklahoma’s climate.”
Sesame acres started to expand in Oklahoma in the early to mid-1990s, said Chad Godsey, plant and soil sciences assistant professor and OCES cropping systems specialist.
“However, at the time, the genetics were below par in sesame,” Godsey said. “When the plant would start to mature, the pods would easily
shatter causing the seed to end up on the ground before farmers were able to harvest the crop. A lot of producers were pushed away from planting and growing sesame.”
Hence the famous phrase “open sesame,” which you might recognize from the movie “Arabian Nights.” It reflects the characteristic of the sesame pod because it shatters open when it reaches maturity.
“Genetic improvement within the last decade has made sesame more shatter resistant, and we have started to see increased interest in the crop,” Godsey said.
Sesame works well in a double crop situation or behind a failed wheat crop, Godsey said. The heat-tolerant crop fits well in all parts of Oklahoma, especially in western Oklahoma where the temperature can rise well into the hundreds, he said.
“Sesame is a very good fit for crop rotation,” Armstrong said.
Typically in southwest Oklahoma, farmers do not get enough rain for corn to be successful and it usually gets too hot and dry for soybean to produce a good crop, said Jimmy Kinder, owner of Kinder Farms in Walters, Okla.
“Sesame is fairly drought tolerant due to its nature and will produce fairly consistent yields in Oklahoma,” Armstrong said.
Sesame can be grown using the same equipment used for growing wheat. It grows well in narrow rows and also does well in no-till production systems, Kinder said. Its versatility provides a great candidate for crop rotation, he said.
“It is a fairly low-cost crop to produce and has low fertilizer requirements,” Kinder said. “It needs very little water and a lot of sunshine, which we have.”
The market is good for the sesame crop in Oklahoma, Kinder said. Sesaco, a company working in all phases of commercialization of sesame, is willing to give producers a good contract price for it and an act-of-God contract. This allows the buyer to default if the property is damaged by a natural disaster, he said.
“Sescaco is willing to buy all the production of sesame,” Kinder said. “If it happens to be a bad
year and a crop is destroyed or doesn’t produce as expected, Sesaco does not require a producer to compensate for the crop he couldn’t produce.”
Farmers can plant sesame from the beginning of May until the end of June, Kinder said.
“Sesame is around 32 to 34 cents a pound to contract and sell, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable in a year like this for a producer to raise 1,000 pounds of sesame per acre,” Armstrong said. “The net return is good on sesame, and it is a fairly lucrative crop.”
The bigger benefit sesame offers as a new rotational crop is the chance to break some of the pest cycles producers might see when growing a continuous crop like wheat, Armstrong said. Sesame allows producers to work in a new broadleaf crop and use some different herbicides to eliminate some of the grass weeds that are a large problem, he said.
“I am a long-time no-till farmer who wants to rotate crops that are not grass crops or cereal crops,” Kinder said. “I try to rotate to some of the broadleaf crops like sesame, because if you rotate a grass crop to another grass crop, you do not get the full benefit of a rotation and are not able to get rid of diseases that are similar in grass crops.”
The diversity of the crop type helps to reduce diseases, weeds and pests, Kinder said.
OSU’s involvement in sesame production
started a couple years ago when Armstrong was approached to do a small weed control study in sesame because of the limited number of herbicides labeled for sesame.
Weeds can definitely be a concern, Kinder said. His fields are fairly clean, and he did not have much broadleaf pressure in his fields, he said. However, he also said he can see where weeds can be a problem if a field has a history of issues with broadleaf weeds.
“Sesame grows slowly initially, allowing weeds to grow up in between the crop rows until it is able to form a canopy,” Armstrong said. “That is why it is very important to use preemergence herbicides to protect the crop from the early season weeds.”
A good stand will be competitive with the weeds and will not allow as many weeds to grow successfully, Kinder said.
“Sesame has been something new we tried and had very good luck in 2010,” Kinder said. “We plan on planting sesame again in 2011.”
Caleb Wilds grew up on a farm near El Reno, Okla. After livestock judging for two years at a junior college, he transferred to OSU to pursue a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications.
Above: Sesame grows well in Oklahoma’s climate. Opposite Page: Chad Godsey (left) and Joe Armstrong, check sesame seeds for planting depth.
Whitetail farming comes to the High Plains
WWhile cattle remain the nation’s leading livestock industry, a new breed of livestock is arriving, and it is beginning to turn some heads.
The Oklahoma State University Farmed Whitetail Deer Program has developed its first noncredit certification program in farmed whitetail management.
“In a way, it is similar to the people who started the cattle industry,” said Lyndee Strader, program manager for the Farmed Whitetail Deer Program. “The main difference is that it is a new livestock industry many people are just now learning about.”
Oklahoma has more than 220 licensed deer farms, an increase from 122 in 2007. As the state has steadily increased its whitetail operation numbers, OSU saw it was imperative to get a program underway for helping educate future whitetail farmers.
Strader said Rep. Dan Boren served as a key player in getting the program kicked off with OSU. He pulled for funding of the Farmed Whitetail Deer Program and received a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The program’s first classes were offered in spring 2010, and seven potential producers completed the certification program. The second course had 11 certification graduates and included a series of four classes on Saturdays during September and October 2010.
“I expect to see 15 to 20 in-state potential producers enroll in the program each year,” said Eric DeVuyst, agricultural economics associate professor. “People are trying to find another high-value agricultural product. With this new program, I expect this number to remain steady.”
DeVuyst leads the economics portion of the Farmed Whitetail Deer Program through a software program named Deer Calc. He teaches potential producers how to analyze their investments in livestock and facilities as well as annual cash flow and profitability analysis.
“After spending time in the classroom discussing various issues about getting your program started, the classes traveled to different whitetail farms where instructors demonstrated different techniques, such as safe capture and handling whitetails,” Strader said.
Oklahoma deer producer David McQuaig, owner and operator of Cougar Ridge Whitetails in Adair, Okla., spoke about his experience in the whitetail breeding and hunting industry during a class seminar in October 2010.
“My main goal is to try and give my audience as much knowledge as possible and give them some direction in this business,” McQuaig said. “I don’t want them to make the same mistakes that I made years ago, so I want to educate them about just what they’re really getting into.”
Like getting started with any business, entrepreneurs can expect to have overhead costs when they begin, DeVuyst said.
“People need to realize getting into this business is a large initial investment,” DeVuyst said. “You are going to have at least three to five years of negative cash flow before you begin seeing any positive cash flow.”
Depending on how big an operation is, McQuaig said, the overhead costs could vary but could include land, high-fence materials, feed, vaccinations and facilities.
Questions pertaining to economics and health were only a few topics discussed by potential producers enrolled in the Farmed Whitetail Deer Program last fall. Some had never been around whitetail deer and said they attended simply to learn more about the species.
“I know nothing about this industry, but I am very interested in looking for knowledge,” said Laura Jacobson, an OSU veterinarian student. “After I took a program flier home to my husband, we began talking it over as a possible future career choice.”
Through the new program, potential producers will learn everything it takes to begin
During spring and summer months, whitetail deer carry a thinner, red-accented coat.The bucks grow a new set of horns every summer, and fawns typically lose spots when gaining their first winter coat.
their own whitetail operation, whether it is for hunting or breeding purposes, McQuaig said.
“You have to have a business plan, set goals and achieve those goals like any other business,” McQuaig said. “Since you’re looking at three to five years before seeing any income into your business, you have to make all the right moves.
“It’s not about how many deer you have, but the quality of deer you have,” he said. “I tell people to buy one or two really good ones, and then go from there.”
In addition to McQuaig, other whitetail experts spoke during the classes to elaborate on the economics and business issues of farming whitetails, Strader said.
“Today’s ag kids who want to focus on keeping their family’s agricultural background might want to look into raising whitetail deer,” Strader said. “It is a growing livestock industry, and now is the time to join.”
Whitetail operations typically feed a 16-percent ration, consisting of corn, molasses and other protein producing ingredients.
Kaleb Summers of Claremore, Okla., competed in steer wrestling as a collegiate athlete for four years. Summers will pursue a broadcasting career in the hunting and fishing industries.
FFarmer Pete creates the atmosphere as he sits around a five-foot-wide cheeseburger with excited elementary students. Images of cows grazing in the pasture and the big red barn in the background give these youngsters the feeling of actually being on the farm.
Farmer Pete’s Cheeseburger Farm is the first stop on a special Oklahoma youth adventure: Farm to You. This award-winning, interactive exhibit educates students about agriculture, food and health.
“It is very important to teach Oklahoma children how to make healthy choices in order to have a healthy life,” said Diana Romano, nutrition exhibit coordinator for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. “The interactive exhibit teaches them how to make healthy choices in a fun way.”
Major health concerns involving obesity and limited physical activity among Oklahoma’s youth call for an interactive educational program, Romano said. Farm to You teaches students the skills and choices for a healthy lifestyle. Kindergarten through sixth-grade students learn about the link between agriculture, nutrition, good hygiene practices and physical activity, Romano said.
“We are working to address major health concerns of youth in Oklahoma such as high
prevalence of dental decay, increasing rates of overweight and obesity, limited physical activity, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, and high rate of smoking among adolescents and teens,” Romano said.
Gathered around the giant cheeseburger, the students enjoy the story of how each of the cheeseburger’s ingredients is produced on Pete’s farm. Farmer Pete raises dairy and beef cattle, wheat, fruits and vegetables – all the food needed for a tasty cheeseburger.
The students continue their journey to the Market and the Healthy Cool Cafe where they learn to read nutrition labels and make healthy food choices.
“It was exciting to hear all the students talking about healthy foods,” said Jan Strickler, a teacher at Will Rogers Elementary in Stillwater, Okla.
giant teeth inside a giant mouth and learning about healthy foods that promote healthy teeth,” Strickler said.
As they continue down the path of digestion, students walk through the stomach where they learn to “listen to their stomach” and eat proper amounts of food.
Next, the students take the winding trip through the intestine. Rubber tassels hanging from the ceiling and walls represent the villi –tiny hair that absorbs the nutrients and transports them into the blood for the rest of the body, as described by the Farm to You family newsletter.
Students then put their muscles to work using exercise bands to learn how exercise is important for strong muscles. In addition, they learn how calcium is important for building strong bones.
Farm to You is so successful because children by nature are interested in farms, animals and growing things. They are curious.
– Jan Strickler
At the exhibit’s nine stations, the students learn how each of the compartments in the body needs healthy food. They begin in an oversized mouth to learn the importance of brushing daily and staying tobacco free.
“The students’ favorite part is sitting on the
In the students’ final station, a glowing black light exposes the germs and bacteria carried on the skin of students’ hands. This portion of the exhibit stresses how important frequent hand washing and sunscreen are for healthy skin.
“The main goal of the exhibit is to provide education for kids in a fun, interactive way,” Ro-
ALCALA
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mano said. “This makes it easier for children to understand and pay attention because they are engaged in activities. The idea is that after going through the exhibit, the students will modify their habits and make healthier choices.”
Since the exhibit started in 2008, it has visited 55 Oklahoma counties, and more than 38,500 students have experienced it. The exhibit has been to elementary schools, summer camps, health fairs and county fairs.
The exhibit is offered to schools at no cost, so the exhibit is constantly getting booked at new and returning schools throughout the year, Romano said. With tightened educational budgets, the schools do not have the funds for field trips so it is better the exhibit goes to them.
“When I visit the schools, even the teachers and parents are amazed with the information and the way we teach it,” Romano said. “They always learn something new, and they think it is a good idea to have it interactive so the kids learn easier.”
The educational purpose of the exhibit does not stop with the students but continues to the parents. A family newsletter is given to students to take home for their parents.
“Teachers agree students enjoy the experience and remember specific facts about Farm to You, but follow up is important,” Strickler said.
The newsletter shares what the student learned, encourages parents to keep educating their son or daughter about health and nutrition, as well as teaches parents a few things along the way, Romano said.
“It has a positive effect because we are teaching children about agriculture and health, and the idea is when they go home they share this with the family,” Romano said.
The interactive exhibit was a three-year thought process within the nutritional sciences department at OSU. Other states had similar exhibits, but this exhibit needed to target the health issues Oklahoma children face today, Romano said. After Deana Hildebrand, nutritional sciences assistant professor, developed the concept of the exhibit, the next step was to find the funding for it.
The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service provided the financial support for the Farm toYou exhibit, along with help from multiple collaborating partners, including Oklahoma 4-H; the Oklahoma State University Department of Nutritional Sciences; the Oklahoma Department of Health: Women, Infants and Children; and Southwest Dairy Farmers.
As a registered dietitian, Romano said she was anxious to jump on board.
“I applied for this job because it sounded like a lot of fun,” Romano said. “I enjoy being around kids and teaching about nutrition and health.”
The exhibit will continue to visit schools as long as a demand exists for it and until it reaches all the corners of rural and urban Oklahoma, said James Trapp, associate director of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
“The Farm to You exhibit is one of the most successful programs we have initiated, and it shows by the increasing demand for the exhibit and the repeating requests from several schools,” Trapp said.
According to Farm to You, student evaluations show 60 percent of students have practiced the nutritional behaviors taught by Farm to You and 40 percent have had a significant change in their behaviors.
“Farm to You is so successful because children by nature are interested in farms, animals and growing things,” Strickler said. “They are curious. Farm to You makes learning fun."
Amanda Lanning
grew up on a small ranch in Ft. Lupton, Colo. She plans to pursue a communications career in the animal science industry after graduation.
Students from Beggs Elementary School take part in the hands-on learning experience. Through Farm to You, students grasp the importance of eating and living healthy.
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Farm to You
Farm toYou is the best in Oklahoma health promotion, according to the Champions of Health.
The Farm to You exhibit received the 2010 Children’s Health Champion and the Dr. Rodney Huey Memorial Champion of Oklahoma Health awards – the highest honor of the Champions of Health awards.
The Oklahoma County Extension Service received a $10,000 grant for the exhibit for be-
ing the overall winner. Having this award will help schools’ interest in the program, and more potential sponsors will hear about the exhibit, said Diana Romano, nutrition exhibit coordinator for the OCES.
“It was very nice to hear the program got this award because we have worked hard to make it successful,” Romano said. “Having this award means we are doing something right.”
Teachers and administrators are proud to have this program in their schools, Ramano said. Hopefully, it will gain national attention and share the idea with other states, she added.
“It makes me proud to be working with such a wonderful program,” Romano said.
To learn more about the Farm to You program, visit farmtoyou.okstate.edu.
— Amanda Lanning
Payne County
SUCCESS IS
LEGACY
For MALINDA BERRYFISCHER,passion for what's best for OSU is an inherited trait. Her namesake grandmother, Malinda Blanche Wise Diggs, graduated from Oklahoma A&M College in 1898, becoming its second alumna and a president of the Alumni Association. Diggs successfully fought to keep the university's original building, Old Central, from demolition to preserve a time-honored OSU legacy. Both Fischer's parents went to OSU, as have more than 50 of her other relatives over five generations. After graduating from OSU 50 years ago, Fischer earned a Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration degree and spent three decades on the east coast before returning to Stillwater in 1995 to run the family business and give back to her beloved university and community.
YOUR GIFT CAN INSPIRE THIS BRAND OF LEGACY.
CAMPAIGN FOR OSU.
BRIDGING THE
Oklahoma Beef Council, OSU join forces on new professorship
OOklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Beef Council have joined forces to meet the demand for graduates trained in animal behavior and well-being.
“A select few universities study [animal behavior and well-being], and we are trying to have one of the best programs offered,” said Ron Kensinger, animal science department head.
The cooperative effort includes a $250,000 donation by OBC to help fund OSU’s new endowed professorship in honor of animal behavior and autistic expert Temple Grandin.
While on campus during the announcement of the new professorship, Grandin said during the last several years, the need for individuals trained in animal behavior and well-being has increased drastically in these industries.
“Handling makes a difference,” Grandin said. “If you get calves squealing and freaking out, it makes meat quality go down, not helping the farmer in the long-run.”
Oklahoma is ranked in the top five cattle producing states in the country.
“We are privileged to have visionary leaders at the Oklahoma Beef Council who realize the
importance of animal care and handling through science-based research,” said Heather Buckmaster-Shulte, OBC executive director.
The donation from the OBC will be matched by the OSU’s Foundation’s Branding Success campaign and by the Oklahoma legislature, bringing the contribution to $750,000.
“This professorship is a good opportunity to showcase the animal science department,” Kens-
inger said. “I want to hire someone who eats, sleeps and breathes the curriculum.”
The research and teaching completed by the faculty member in this position will complement existing OSU animal science programs in animal health, animal management, immunology and human-animal interactions.
This position will guarantee OSU can educate the next generation of researchers to proliferate the work Grandin started, Kensinger said.
“We have been wanting to do this for sometime,” Kensinger said. “This professorship is a great start.”
The animal science department has three funded professorships and five additional ones in progress, including the Dennis and Martha White Endowed Chair Professorship, the Joe and Lynn Hughes Endowed Professorship, and the George Chiga Animal Science Endowed Professorship.
Kensinger said he hopes to have all eight positions filled by 2012. He said OSU requires an individual in an endowed professorship to be hired as an associate professor or full professor.
At most universities, only full professors can have endowed chair positions, Kensinger said.
“Generally, there is not enough funding to hire someone off the bat who is at that level,” Kensinger said. “So, we typically receive enough to hire an assistant professor who can fully take over the professorship once they earn tenure.”
After faculty reach tenure, they are re-evaluated to see if they are qualified to take the professorship position, Kensinger said.
“The process of an endowed professorship takes some time in most cases,” Kensinger said.
MEET TEMPLE GRANDIN
Diagnosed with autism in 1950 at age three, Temple Grandin received her Bachelor of Arts at Franklin Pierce College and her Master of Science in animal science at Arizona State University. After she received her doctorate in animal science from the University of Illinois, Grandin designed equipment for Corral Industries in Phoenix.
In 1975, she began her own company, Grandin Livestock Handling Systems. Currently, Grandin is a faculty member in the animal science department at Colorado State University where she continues her research on livestock handling and behavior.
She has won numerous awards, including being honored as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. A movie about her life story called “Temple Grandin” won five Emmy awards in 2010.
Temple Grandin addresses questions at OSU after the Oklahoma Beef Council announced its contribution to OSU for a new endowed chair professorship in animal science.
·GAP
“However, we are working hard to get the six [including Grandin’s professorship] we have in progress set in place in the near future.”
Grandin said she was surprised when asked if OSU could name the professorship after her and said she “immediately started thinking about who would be good for the new position.”
This professorship is about “bringing the practical world and the academic world together to improve animal behavior and welfare,” Grandin said. “It’s about bridging the gap between the researcher and the rancher.”
Students in the animal science department and throughout the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources recognize the impact Grandin has had on the livestock industry and were thrilled to see OSU realize it, as well.
“This professorship is a stepping stone to success for the animal science department,” said Jim Harris, an animal science senior who works at the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center. “I am excited to see how the intelligent students who attend OSU can take the knowledge they learn from Grandin’s work and the new professor in the position and use it in the industry.”
Dani Thompson grew up in Depew, Okla., raising and showing livestock. She will begin working as a sales representative.
HARPER
HARPER
HARPER
SSmall towns. Cities. Rural areas. Communities. Students and alumni of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources come from all walks of life, and they all come “home” in October.
With hard work and dedication, students and alumni use their talents to produce “America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration” at Oklahoma State University.
“Homecoming takes a lot of students’ time,” said Coltin Caraway, animal science sophomore from Mount Vernon, Texas. “But, it also teaches students to manage their time better so they do well in school.”
Each year, CASNR students assist with Harvest Carnival, Hester Street Painting, Walkaround, the Sea of Orange Parade and the Homecoming and Hoops spirit rally.
Preserving the tradition is a challenge with the rising costs of materials, said Kathryn Bolay-Staude, director of membership and marketing for the OSU Alumni Association. Each year, homecoming costs more than $200,000 to celebrate, she said.
“Preparation for homecoming is without a doubt hard work and time consuming,” said Trace Ford, agricultural leadership junior from Flower Mound, Texas. “The finished project is something that everyone involved can be proud of.”
Homecoming 2010: ‘Cowboy Nation’ drew a record crowd of more than 75,000 visitors, according to the OSU Alumni Association.
“Even though the weather was bad, I was surprised with how many loyal and true alumni and friends came back,” said Cameron Jones, CASNR Student Council president. “It made me feel proud to be a Cowboy during the greatest time of the year: homecoming.”
From metal construction work to pomping and glue, CASNR students and alumni contribute to Homecoming 2010: ‘Cowboy Nation’ (clockwise from top left): Blaine Bertrem and Wyatt Swinford; Coltin Caraway; Pistol Pete; Jacob Hudlow; Trace Ford; Jay Albright (left), Wes Watkins, Emma Watkins and Lou Watkins; Andrew Henry; Cody Cramer; Carson Horn
Amy Harper came to OSU from Spiro, Okla., to earn her bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications. Upon graduation, she plans to become a writer and professional photographer.
(left) and Haley Baumgardner; and Cameron Jones.
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Homecoming is a time to celebrate “everything OSU.” However, for the Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, it’s a time to honor outstanding alumni.
“Distinguished” alumni receive the honor based on their career accomplishments as well as involvement in their communities.
“Our alumni are an important part of the success and notoriety of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources,” said Robert E.Whitson, DASNR vice president, dean and director. “This award gives the division the opportunity to recognize alumni who have made significant contributions to society and have made outstanding accomplishments within their professions.”
DASNR selected Keith Kisling, Joe Schulte and Doug Tippens as the recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2010.
“This year’s honorees are great examples of the success and excellence that can come to our alumni through hard work and dedication,” Whitson said.
Keith Kisling Keith Kisling and agriculture have always gone hand in hand. He was raised on a farm in Burlington, Okla., which is where he developed his passion for agriculture.
“My family has always been about farming and agriculture,” Kisling said. “We don’t do anything else but farm. We are just dedicated to making the farm work.”
Kisling followed his dedication to the farm and attended OSU where he received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education in 1969. He then taught vocational agriculture for four years in Burlington, until he had the opportunity to purchase a neighbor’s land and expand his
farm. Kisling started with only 80 acres of land, but his operation has grown into a complete farm and ranch with three full-time employees.
With the expansion of his business, Kisling also had the opportunity to become involved in the agricultural community. Kisling currently serves on the board of directors for the U.S. Wheat Associates and as the chairman of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission.
Kisling has traveled to 17 countries to promote wheat production and Oklahoma wheat. Kisling said he attributes his time at OSU and the people he met during his undergraduate career for the opportunities presented to him.
“The people I met made a huge impact during my time at school,” Kisling said. “It is all about relationships. I know people who are the agricultural leaders today within the state who I went to school with.”
The National FFA Organization has recognized Kisling with an Honorary State FFA Degree as well as an Honorary American FFA Degree for his dedication to the agricultural industry. Kisling’s family is also involved in the agricultural community.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau recognized the Kisling family for their service in 2003 as the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year. They also recognized Kisling with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Agriculture Award.
Kisling said his first thought when he was selected was how great an honor it was to be selected, and he is humbled to be recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus for DASNR.
Kisling currently serves on the Governor’s Oklahoma Agriculture Hall of Fame search committee and on the Dean’s Advisory Council within DASNR.
In a state dominated by cattle and wheat production, horticulture is an important aspect of the agricultural industry. Joe Schulte is well aware of the need for horticulture in agriculture. He has used his passion for landscaping and ornamental horticulture to expand his business as well as to educate the public about different gardening and horticulture practices.
Schulte is the president and chief operating officer of Southwood Landscape and Nursery Co. of Tulsa, Okla. He co-founded the company in 1982, and it has grown into a full-service garden center and landscape design-build company. Schulte earned his bachelor’s degree in horticulture and landscape design in 1973 as well as a master’s degree in ornamental horticulture in 1975 at OSU.
Joe Schulte
COURTESY OF DASNR
“It has felt good to see the company grow and have steady growth from the beginning,” Schulte said. “It has happened exactly how I saw it in my mind.”
Schulte’s company has hosted the Tulsa Extension Master Gardeners, a program allowing volunteers to learn about consumer horticulture, on multiple occasions and has provided information for the development of the Linnaeus Garden, which is an educational teaching garden.
He supports OSU horticultural programs, including “Oklahoma Gardening,” student internships as well as departmental workshops on horticulture.
By serving as a board member and president of the Oklahoma Nursery and Landscape Association, Schulte has shown his leadership within the industry. He also has served on multiple committees for the American Nursery and Landscape Association.
Schulte is a past Horticulture Distinguished Alumni within CASNR. He said when he first discovered he was selected as a DASNR Distinguished Alumnus he felt honored, humbled and fortunate to be recognized by his alma mater.
Schulte said he enjoyed his time at OSU and professors and faculty have helped him to become so successful.
“The department was fairly small and all of the professors took an interest in the students,” Schulte said. “They were dynamic, interested and encouraging. They were good at sharing their knowledge with the students.”
Doug Tippens
Raised in western Oklahoma, Doug Tippens is aware of the importance of agriculture. However, he said his family also placed an importance on higher education, which is what led him to Oklahoma State University. Tippens earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from OSU in 1976. Tippens said being recognized as a distinguished alumnus is an extreme honor.
“I was humbled,” Tippens said. “It isn’t anything I thought would happen to me and to have an honor like this is overwhelming.”
Tippens currently serves as the president and chief executive officer of Bank of Commerce in Yukon, Okla., and is a past regional president at Gold Bank. He served as the chairman of the Oklahoma Bankers Association in 2004. Tippens said he owes a lot of his success to his education within the agricultural economics department.
“I really attribute my education to a part of my success, especially agricultural economics,” Tippens said. “It taught me to think and reason as well as problem solve. It helped me to succeed upon my graduation from OSU.”
Tippens said he has used his agricultural economics and his agricultural background to help finance production agriculture as a banker.
Tippens said his service, as a member of the board of regents, is a really important part of his political involvement, which began for him in 1986 when he served on the El Reno City Council. He served in this capacity until 1989, and then his political involvement continued on the Oklahoma State Banking Board, where he served from 1986 to 1992.
pens was selected as a regent and he served on the board until 1997.
Tippens said he had to learn how to work with others and how to understand others from across the desk. He said he had to learn the art of compromise to help his co-workers and clients.
Tippens now serves as a member on the Federal Reserve Board of Kansas City, Oklahoma City branch, and he is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council within DASNR.
In his last year on the banking board, Gov. David Walters nominated Tippens to serve on the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents, which Tippens said was a great honor. Tip-
Karolyn Bolay
grew up on a farm in Perry, Okla., where she was involved in 4-H. Upon graduation in May 2011, she plans to work for an agricultural organization to inform others about agriculture.
COURTESY OF DASNR
DASNR honors 25- and 50-year graduates
The Oklahoma State University Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Alumni Association Homecoming Barbecue always has provided an opportunity for alumni to visit with classmates and friends as well as to learn about changes within the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. At this year’s event, the association honored the 25-year graduates: Curtis Vap (left), Gene Seiter, Mike Frey, Karen Eifert Jones and Glade Presnal.
Cooper,
The Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Alumni Association honored the 50-year graduates at the annual homecoming barbecue. The 1960 graduates gathered together and shared memories of their time at OSU and within CASNR: Allen Burns (front row, left), Mike Brown, Jack Tow, Wes Watkins, Jack Lawson, Bob Gilland, Richard Hilbig; Eldon Mozingo (middle row, left), Robert Robbins, Donald Kinss, John Williams, Mark Ritchie, Verlin Hart; Bryon Jones (back row, left), Lowell
Al Bennett and Tom Yates.
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Winter/Spring 2011
CASNR names Stephens, Ferrell first Early Achievement Award recipients
Chris Stephens grew up in Chickasha, Okla., where he was a FFA member and southwest district vice president of Oklahoma FFA. While seeking his undergraduate degree in agricultural economics with minors in finance and political science, Stephens served as a CASNR ambassador and in multiple student clubs.
Stephens was recognized as a Truman Scholar, the first OSU student to receive the British Marshall Scholarship, the 1999 Outstanding Male Senior by the OSU Alumni Association, and the 1999 Outstanding Senior for CASNR.
In 1999, Stephens spent two years in England, earning his Master of Philosophy in land economy from the University of Cambridge and a Master of Science in comparative social policy from the University of Oxford. After graduation from Yale Law School, Stephens worked as a law clerk to Judge Robert H. Henry of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and at the Oklahoma City law firm of Crowe & Dunlevy. He is currently the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Stephens serves as the president of the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and is an active member of the Oklahoma Bar Association of Oklahoma County.
Shannon Ferrell is a native of Leedey, Okla., where his love of agriculture and passion for teaching began. As a young person, Ferrell was involved in the 4-H Youth Development Program, serving as state 4-H president and receiving the State 4-H Hall of Fame Award.
Upon graduation from high school, Ferrell enrolled as an agribusiness major. He was recognized as a Truman Scholar and a CASNR Outstanding Senior.
After completing a master’s degree in agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, he attended law school at Oklahoma City University, graduating summa cum laude. As an attorney he began practicing law for McKinney and Stringer. He then moved to Hall Estill Hardwick Gable Golden and Nelson as a founding member of their environmental practice group.
In the fall of 2007, Ferrell said he found his dream job and joined the agricultural economics faculty where he teaches agricultural law and facilitates a variety of extension programs.
His love of students and teaching is demonstrated through creative instructional strategies including the use of contemporary movies, rap lyrics and Red Sox baseball.
Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Alumni Association Board of Directors
John Cothren President Shawnee, Okla.
Kyle Hughbanks Vice President Alva, Okla.
Dana Bessinger Secretary Watonga, Okla.
Cheryl DeVuyst Executive Secretary Morrison, Okla.
Mechelle Hampton Tulsa, Okla.
Kent Gardner Oklahoma City, Okla. James Farrell Oklahoma City, Okla.
Coleman Hickman Jenks, Okla.
Don Roberts Enid, Okla.
Theresa Runyan Ardmore, Okla.
Wes Elliott Elk City, Okla.
Ken Spady Hinton, Okla.
Brian Vowell Stillwater, Okla.
Shannon Ferrell
Feeding and clothing the world ...
one farmer at a time.
Paul and Melinda Fruendt know a good root system is fundamental to their crops’ development. This understanding of the importance of roots is why the Fruendts are Oklahoma Farm Bureau members. Their ideas, and the ideas of farmers and ranchers from all 77 counties, are the foundation of Farm Bureau’s policy. Paul and Melinda know the importance of the grassroots decisions that will shape Oklahoma agriculture’s future. They know the importance of good roots.
