EXTENSION
XXII NII
COWBOY
JOURNAL
Editors
Lyndsey Harvey
Ellie Schmidgall
Managing Editor
Shelly Peper Sitton, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editors
Samantha Blackwell, Ph.D.
Dwayne Cartmell, Ph.D.
Ruth Inman, Ph.D.
Tanner Lopez, B.S.
Angel Riggs, Ph.D.
Quisto Settle, Ph.D.
Graphics and Photos Coordinators
Isabelle Barrett
Matt Staples
Fact Checkers
Sadie Raasch
Tia Rozell
Sponsorship Coordinator
Lucy Hodges
On the Cover
The New Frontiers campaign will create a new structure for future Ferguson College of Agriculture students, but the memories of Agricultural Hall will remain. Photo by Brittny Richards.
Staff
LD Brown
Austin Campbell
Taryn Campbell
Mckenzie Carvalho
Chesley Comstock
Kaly Cone
Bree Elliott
Tanna Frizzell
Carolyn Grantham
Aerial Hanna
Gunner Heath
Xinyu Liang
Lindsey Meyer
Rebekah Nash
Brittny Richards
Halie Runner
Ady VanDeburgh
Kennedy Webb
Karley Weems
Articles
6. One Family. One Vision.
10. Embarking on New Frontiers
15. Preparing for the Big Reveal
17. Our College. Our Family. Our Home.
18. Legacy
23. Agriculture is …
26. Beyond the Boots
28. Just Call Mary Ellen
30 Fostering Leaders
34 Bon Appétit
38. Collaborating Progress
43. A Lesson to Hold
46. Climbing the Ranks
50. A True Trailblazer
55. Project Sustainability
58. A Small Brown Invader
60. Aim High
64. Renewing Rural Oklahoma
68. A Journey of Success
activities, and/or admissions. For more information, visit https:///eeo.okstate.edu. This publication is printed and issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the Vice President of the Division of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at no cost to the taxpayers of Oklahoma.
when we developed a vision statement for this semester’s Cowboy Journal, little did we know how true this statement would become when the news broke OSU classes would transition to online. The entire staff clung to this vision through these unprecedented times, and we came together as a team to create a remarkable publication we will never forget.
The semester started with the excitement of a new college name and the unveiling of a plan for a new building for the college, the vision of completing our final undergraduate semester and planning to walk across the stage in May. However, the future quickly became one of the most uncertain times we have ever known.
“I’ve seen the staff of this issue of the Cowboy Journal step up,” said Matt Staples, Cowboy Journal staff member. “We don’t see each other as often and yet still work hard to keep the Journal on track. The best thing is how we wrote our vision statement before all of the craziness of social distancing. We talked about how in the midst of change being the best
In
and elite magazine is about the family. I have seen over and over the family working in the midst of change.”
In 20 years when we look back on this time, we will find we grew personally as well as professionally by enhancing our communications skills and overcoming problems virtually by talking them out with one another. Although this is not how we imagined our final semester at OSU, we can say we gained knowledge and lifelong skills from the experience.
By leaning on each other through hardships and supporting each other in our times of triumph, we have become a true family that accepts our differences and supports each other into the future.
Although we took different paths to get to the final chapter of our undergraduate experiences at Oklahoma State University and to create this volume of the Cowboy Journal, we will forever be bonded.
From the time we stepped into 404 Ag Hall, we were welcomed into a diverse family and one amazing community. Our bonds will last a lifetime as will those of the future generations
of agricultural communicators who travel through this program.
During the pandemic we have longed for the days to be on the fourth floor talking, hanging out and waiting to get into the computer lab. That place is one location anyone who has been a part of this program will know and cherish. A big thank you goes to all of the professors who pushed us to this point and never let us quit. We will forever remember the times we shared with you.
Looking into the future, we have no idea what the world might hold, but everyone who has been a part of our journey has prepared us for this moment. We can conquer anything that could possibly come into our paths as we welcome our new beginnings.
While we may not have taken the most conventional path to complete a Cowboy Journal, we made it.
BRITTNY RICHARDS
MUSKOGEE COUNTY OKLAHOMA
the midst of change, the vision and goal of the spring 2020 COWBOY JOURNAL team is to work collaboratively as one unit, capitalizing upon each other’s strengths and building confidence in our areas of weakness, to produce a CLEAN and ELITE publication that showcases the inspiring and impactful stories of our college’s FAMILY . As we progress into the future and welcome new beginnings, we will cling to and reflect largely on our roots to ensure we never forget the importance of what came before.
ONE FAMILY. ONE VISION.
Giving back to the roots of the Ferguson Family
Larry Ferguson was working at the dairy barn at Oklahoma State University one day when he saw a pretty girl walk in to punch her time card.
“I went to look at her time card to see who she was,” said Larry Ferguson, 1975 animal science alumnus and former CEO of Schreiber Foods. “I needed to know.”
The timecard read “Kay Helms” and he knew he wanted to know more about her, he said.
“Going home that night from work, I was walking in front of the mall on the backside of the library,” Larry Ferguson said. “I saw her walking to her dorm, and I said, ‘Hi, Kay.’”
He asked her on a date that night, and since then, the two have built a beautiful life together, dedicating their life to the growth and development of students, pastors and communities, Ferguson said.
The pair came from hard-working families with deep roots in the dairy industry, so a strong work ethic and dedication is in their blood, said Kayleen Ferguson.
The two of them worked their way through college by working at the dairy barn, she added.
“The words that come to my mind
when describing the Fergusons are humble and visionary,” said Thomas Coon, vice president and director of the Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
The thing that sets the Fergusons apart is they are ordinary people in so many ways, Coon said. However, they are extraordinary because of their desire to have an impact on the world, he added.
The Fergusons have used their success in life to extend a hand of support back to their roots in the college of agriculture at OSU, Larry Ferguson said.
After a few years at OSU, the couple moved around the U.S. for Larry Ferguson’s job at Schreiber Foods, Kayleen Ferguson said.
In addition to their travels across the nation, the two traveled worldwide on behalf of Schreiber Foods, Larry Ferguson said.
“You don’t travel to your own delight,” he said. “You have to be educated and see the world through other people’s eyes.”
The opportunity to travel around the world gave the Fergusons a vision and a passion for encouraging others and making the most of what they were given, Larry Ferguson said. They
believe their role is to invest in the next generation of leaders who will change the world, he said.
While traveling the world, the Fergusons saw major needs around the globe, which they believe can be fulfilled through their investment in education, Kayleen Ferguson said.
“We’ve always said education is the way to succeed,” she said. “If we can help a student get into the school they need to through support, it’s a step up. We know how rough it was getting ourselves through school.”
In 2015, the Fergusons knew it was time to start investing in education, Kayleen Ferguson said. They felt the best way to do so would be through a donation to OSU’s dairy program, the same program that played a significant role in their relationship, she added.
Through the Ferguson Family Foundation, the Fergusons donated $2 million toward the construction of a new free-stall barn at the OSU Ferguson Family Dairy Center. By donating an additional $1.6 million, the family also constructed an on-site housing center for student employees and named the facility Helms Hall in memory of Kayleen Ferguson’s family.
Four years later, the Fergusons wanted to donate more to the college
Larry (right) and Kayleen Ferguson met while students at OSU. Photo by Isabelle Barrett.
of agriculture and decided the time was right to make a big step with a $50 million donation, Larry Ferguson said.
In an initial meeting with Coon, Larry Ferguson told the dean the reason they felt the need to donate back to the college was because they “felt called to feed the world,” Coon said.
The Fergusons decided the best way to support the college of agriculture would be through a $25 million donation to the funding of a new building and a $25 million donation to an endowment designed to fund the college’s operations, Larry Ferguson said.
“When Larry told me what they planned to do with the $50 million gift, I knew it meant a new building was going to happen,” Coon said. “I told him I hope in some way in that grand atrium of the new building we can find a place to mark those words, ‘We are called to feed the world.’”
Larry has always been a dreamer, Kayleen Ferguson said. But when they discussed donating to the college and how they were going to do so, she saw him put feet to his dreams, she added.
“Students need to be encouraged,” Kayleen Ferguson said. “They need to know there are people out there willing to support them and help them along the way. It’s a family across the board.”
“They want us to use this to make our college the best in the country.”
The impact the Fergusons have on the college will continue to grow for generations to come, as students will be impacted by their generosity in numerous ways, Coon added.
Students … need to know there are people out there willing to support them and help them along the way.
Kayleen Ferguson
The Fergusons want to create more energy in the college and believe investing in the school and the students will ignite a new passion that could push the renamed Ferguson College of Agriculture further into innovation and growth, Larry Ferguson said.
“The Fergusons are benevolent and philanthropic people,” Coon said.
“You feed the world by growing better food faster, and the way to do that is through education,” Larry Ferguson said. “We want to have a hand in feeding the world and making a difference.”
Kayleen and Larry Ferguson, each of their children and all seven grandchildren join Pistol Pete after the Jan. 15 gift announcement: Larry (back left), Stephen, Katie, Pete, Bryant, Madoc, William (front left), Kayleen, Molly, Caleb, Kyle, Elizabeth, Edward and Jeanna (not pictured: daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson). Photo by Brittny Richards.
Embarking on New
From the Land Run of 1889 to present-day research, Oklahomans have raced toward new frontiers. Founded before statehood under the Morrill Act as Oklahoma A&M College, Oklahoma
The New Frontiers fundraising campaign will create a new home for the recently renamed OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture, he said.
“The campaign is not just about replacing an old building,” Coon said.
Heidi Williams, senior director and New Frontiers Campaign lead for the OSU Foundation, said this project has some urgency as the current building creates limits to what students and faculty can achieve. They are deserv
The new home of the Ferguson College of Agriculture will offer a modern twist, while staying true to the unique architectural theme and design the Cowboy
New Frontiers
Ferguson College of Agriculture prepares for a new building
from private support and $50 million coming from OSU and other resources, Williams said. More than $33 million in private support has been raised, but the rest is still needed, she added.
Cornerstone donors are those who
Equipment, Win and Kay Ingersoll, Frank and Ludmila Robson, and the Sunderland Foundation. They will have first rights to naming opportunities in the new building, Williams said. Fifteen silent phase donors also have
Groendyke said. “If you want to pursue an agriculture degree, this will be the place to come.
“Oklahoma State has a long history of being an excellent institution for agriculture and what better way to support future students than to give them a world-class facility.”
Williams said the impact of giving to this campaign is transformational. A building project for agriculture has not occurred in more than 60 years, so this campaign provides an opportunity for donors to invest in students and faculty who solve problems to advance Oklahoma and beyond, she added.
During the feasibility study, alumni agreed the agriculture program needs a new building, Williams said. Alumni, donors and the industry need to come together to make this vision a reality, she added.
The new agriculture building is estimated to be finished in fall 2023, Williams said. Agricultural Hall will continue to be used by the division and the university as general classroom and office space, she added.
“We are embarking on new frontiers with a new building that will allow us to advance in teaching, research and extension,” Williams said.
Taylor Harbuck, Ferguson College of Agriculture career development coordinator, said the college has outgrown the current facility. Agricultural Hall was designed when the college had half the number of students it has now, he added.
In the last decade, the college’s enrollment has increased by more than 600 students.
Members of the faculty and staff,
Cowboy family knows and loves. Illustration courtesy of the OSU Foundation.
including Harbuck, are serving on a planning committee for the new 195,000-square-foot building. Academic departments have representatives from research, teaching and extension on the committee, he added.
All academic departments will have a presence in the new building, but that presence will vary by department, Harbuck said. Units housed outside of Agricultural Hall will not move into the new building, but they will have access to the new resources for cross-college functions, he added.
The location for the new building was selected to keep researchers close together, Williams said.
The new building will be situated in the middle of the current research facilities in the Animal Science Building, the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, the Noble Research Center and the Henry Bellmon Research Center.
The new agriculture building will have state-of-the-art laboratories for research, Coon said. The modern facilities will restructure the way the division conducts research, he added.
“We are moving away from the individual investigator and moving into teams of investigators who bring their
expertise to a project that meets all needs,” Coon said.
Coon said much of the equipment in Agricultural Hall is fixed in place in labs and classrooms. The adaptable and adjustable spaces needed for different teaching and learning styles will be part of the new building, he added.
Coon said the architects are focused on ensuring new resources meet future research and teaching needs. Nothing placed in rooms will be permanent to allow professors to bring in the resources they need, he added.
The new building will have a lot of space to foster this community and environment, Williams said. Architects call it “sticky space,” where people can stick around after class and run into students and faculty members to visit, she added.
This campaign is about changing the way we teach, offer extension programming, and do research.
Harbuck said many alumni requested the return of the Dairy Bar during the developmental work for the new building. This caféstyle dining option was once across the street from Agricultural Hall.
Thomas Coon
“The classrooms will be similar to a stage set,” Coon said. “If you need something, you will be able to bring it into your classroom, but you have not done anything to impair how someone else uses the room.”
Williams said the new building will be a place where students and faculty will want to be and can interact with each other.
“The Ferguson College of Agriculture is a close-knit family,” Williams said. “We have always prided ourselves on this close community.”
“A lot of alumni lost a piece of the college’s history when we lost the Dairy Bar,” Harbuck said. “Bringing it back will provide this memory for future students.”
The Student Success Center will be located in the front of the new building. The Dairy Bar will be located in close proximity to foster the community environment, he added.
“We have a lot of opportunities as a land-grant university for students to be involved on the academic level,” Harbuck said. “We have to have the facilities for the college to continue to be a premier institution.”
Renderings provide students and staff with a fresh perspective of what can be expected of the new building set to house the Ferguson College of Agriculture. Illustration courtesy of the OSU Foundation.
Coon said as part of a land-grant institution, the division has a mission to be a public resource to all through OSU Extension.
“As a resource, we are here to provide access to public education and provide research that helps address the needs of communities, businesses, families, farms and ranches,” Coon said. “We can then deliver that research in a way people can use and put to work.”
OSU Agriculture has three components: teaching, research and extension. The Ferguson College of Agriculture is the teaching component, the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station is the research component, and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service is the extension component.
“The promise of land-grant institutions is they conduct research in the public interest,” Coon said. “That research forms the basis of student education in academic programs and the basis for the translation in extension, outreach and service.”
Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, said because of the land-grant mission, the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture has a multi-level impact on Oklahoma. It provides a workforce and takes research conducted on campus to the field, she added.
The New Frontiers campaign represents the endless possibilities in agriculture.
facilities are a big win for the college and state. If OSU wants to lead in agricultural research, the lab facilities are incredibly important, she added.
Blayne Arthur
“The students who come from the Ferguson College of Agriculture are those who are very employable, contribute to their communities, and really help move the state forward,” Arthur said.
As a 2004 agricultural economics alumna, Arthur said she spent most of her college time in Agricultural Hall. Except for a few renovations, the building is the same as when most alumni took classes, she added.
“We have top-tier faculty and staff,” Arthur said. “We need to make sure we have a facility that matches up with the faculty and staff we have.”
Arthur said the upgrades to the lab
“As an ag kid who attended OSU, it is exciting that we will have a facility we are all very proud of and one we can recruit new students to,” Arthur said.
Future students will be able to learn in a high-quality environment and have top-of-the-line technology and facilities to have the best educational experience, Arthur said.
“New Frontiers represents the endless possibilities in agriculture,” Arthur said. “The college is setting the bar high with endless opportunities for students to be successful.”
The gallery view of the new Ferguson College of Agriculture as one enters from the west. This portion of the facility will include work space for students as well access to the Student Success Center. Illustration courtesy of the OSU Foundation.
MCKENZIE CARVALHO
www.fapc.biz
THE BIG REVEAL PREPARING FOR
AGCM alumnae help implement college’s name change
By 3:46 p.m. Jan. 15, 2020, everyone involved with Oklahoma State University’s Ferguson College of Agriculture had felt emotions from shock to excitement — all while showing gratitude to those who made the future of the college and the name change possible.
The staff in the OSU Agricultural Communications Services unit had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to communicate the name change and future of the college, said Melissa Mourer, manager of communications and marketing for the Ferguson College of Agriculture.
“The name change has been the
hardest and the coolest thing I have ever had a chance to be included in professionally,” Mourer said. “It’s nothing I could have ever dreamed of being a part of.
“When I found out, I got tearyeyed,” Mourer added. “I was so excited for who we are as a college and where we are heading, and I was honored to have the opportunity to play a small role as a communicator and see the change happen.”
As alumnae, Mourer and Samantha Siler, communications coordinator for the Ferguson College of Agriculture, had the responsibility to help communicate the change. From
the behind-the-scenes preparations that began in November 2019 to the January announcement, a redirection of this magnitude has been a memorable opportunity, Mourer said. However, the new name does not change the culture of the college, Siler said.
“The feeling of family is real,” Siler said. “Family is very much still a part of who we are and communicating that has been the easy part, easy because it’s apparent.
“We very much felt, when we were students and now as we have worked in this college, that it is a family,” Siler added. “It’s not just a slogan.”
Mourer said the communications
Pistol Pete helps announce the Ferguson Family Foundation’s contributions and the renaming of the college. Photo by Brittny Richards.
team wanted to keep the family feel within the college, leading the team to the “New Name. Same Family.” slogan.
“The things everyone loves and that make OSU and our college a home remain,” Mourer said.
Mourer said students will still be able to stop by faculty offices when they need help with homework or have an advising meeting. Students still will get involved in student organizations or work with faculty through hands-on learning. These experiences are what makes the college of agriculture a fam ily, she said.
“It’s impactful to see how much this college means to someone once they’re in it,” Siler said. “Getting to see this historic change and be a part of communicating that to our audiences is huge.”
name and the support of the Ferguson Family Foundation. Photo by Todd Johnson.
A 2014 graduate, Siler grew up in Oklahoma, and OSU was always where she wanted to study agricultural communications, she said. The college has meant something to her for a long time, so when she had the opportunity to come back in 2017 to be a part of the communications team it felt like a coming home job, she added.
Mourer is from Nebraska and fell in love with OSU when she was a senior in high school, she said. She knew it was home for her the first time she stepped on campus, she added. After earning her agricultural communications degree in 2004, Mourer worked at the OSU Alumni Association for 10 years. She said returning to the college of agriculture was like coming home to family.
are meant to recruit future students, build relationships among current students and faculty, or engage alumni,” Siler said.
On the day following the announcement, for example, the team helped host an open house in the Student Success Center.
Home is more than just a place. It’s a feeling.
Samantha Siler
Mourer said the open house for students helped the college continue to build the family as well as to reinforce everyone’s gratitude to the Fergusons. She said she was excited to see how many students came to get their new Ferguson College of Agriculture gear and take pictures at the backdrop.
said Lyndall Stout, director of OSU Agricultural Communication Services.
For OSU to be the channel the Fergusons use to share their core values of feeding the world is extraordinary, Stout said. To have them believe in what OSU Agriculture is doing as well as the students and faculty at OSU is the best part, she added.
“This is laying the foundation for generations to come,” Stout said. “The broader study and innovation of agriculture will have this ripple effect of dividends far beyond us.”
“That applies to this situation perfectly,” Mourer said. “Being home and being a part of a family is a feeling, and even though the name has changed the feeling of family is still the same. The support system is still the same.”
Mourer said the message the team relays or the connections created are as authentic as they can make them.
“Our overall goal is to communicate on behalf of the college and foster connections, whether those connections
Mourer said the work the communications team does is designed to provide the students with what they may need to succeed. They also share the stories of the OSU Agriculture family by highlighting the work done by students, faculty and alumni.
“We try to stay true to who we are as a college,” Mourer said. “We plan to continue to celebrate all of the things we love about who we are and celebrate the new things coming.”
The Fergusons’ investment in the future of OSU Agriculture’s mission will help us to continue teaching students through research, extension work and hands-on projects with nicer facilities and updated technologies,
Mourer said she is excited for the new facility, but she also anticipates the small milestones along the way. She is eager for every piece of communications content they distribute, from when they break ground to when students use the new facilities, she added.
“When you take great people and put them in a great space, they are going to do great things,” Mourer said.
“The new building will be incredible, but the building is not what made us special,” Mourer added. “It’s the memories, friendships and connections that have been, still are and will always be what makes our college what it is to all of us.”
KALY CONE
ROOSEVELT COUNTY NEW MEXICO
Meet a few families who call the Ferguson College of Agriculture home
The essence of family is felt as soon as anyone walks up the front steps of Agricultural Hall.
In the Ferguson College of Agriculture, the family feeling goes beyond the students to include faculty, staff and alumni. Among the OSU Agriculture employees, more than 50 work with members of their immediate families.
Within this issue of the Cowboy Journal, you will find seven short stories highlighting husband and wife, brother and sister, and mother and daughter relationships. Their experiences working together are excellent examples of “ New Name. Same Family.”
WOODWARD COUNTY OKLAHOMA
CLARYS p. 21
MCDANIELS p. 33
NELSONS p . 37
TANNA FRIZZELL PONTOTOC COUNTY OKLAHOMA
CHESLEY COMSTOCK
TAYLORS p . 41
D EVUYSTS p . 45 p. 57
CROSSWHITES p . 67
HAGGARD & LOFTON
In 1890, Oklahoma A&M College faculty, students and staff set out to educate the next generation of Oklahomans on 200 acres of land dedicated to the campus and agricultural experiment station.
Now, 130 years later these acres have become a part of the family legacy of Oklahoma State University’s Ferguson College of Agriculture for students from around the world.
“Agriculture has always been a big part of OSU, especially back in the day when it was known as Oklahoma A&M College,” said David Peters, OSU
Archives department head and assistant professor.
Even though much has changed, OSU has always been a significant location for agricultural instruction and research, Peters said.
“Initially, students were looking for information on how to help their families and themselves survive because agriculture was the main way of life,” Peters said. “Back then, it was very hands-on, practical teaching. You’d grab a hoe, and go out and weed or plant fruit trees.”
During the Great Depression,
AGRICULTURE
students sometimes would show up at OAMC without shoes, which showed the need Oklahomans had for stable employment and the importance of agriculture to the state, Peters said.
Most college of agriculture students in the early years of OSU came from a small country high school, said Curtis Richardson, dairy specialist emeritus who also graduated from Oklahoma A&M.
“When I went to OSU, I didn’t have money,” Richardson said. “I had to work my way through college at the dairy farm where 16 boys lived there in
the barn and worked in the morning, waking up at 2 a.m., milking and feeding 125 cows before their 8 a.m. class.”
Now, students often turn what they learn into a career, Peters added.
“There were always a lot of things going with planning for what was coming in the future,” said Bob Terry, former agricultural education, communications and leadership department head. “OSU has always been supportive of groups across the state and that has done well for the recruitment of students and the experiences they have when they get there.”
College’s solid foundation sets the standard for the future
The college of agriculture has always worked closely with the citizens of Oklahoma, Peters said.
“Agriculture has adapted to the changing needs of society,” Peters said.
“Now, agriculture affects much more than just farming.”
Many job opportunities for students resulted from new innovations throughout agriculture in general,
Top Left: David Cox puts high-protein supplement into a creep feeder as part of the research that led to the Silver-Plus program (1986). Second from Left: Harry Mapp, agricultural economics Regents professor, helps a student through an exercise in the Integrated Farm Financial Statements program (1986). Center: Officials break ground for the OSU Animal Science Arena: Joe Manning (left), state representative; Carolyn Savage, OSU Board of Regents vice chairman; Larry Boger, OSU president; Charles Browning, agriculture dean; and Bob Totusek, animal science head (1980). Second from Right: Alvin (Buck) Clements, Ninnekah wheat and cattle producer, addresses the first meeting of Oklahoma’s Agricultural Leadership Program (1982). Right: Tom Peeper, agronomy professor, displays small wheat weed pests (1980). Photos courtesy of OSU Archives.
said Don Wagner, who from 1990 to 2008 was head of the former OSU Department of Animal Science.
To keep up with the changes and prepare for the future, concentrated efforts focused on agriculture and natural resources have been implemented, Terry said.
“The college of agriculture is a very cohesive group compared to other colleges on campus,” Terry said. “There is always a strong connection of good college students to good advisement and good teaching to the point where a lot of pride is associated with it.”
The faculty of the college of agriculture have always done a good job of giving the best effort without worrying about who was being credited for it, Terry added.
“The college of agriculture always has had great students who work hard and are dedicated to their studies,” Terry said. “Behind the students are educators who take the time to get to know their students and help them get from where they are to where they want to be.”
The college of agriculture has continued to emphasize the value of
internship courses and to increase the number of study-abroad trips, said Damona Doye, associate vice president for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. The college of agriculture brings in industry speakers so students get a chance to see the variety of different career choices they have, Doye added.
“There has always been focus on seeing our students succeed and helping them develop as students as well as people,” Doye said. “Faculty take their responsibility very seriously, I found that to be the case as an undergrad and as a faculty member.”
The faculty become invested in their students, said Haley Nabors, technology field specialist at Corteva Agriscience. They see potential in their students and push them outside of their comfort zone, she added.
“We continue to have a good group of faculty within the college who are interested in and care for the students,” Terry said. “That has allowed us to have a good group of students who are appreciative of the college and the education they are getting.”
When college students feel
welcomed, they tend to become more engaged in their academics and activities, Peters said.
“The faculty’s open-door policy is what made the college of agriculture so special,” Nabors said. “I knew I could go in and talk to any of my professors at any time and about anything, even if it had nothing to do with class.”
The college of agriculture has always fostered a strong sense of community and family, so students and faculty can find a home in agriculture, Peters said.
Over time, through changes, the college maintained a family focus for its faculty and students, Doye said.
“The Ferguson College of Agriculture tries to build that family aspect at the departmental level,” Peters said. “The interaction of the faculty, their spouses and children along with the students, makes it a place where students feel welcome.”
The college has brought many students from isolated areas, Terry said.
“What sets the college of agriculture apart from other colleges across campus is that it always made me feel at home,” Nabors said. “The professors
Left: In 1977, Don Wagner was a faculty member in the former OSU Department of Animal Science. Right: Keith Harris, left, and Chuck Tauer, forestry
took the time to learn your name. I felt like a person instead of a number.”
The college of agriculture has been home-away-from-home for many students, Nabors added.
“Just like on a farm or in the agriculture community as a whole, everyone has a role to fill to accomplish what needs to get done,” Peters said. “With our rural and agricultural heritage, family is integral to success, to build relationships and to survival.
“What the college of agriculture has done, perhaps more effectively than the other colleges, is make us look outside ourselves and focus on service to others,” Peters said.
Legacy is having faculty members who are interested in the students and seeing them succeed in the skills they have and helping them build on that and be successful, Doye said.
“The college of agriculture does that better than anyone else,” Peters said.
c
researchers, review pecan samples (1982). Photos
dean for the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture. “Every three years or so, they would get to see more of their family.”
That situation changed when Erik Clary, her brother, interviewed with the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
“I didn’t even know he was applying for the position until he stayed with me to interview for it,” she said.
The orange connection grew when Erik Clary’s daughter, Bri, enrolled as a freshman in the college, he said.
“When the opportunity arose for me to practice veterinary medicine and teach here, while moving closer to my family, I couldn’t pass the opportunity up,” he said. “My siblings and I have always kind of followed the steps Cynda had taken from the time we were in high school. Being closer to her family was natural.”
Cynda Clary said she loves having her biological family as a part of the Ferguson College of Agriculture family.
“My nephew Josh came to OSU in the fall of 2016,” she said. “Now, my daughter Tess is here along with Bri as well.
“To have the three cousins attending classes here all at the same time, while Erik and I are here also, is really special,” she added.
Cynda Clary said she always knew her family would love OSU.
“Having this experience with my family is something I never would have expected to have,” she said. Cynda Clary said she still works to recruit more of her family to OSU every day. She said even her mother, Edna, is now an avid supporter of the university and encourages students in California to visit here.
“I always hoped part of my family would be reunited,” Cynda Clary said. “Ten years ago I never would have imagined we would come back together here, but I couldn’t ask for more.” — TF
HALIE RUNNER
M
DONOUGH COUNTY ILLINOIS
Siblings Cynda (left) and Erik Clary grew up in California. Photo by Isabelle Barrett.
a combination of all of the products and natural resources we need to sustain our world.
— Danielle Bellmer
essentially marketing — the stakeholders’ control of land, labor, capital and management.
— Kim Anderson
a constantly evolving and changing industry that has at its heart the sustainability of people and the environment.
— Cynda Clary
anything to do with how humans utilize plants.
— Lou Anella
everything associated with food and the environment, from the field to the plate and beyond.
— Dwayne Cartmell
Faculty consider what the discipline means to them
Although people often consider agriculture to be crop production and animal husbandry, academic opportunities can span far beyond traditional agriculture.
When students play a role in the proper use of natural resources, whether it be through food safety, supply chain management or landscape architecture, they are involved in agriculture, said Cynda Clary, associate dean of academic programs in the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture.
“The diversity of our students reflects the diversity of our disciplines,” Clary said.
Among the college’s nine academic departments and three multidisciplinary academic programs, individuals may differ in small ways, but are connected through one common passion, Clary said.
“If I look at the students we have coming into our programs and the faculty and staff who work in this diverse organization in terms of disciplines,
interests and skill sets, I see they all have a commitment to making the world a stronger, better and more sustainable place,” Clary said.
Sustainability is a main concentration of the biosystems and agricultural engineering department, said Danielle Bellmer, a professor who works in the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center.
“There really is a broad range of topics in this department, but they all have the same end goal,” Bellmer said, “which is to make agriculture more sustainable and more profitable.”
Kim Anderson, a professor emeritus of agricultural economics and an extension economist for the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, said agriculture can be quite simple.
The diversity of our students reflects the diversity of our disciplines.
Cynda Clary
Academic courses in this discipline focus on food and bioprocess engineering, machine systems or environmental and natural resources, Bellmer said.
“One question we focus on is, ‘How can we optimally convert these agricultural resources into products that are stable, safe and cost effective?”’ Bellmer said.
“Agriculture is essentially marketing,” Anderson said. “What are you going to produce on that land? How much money is it going to take to produce it? What management skills do you have to produce it? How much money will it generate, and what will the consumer pay for it? That’s agriculture.”
Anderson is in his 31st year of teaching for OSU. In that time, he said neither agriculture or the quality of information provided by DASNR faculty and staff have changed in his eyes.
“The one thing that hasn’t changed, is that the division is an unbiased source of information,” Anderson said. “Therein lies our value.”
While changes have occurred in government policy and delivery of information, agriculture remains constant, Anderson said.
Lou Anella, a professor of horticulture and landscape architecture, said he found his passion for agriculture by taking a new approach.
our natural resources is also a critical part of what we do in the college.”
I had to move to the city to realize one could study horticulture or agriculture. I then realized I could do what I really loved in an urban environment.
Growing up, Anella did not consider any agricultural fields of study as possible careers.
“I had to move to the city to realize one could study horticulture or agriculture,” Anella said. “I then realized I could do what I really loved in an urban environment.”
Being in a rural setting is not a requirement to be involved in agriculture, Clary said.
“Not everything agriculture related is tied to food production,” Clary said. “The enhancement and protection of
Lou Anella
Regardless of the way individuals are involved in agriculture, one essential skill the college offers is sharing information, said Dwayne Cartmell, assistant director of the Master of International Agriculture Program and agricultural communications professor.
“Being able to share content with the world about food, agriculture and the environment is a critical skill set,” Cartmell said. “Agricultural communicators bring that skill set to the table.”
Giving the public written and visual context about things such as new ideas, technologies and tools that may affect them in the future regarding food security and environmental issues is an important job, he added.
While different opportunities exist to be involved in the academic study of agriculture, all point to a similar rationale, Clary said.
“We may feel strongly about our college, our industry or the different things we do, but we do it based on scientific knowledge,” Clary said. “That is what’s going to provide sustainability for the future.”
With sustainability in mind among the diverse collection of departments, professors and students in the Ferguson College of Agriculture, the tie that binds seems stronger than ever, she added.
“There are commonalities among us that make us strong,” Clary said. “There are also differences among us, and that makes us stronger.”
LYNDSEY HARVEY
ROGERS COUNTY OKLAHOMA
Beyond the Boots
Ferguson College students come from varied backgrounds
As the times have changed in the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture, so has the typical agriculture student.
People come from all walks of life to share their love and passion for the industry, said Deb VanOverbeke, assistant dean of academic programs.
“Not that long ago, a typical student in agriculture would come from a production agriculture experience,” VanOverbeke said. “But today, a student does not have to come from an agricultural background to be successful within the college.”
Now, students come to the college from traditional agriculture as well as from urban and suburban areas, regardless of their academic majors, VanOverbeke said.
Logan Simunek, agricultural communications senior, said she has discovered much diversity within the college. A pitcher on the OSU softball team, Simunek grew up in Piedmont, Oklahoma, and did not have a background in agriculture, she said.
“I didn’t have any interest in
farming, but the diversity in this college is very broad,” Simunek said. “This college makes someone who has a non-agricultural background feel completely comfortable.”
Simunek wanted to find a college and degree program to fit her busy schedule and where professors could help her grow professionally, she said.
Brooke Dondero, a student in the Master of International Agriculture Program, grew up with a background in cherry and walnut production in California’s Central Valley.
“Coming into Oklahoma State, I had no background in cattle or wheat,” Dondero said. “My knowledge was in tree crops, something few students at OSU knew about.”
Dondero, who earned a bachelor’s degree at California State University, Chico, said she came to OSU for her advanced degree because she wanted the chance to learn about other types of agriculture to broaden her knowledge base and career path.
“I never thought about attending graduate school,” Dondero said. “This quickly changed when I realized all of
the opportunities I would get to pursue through OSU.”
Coming from China, agribusiness senior Shuyi Wang became an OSU student through the joint program between OSU and China Agricultural University. Although she had no agricultural background, she was always interested in attending OSU, she said.
“In China, we learned more of the consumer side of agriculture,” Wang said. “The OSU classes are more about the producers.”
Wang said OSU has given her different experiences, especially through its diversity and student activities.
Dondero said her OSU experience has been unique and the best choice she could have made.
“OSU stands out as a place to get an agriculture and natural resources degree, regardless of a student’s background,” VanOverbeke said.
AERIAL HANNA TULSA COUNTY OKLAHOMA
Academic Majors in the Ferguson College of Agriculture
The Ferguson College of Agriculture is home to nine academic departments and three multidisciplinary programs that house 16 majors and more than 50 different study options. Below is a list of the 16 academic majors offered to undergraduates in the Ferguson College of Agriculture.
To learn more about an area of study that interests you, visit agriculture.okstate.edu.
• Agribusiness
• Agricultural Communications
• Agricultural Economics
• Agricultural Education
• Agricultural Leadership
• Animal Science
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Biosystems Engineering
• En tomology
• Environmental Science
• Food Science
• Hortic ulture
• Landscape Architecture
• Landscape Managemen t
• Na tural Resource Ecology and Management
• Plan t and Soil Sciences
JUST CALL
Givens retires after three decades at OSU
Ask students in the Ferguson College of Agriculture to recall the people at Oklahoma State University who never failed to make their lives just a little easier because of their smiles and kind attitudes and many would name Mary Ellen Givens.
For nearly 32 years, Givens served OSU in a multitude of ways and has been a wealth of knowledge and wisdom for students, staff and faculty, said Sergio Abit, plant and soil sciences associate professor.
“If I had any type of question, whether it be advising, curriculum or how things were done in the past, I just called Mary Ellen,” Abit said. “I called her the ‘Oracle’ because she gave you the answer almost every time, and on the rare occasion of not knowing the answer, she always knew where to point you to find it.”
After starting in the accounting department in 1972, Givens soon transferred to work in extension finance, she said. In 1981, Givens left OSU to raise her two daughters, Amanda Wetzel and Kristal Couch.
After earning a word processing technician certificate from Meridian Technology Center in 1989, Givens returned to OSU to work in what was then the animal science department.
In 1994, Givens transferred to Agricultural Hall where she served in the associate dean’s office as an administrative support specialist for the Ferguson College of Agriculture.
Givens’ kind and helpful attitude make her special, said Dwayne Hunter, information and technology director for the OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
“She always has a smile on her face,” Hunter said. “In my opinion, she was the perfect face for the college because if parents or incoming students came in and had questions, she was here long enough she knew the answers to almost any question.
“Her attitude was always just so joyful and bright that you walked away feeling like this was a place you belong if you were a prospective student,” Hunter added. “As a parent, having that kind of introduction to the college made you feel like your son or daughter was going to be taken care of.
“She personified what our college expresses,” he added.
Givens said she was at OSU for three college name changes, but even though the name changed, the family culture remained the same.
“I enjoyed talking to students,” Givens said. “I hope I made them feel like they could come in any time and
say ‘Hey, I’ve got a problem’ because I would listen.”
Gretchen Skaja, a student support assistant and agribusiness sophomore who worked closely with Givens, said Givens valued students and did everything she could to help them get the most from their college experiences.
Skaja said Givens made her feel valued and appreciated.
“She told me, ‘You make my day whenever you are here,’” Skaja said. “I don’t work on Wednesdays, and she said Wednesdays were her longest day because I wasn’t there.”
One of Givens’ major roles was coordinating the college scholarship banquet. She said she loved the process of it, from notifying students they had a scholarship to handing out certificates at the banquet.
“She took a lot of pride in her job and doing it well,” said Cynda Clary, Ferguson College of Agriculture associate dean. “She viewed the scholarship process as students need money to go to school and we need to make sure every student has the opportunity to know about our scholarships and the opportunity to compete for them.”
Givens said she will miss the students the most.
“The students kept me young,” Givens said. “There’s one thing that
might bother me when retiring. I am not sure how young I’ll stay without the kids.”
Givens said she loves to spend time outdoors competing in fishing derbies, hunting and camping. She said she and her husband, Donnie Curtis, attend fishing jackpot tournaments in the summer and have even won a few. In her retirement, she plans to spend most of her time at the lake, she said.
Givens said she and her husband agreed to spend Monday through Thursday fishing at the lake to avoid the weekend crowds and boaters.
“We plan to spend time at every lake in Oklahoma,” Givens said. “We would like to visit all of them.”
Givens’ last day in office was May 8, 2020, a day celebrated with a “driveby” reception.
“She is the most genuine, caring person,” Clary said. “I will miss her as a person and not just as someone who worked in our office.”
BREE ELLIOTT
CANADIAN COUNTY OKLAHOMA
Mary Ellen Givens celebrates her last day of employment at a drive-by reception.
Photo by Matt Staples.
Leaders Fostering
4-H students lead workshop for children in foster care
The warm summer breeze blows on children’s faces. They stand next to their mentor. Filled with excitement, they wait for the action. Three, two, one, blastoff! A simple bottle rocket flies into the air. The children are filled with joy as their creations come to life.
Children in the Oklahoma foster care system had this experience in the fall of 2019 as they launched the bottle rockets several 4-H members helped them make.
These rockets were made through the Foster Family Support Ministry program, where 4-H members volunteer to present enrichment activities to children in the foster care system.
“We aren’t just providing child care,” Richardson said. “We’re really wanting to do our part to help children build relationships and have new experiences.”
The Foster Family Support Ministry’s volunteer and participation numbers have grown nearly 50% in the 16 months of its operation, Richardson said.
It’s important foster families feel valued and supported.
Mary Richardson
“We are very rural in our part of Oklahoma,” Richardson said. “Our families can come to a central location, receive required training, network, and have the security that their children are being well cared for by people who have credentials to do so.”
“It’s important that foster families feel valued and supported,” said Mary Richardson, the program’s coordinator. The Foster Family Support Ministry is through the United Methodist Church in Wewoka, Oklahoma. A part of this program is providing childcare while foster parents attend two-hour training sessions, Richardson said.
Richardson reached out to the local 4-H club to ask if members wanted to present an enrichment activity for the children, said Kacey Olivo, the Hughes and Seminole counties 4-H educator. Olivo said she thought of Bethany Foster, the Hughes County 4-H reporter, who Olivo believed would be a perfect fit for the program.
“Bethany is really positive, outgoing
Bethany Foster (second from right) explains bottle rocket launching to 4-H members Chesley Slater (right), Tate Keese (left) and Brody Foster. Photo by Sadie Raasch.
and very engaged in activities,” Olivo said. “She always tries to be involved.”
When Foster was 8 years old, she moved in with a family through the foster care system. Not long after mov ing to Hughes County, Foster became involved with 4-H. Four years later, she and her brother Evan were adopted by their foster family. Now, she is 16 years old and still involved with her local 4-H chapter.
“My mom was in 4-H for years so she really pushed me,” Foster said. “Before we were even adopted, I was enrolled in 4-H and started with speeches, community service and lead ership activities.”
Within months of living with her family in Hughes County, Foster was participating in community service, she said.
“I went from no one helping me to helping others,” Foster said. “I was at a point where I needed someone to sup port me, push me, and show me what community service was.”
After Jamie Neal, Foster’s mom, received the call from Olivo about the child care program, Foster was excited to volunteer, Olivo said.
“I know where those kids are because I understand where they’re at in life,” Foster said. “Some of them might not have a strong connection with their foster parent. Maybe they’ve been there for years and still don’t have that connection, or maybe they’re just now getting in that home and don’t have someone who they can really go to and tell all their problems to.”
4-H members benefit from this program, too, because they have new experiences by volunteering and in teracting with children younger than them, Richardson said.
The 4-H members came to a meet ing in August and worked with a group of foster children ages 9 to 11, Richardson said.
“The 4-H members and leaders brought liter pop bottles,” Richardson said. “The kids decorated and made rockets out of them.”
The rockets were scheduled to launch in September during a camp for
Projects such as hand-crafted bottle rockets allow 4-H members to express their creativity while spending quality time with mentors and peers. Photo by Sadie Raash.
these foster families, but one child did not want to participate in building the rockets, Olivo said.
“She said she didn’t want to build a bottle rocket because she wasn’t going to be there when they launched them.” Olivo said. “She was getting moved to a different state.”
Foster said she noticed this girl and went to talk with her.
“I sat down to talk with this little girl who was so sweet and nice,” Foster said. “Within minutes of talking, she was attached to my hip. She was instantly connected to me, and this was before I told her I had been through foster care and that I was adopted.”
The little girl started opening up and shared she was getting adopted the next week, Foster said.
“As soon as I shared my story, it’s like something switched in her,” Foster said. “She had instant trust. She immediately started telling me about her mom, dad, brothers, sisters and new family. She was scared to move, and I told her it was going to be OK.”
Even though they were building bottle rockets, the children having someone around their own age to talk to had the biggest impact, Foster said.
“Most of those kids, whether they are an only foster child in the home or one of multiple, may not have anyone to talk to or anyone to go to,” Foster said. “It’s important for them to have an outlet, and we are their outlet.”
The 4-H volunteers bring hope to the children in this program, she said.
“By getting to spend time with these 4-H’ers, the children get to see that the world isn’t as bad as it’s put out to be,” Foster said.
“It’s important for them to see the good in life,” she added, “and with me they see a positive outcome.”
Although Sonya and Justin McDaniel both graduated from Oklahoma State University, they did not meet as students. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service brought them together.
animal science production and in 2003 with a master’s degree in agricultural education. Sonya McDaniel graduated from OSU in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in family relations and child development.
The McDaniels have a relationship that keeps each other on their toes, he said. He serves as the extension educator for agriculture in McClain County and the interim county director. Sonya McDaniel serves as the family and consumer sciences extension educator, county director and state coordinator for the Women in Agriculture conference in Pottawatomie County.
“He was in Coal County, and I was in Bryan County,” she said. “He would often come in because of work. I gave him dating advice, as a friend, and he never texted the girl I told him he should. It worked out for me in the end.”
The two fostered a friendship, which lasted for about two years before they even considered dating, Sonya McDaniel said.
“I would have never guessed I would have dated, or married, someone from the same field,” Sonya McDaniel said. “However, we have now been married for almost 16 years.”
Justin McDaniel said working for the same organization is interesting.
“Working together has positives and negatives,” he said. “We understand what each other does and goes through, but it is easy to bring work home. It is such a big part of our lives that it is easy to get tied up in the day to day.”
However, Sonya McDaniel said when working with the Women in Agriculture conference, she asks her husband when she needs help.
“He knows some people better than I do,” she said. “He can clarify who goes where because he is in that field. It has been beneficial. We are able to bounce ideas off of each other, and Justin steals all of my good ideas.”
Justin McDaniel said while they do not see each other often while working, their jobs overlap at times. Humor is an important part of their relationship, he added, and they try to not take each other too seriously.
“Life is too short to not spend time with your loved ones,” Justin McDaniel said. “I just so happen to be married to my best friend and someone who keeps me laughing.” — TF
SADIE RAASCH
Justin (center) and Sonya McDaniel join daughter, Addison, 8. Photo by Laura Vandeever.
Amelia’s specialty French yogurt makes a delicious parfait. Photo by Kennedy Webb.
bon appétit
An international pilot originally from Brazil, Tony Barros, has landed in Nowata, Oklahoma, and now makes a specialty French yogurt.
“I was flying corporate jets after I left the airlines,” said Barros, owner of Amelia Creamery. “I started coming to Wichita for training and to pick up new airplanes from Cessna. I really liked the area, the people and the way of life.”
Barros and his wife, Maria, started making friends in Wichita, he said. The culture, farming and ranching in the U.S. were similar to where they were from, he added.
“Maria and I liked the area here and thought this would be a healthy environment to raise our kids,” Barros said. “So, we prayed, and we were able to sell our ranch in Brazil and find this one here.”
The Barroses visited quite a few ranches before finding one in Nowata, but for one reason or another things never worked out, he said.
“We weren’t exactly looking for Nowata, but since we’ve found it, it’s our home,” Barros said. “We love the county, we love the people, and we’re very grateful for the people in Nowata because they’ve embraced us like part of their own.”
They moved to Nowata County in June 1994, Barros said. They also became proud U. S. citizens, he added.
In Brazil, they owned their own dairy cattle for personal use, so they always had their own cheese, yogurt, butter and fresh milk, Barros said.
“When we came here, it was too much work for us to have milking cows just for ourselves, so we started missing that part of our lives,” Barros said. Unable to find a commercial yogurt they liked, they started making their own, Barros said.
“Being a pilot, I work for a corporation and they have business in other countries, especially in Europe, and I go to France on a regular basis,” Barros said. “They have a very different type of yogurt there — it’s creamier, and it’s not sour or tart.”
Barros said he really liked yogurt products in France, and he made friends there.
“For five years, I did a lot of research,” Barros said. “Because there are so many varieties of cultures and bacteria, I wanted to know which ones they used. I ended up getting a little piece of information here and there, and I started putting together and buying different cultures.”
Using family and friends to test products, the Barroses eventually had
their own mix of cultures that everybody liked, he said.
After the Barroses started making yogurt, they started mixing fruit jam in with it. The different flavors became unique, Barros said.
“We decided to make this a part of business,” he said. “The plan was to have a small, state-of-the-art factory, launch the product on the market, and see how the market reacted.”
Amelia Creamery launched in 2017. One year later, their product was available in Whole Foods Markets, he said.
“It was a big step for us because every food business wants to have their products in such a type of store because they have a lot of exposure,” Barros said.
Amelia Creamery yogurt is 100% natural and does not contain preservatives, Barros said.
“The ingredients we use are the best on the market,” Barros said. “The milk is a whole milk. We use cream, we make our own jams, and the sugar is a raw sugar cane.”
Tony Barros and his wife choose most of the flavors, he said. The fruit jam recipe is one they have made for many years at their home, he added.
“The fruit jam is a recipe from my wife’s family from Czechoslovakia for many generations,” Barros said.
Family produces all-natural yogurt in rural Oklahoma
Juliana Forster, production manager and the Barroses’ daughter, said either she or one other employee makes the yogurt each day, adding the correct amount of ingredients together for each variety.
“I oversee production and overall things that happen in the factory from the beginning of the day, to the packaging, and to deliveries leaving the factory,” Forster said.
In addition to Forster, the creamery employs son-in-law Daniel Forster to manage technology and hands-on operations, son Jorge Barros as an operations assistant, Jenefier Wickham as general manager, Barbara Wilson as assistant production manager, Luke Wilson as a production assistant, and Melvin Roebuck in logistics/deliveries.
One difference sets Amelia Creamery apart from other yogurt companies, Forster added.
“We incubate our yogurt for seven
said, and customers have told the family the yogurt has really helped them.
Barros said the ingredients improve the taste and quality of the product and even his friends in France have “fallen in love with the yogurt.”
“From nearly everybody who tries it, the feedback is positive,” Barros said. “We’re so proud of that.”
A year and a half after their launch, Wickham contacted the Made in Oklahoma Coalition and the business became a member.
“The MIO coalition has helped us so much,” Barros said. “We owe a lot to the organization. We think it’s incredible how much they do for us as a member to help promote our brand and product.”
After becoming a MIO brand, Wickham met Andrea Graves, a business planning and marketing specialist for the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, which is part of the Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
“One of the things we have here at FAPC, as sort of our front line, are our
business and marketing people,” said Darren Scott, a FAPC food scientist. “Often projects will come to the building through them.”
Wickham said she and Graves started communicating and then began their friendship.
“FAPC helped us with our nutrition decks,” Wickham said. “We submitted all of our recipes to them, and they formatted our nutrition decks for all of our yogurt.”
FAPC also conducted an informal sensory study to get additional feedback about consistency in the yogurt, Wickham said.
“We had a question when we were considering changing our process for one of our flavors,” Wickham said. “We wanted a nonpartisan study so we could get feedback to see if people could tell a difference between two different processes.”
Scott said sometimes a product can be tricky.
“If you’re trying to accomplish one thing, and you have to adjust the way you’re making a product, that’s a little bit easier said than done,” Scott said.
NATURAL FREN
“It can be a challenge for any company when they’re trying to adapt or change up a process based off of the feedback from customers.”
Companies want to make a posi tive change for customers who have noticed an issue without having their other customers pick up on that change, Scott added.
Scott said most of FAPC’s clients know they can come in and out of the system, so when problems or chal lenges arise, they can contact one of FAPC’s business planning employees.
Anytime Amelia Creamery needs FAPC’s services, the staff is quick to respond, Wickham said, and she is confident FAPC would help the cream ery with anything.
“Our company wouldn’t be where it is today if not for the dedication and hard work of each person on our team,” Barros said.
Jake Nelson met his now wife, Renee Albers-Nelson. The Nelsons work within the OSU Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center: she as the milling and baking specialist and he as the facilities manager.
KENNEDY WEBB
NOWATA COUNTY OKLAHOMA
“When I first came over to the college of agriculture from arts and sciences, I didn’t know what to expect,” Renee Albers-Nelson said. “I was in this classroom, and there was this big group of loud and obnoxious students, but they looked fun. I remember thinking to myself, ‘Who are those people?’”
Jake Nelson happened to be a part of the rambunctious students she noticed. She caught his eye from the beginning, he said, but she was not as keen on getting to know him. However, they eventually began working together to conduct the southwest district 4-H meat judging contest and their relationship sparked, he said.
“On the drive back to Stillwater after the contest Renee casually mentioned that she did not live too far off our route, and she had not been home since Christmas,” Jake Nelson said. “I made a quick decision to drive her to visit her folks for a surprise.”
The couple maintained a friendly relationship through various clubs and college activities, but it eventually turned into a dating relationship, Renee Albers-Nelson said. This continued throughout their undergraduate degrees, and after they both finished graduate school, she said.
“We were both offered jobs at FAPC,” she said. “Later, we got married and have been here ever since.”
Their work roles often require them to work on projects together and communicate with one another. They said they appreciate being able to go home and talk about their days and know what the other is talking about.
“Certain occupations are your life,” Jake Nelson said. “It is easy to say you should leave your work at work, but if you do your job right and you are passionate about it, that is hard to do. It becomes who you are as a person.”
The Nelsons have a 14-year-old daughter, Emma, who is interested in attending OSU, Renee Albers-Nelson said.
“We may talk about work too much,” she said. “It is who we are, and that has proven to rub off on Emma. She enjoys meat judging and even gets to come to FAPC to participate in the contests held here.”
The Nelsons started their shared journey at OSU as students, and now they and Emma have made a life here as part of the Cowboy family. — CC
Renee Albers-Nelson (left) and Jake Nelson (right) share their love of OSU with 14-yearold daughter, Emma. Photo by Matt Staples.
COLLABORATING
Using the GreenSeeker sensor, Michaela Smith, master’s student in plant and soil sciences, collects normalized difference vegetative index reflectance data from her grain sorghum trial. Photo by Matt Staples.
COLLABORATING PROGRESS
OSU takes crop research to farms across Oklahoma
when the Hatch and SmithLever acts were approved, Congress’ influence shaped agriculture nationwide, including within Oklahoma.
Through the Hatch Act in 1891, Oklahoma received funding and established the first experiment station. The Smith-Lever Act established cooperative extension in 1914, and as the land-grant university, Oklahoma A&M College housed state agricultural experts, placing extension educators at the county levels.
These acts were crafted to provide education, techniques and practices to move agriculture into the future, said Brian Arnall, plant and soil sciences professor, and one of the techniques embraced has been demonstration plots, or on-farm research.
“On-farm research is where you
get to put your projects and research efforts in the environments where farmers are,” said Jason Warren, OSU soil and water conservation/management extension specialist.
OSU researchers use university-owned research stations in Chickasha, Lahoma, and Stillwater, Oklahoma, as more controlled environments, Warren said, but they also use farmer-owned land.
During on-farm research, researchers put experiments in different or more challenging environments, Warren said.
“On-farm research is meant to be a multi-step process, where we do small plot research, which is typically done on research stations, maybe in a lab or in a greenhouse or actually on growers’ fields,” said Josh Lofton, cropping
system extension specialist. “Field demonstrations, which typically are conducted on producers’ land, are meant to be the next step in implementation by taking a practice that shows promise and seeing if growers can feasibly do it on their fields.”
The research conducted either at research stations or on producers’ farms always starts from a question, Arnall said. These questions come from what the university wants answered or from problems farmers want solved in production, he added.
“The thing we hear is, ‘We’ve seen your research from the research stations. We want to know how it works in our field,’” Arnall said. “The farmers want to see the results. They want to see how they can take that
data, apply it to their own system, and make themselves more sustainable.”
Getting research on farmers’ land starts different ways, Lofton said.
The farmers’ involvement can come from researchers asking, farmers volunteering, or county educators suggesting, he added.
“The educators are typically the ‘boots on the ground,’ the folks who are at ground zero whenever you’re talking about these kinds of things,” Lofton said. “So, sometimes the subject matter or what we are looking at from the on-farm research potentially came from them because they communicate with their growers a lot more than we are able to here in Stillwater.”
On-farm research has played a significant part of what Randy Taylor, assistant director and state program leader of the agriculture, natural resources, and community economic development programs for the Oklahoma cooperative extension service, has done throughout his career, he said. The interaction with local producers and working with them is integral on all levels, he added.
“One thing I see as extremely valuable is the deep connection to our client when we are doing on-farm research,” Taylor said. “We are not doing research on our own. We’re answering their questions.
“A lot of times they will have the hypothesis, though they may not call it that,” Taylor added, “but they’ve got questions they want answered.”
Extension is relationship-based at OSU, Taylor said.
The key to this relationship is county educators, who serve as direct contacts as they share information of the land-grant university from state and area specialists, he added.
“Farmers and the general public looking in see the division as a unit, though, as the same family,” Taylor said. “It has always been this way at OSU, and it will never change.”
OSU Agriculture researchers have worked with many farmers for a long time, Arnall said. These farmers, referred to as cooperators, continue
to let experts use their land and the researchers just have to ask, he added.
“We have been farming in the Miami area for about 120 years,” said Brent Rendel, cooperating farmer and owner of Rendel Farms in Miami, Oklahoma. “My grandfather did some work with Oklahoma State on wheat research, and it has just continued. They’ve got to have a place to put their plots, so we cooperate with them.
“I use their expertise, but I develop my own ways of doing research on my farm, too,” Rendel said. “With that, I’m able to do and answer questions I want to get answered.”
On-farm research and the resulting relationships are beneficial to all, Taylor said.
The benefits of on-farm research can overcome any challenges if all involved are committed, Warren said.
“The challenge is you’ve got to really collaborate with the grower and make sure they are not going to spray something on top of the research that will
mess it up or deviate the data,” Warren said.
Multiple variables, hardships, successes and failures occur when it comes to on-farm research, Lofton said. The farmers must buy in and be committed to the process, he added.
“I am an active participant in the research,” Rendel said. “If I’m not doing something, the research is not going to happen. It all depends on how you want to define it, whether you are a cooperator or whether you’re an actual member of the research team. You have to be willing to adjust what you would normally do because almost always the research is not what you normally do.
“Communication is the first, the middle and the last ingredient needed to make the process a success because without that it is very unlikely the results will be successful or meaningful,” Rendel said.
“There’s no downside of getting research done on your farm,” Rendel said. “Obviously, the university’s goal
Michaela Smith, master’s student in plant and soil sciences, saves her grain sorghum research trial data collected with the GreenSeeker Sensor. Photo by Matt Staples.
is to get answers that apply to very broad areas.”
Going into the process, farmers are aware of the possible hardships and how those will affect them, Arnall said.
“They give up a lot,” Arnall said. “We ask them to slow down when it’s time to go. Most producers want to go fast and not stop. Most of the time they give up production. We might be taking an acre out of production for them. That’s a challenge.”
Each of the research studies is different, Lofton said. During some trials, farmers are asked to treat the plots as they normally would and researchers come and collect samples, he added. On other trials, the cooperating farmers are asked to not do anything to the plots, Lofton said.
“We may say to them, ‘Please just look at it,’” Lofton said. “‘Bring your neighbors to it.’ Maybe they’re a strong believer in this practice, but maybe their fellow farmers at the coffee shop aren’t using it.”
The goal of on-farm research is to establish diversified datasets and a better understanding, Arnall said. OSU cannot replicate the different variables such as environment, soils and terrain around Oklahoma within its research stations, he added.
“On-farm research improves the broad application, significance and reliability of our science,” Arnall said. “It also allows us to take our science directly to the producers so they experience it firsthand.”
Working with farmers and doing on-farm research across Oklahoma provides better opportunities to do more diverse research, Arnall said.
“It is one thing to show producers something on a research farm which is intensively managed for research,” Arnall added. “It is a whole new level to show them something on their own farm or their neighbors’ farms.”
TWO GENERATIONS OF 4-H PASSION
A mother and daughter’s shared passion for serving youth has created a dynamic duo within the Oklahoma 4-H program.
Daughter Cathleen Taylor serves as the assistant state specialist for leadership and civic engagement. Mother Liz Taylor serves as the extension director and educator for 4-H and youth development in Grady County.
“Our jobs often overlap,” Cathleen Taylor said. “We have worked together on several different leadership projects and have taught workshops together about leadership and civic engagement.
Working together puts an interesting spin on this duo’s relationship, Cathleen Taylor said. They often joke about Cathleen Taylor being her mother’s boss, although that is not necessarily true, she added.
“Mom really shaped me and opened the ‘4-H door’ for me when I was 12,” she added. “But I never would have imagined it would one day lead to us working together in extension.”
Liz Taylor said she never anticipated her daughter’s 4-H involvement would lead to an extension career, but she is thrilled with the position Cathleen Taylor has now.
“We talk about everything and have many things in common, but we do sometimes have to make ourselves turn work off,” Liz Taylor said. “It has made us grow closer together because we have the same passion for youth and education. We fully understand each other’s position with that passion.”
Cathleen Taylor said they often problem solve together and bounce ideas off of each other about various projects.
4-H events and programs are often a reunion for the Taylor family, as most of their family is involved to different extents, Cathleen Taylor said. Liz Taylor’s other daughter, Emily, served as an intern with the Oklahoma 4-H this summer. Matt Taylor, Liz Taylor’s son, was an Oklahoma 4-H president and recognized as an outstanding 4-H volunteer in Pittsburg County.
“If we go to a national meeting, I have a built-in roommate, traveling partner and presenter,” Cathleen Taylor said. “We’ve been to four meetings together, and I’ve been able to see these places with my mom, my friend and my co-worker. I wouldn’t trade these experiences or the person I do it with for anything.” — TF
Liz (left) and Cathleen Taylor have a combined 20 years of extension work experience.
Photo by Matt Staples.
A lesson to
Technology allows students to ‘grasp’ concepts
As the professor calls the 200-student class to attention, the low hum of conversations dwindles. As the lesson goes on, some find it difficult to grasp the intricate concepts taught. However, a new tool helps students in this Oklahoma State University food science classroom.
Ranjith Ramanathan, associate professor in the OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences, has taught
Ranjith Ramanathan uses these models of protein (orange) and amino acid (black) structures in his classes. Photo by Matt Staples.
the Fundamentals of Food Science, FDSC 1133, for seven years, giving him a good idea of the best ways to teach these topics, he said.
“It’s an intro-level class that gets up to 14 different majors from freshmen to seniors,” Ramanathan said. “Some have a really good science background, and some don’t. But, when we learn about basic food components, a lot of students have a hard time visualizing.”
Ramanathan started using some
HOLD
in-class demonstrations to help students understand what was going on; however, when he would ask students what was happening, many still could not explain it well, he said.
“Then, I started using printed 3D models,” Ramanathan said. “That helped a lot with the visualization.”
These models provided a key element missing to the lessons, he added.
“The models help with the student learning,” he said. “When I grade, now
I can see a lot of students started using some technical terms, and I was kind of surprised to see that.”
Ramanathan decided to use the 3D models after a graduate student used one during a class presentation about encapsulation, he said.
“He showed me an encapsulated molecule, and I thought ‘OK, what can I use in my class?’ So, that’s where I started,” Ramanathan said.
OSU Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The biggest challenge of this process is creating the model in the software, Ramanathan said. Luckily, he can buy pre-designed structures online, he added.
Lecturing can be boring sometimes, but if the students start seeing the real picture, they engage more.
Ranjith Ramanathan
He has used 3D models in his classes for about two years as a result of funding from an Association of Public Land-Grant Universities grant, he added.
“APLU has an innovate teaching grant I applied for,” Ramanathan said, “I use some of the funding to do this.”
Ramanathan gets his 3D models from multiple on-campus sources such as OSU’s Endeavor Lab or the
The use of the 3D technology plays an important role in Ramanathan’s teaching methods, which he focuses on students’ needs.
“Being a kinesthetic learner, the hands-on models and real-world scenarios that Dr. Ram presented really concreted in some of the more difficult material,” said Nick Hayes, an agricultural education senior.
Ramanathan has seen a change in students from year to year, but a few things stay the same with each student, he added.
“It’s all about students,” Ramanathan said. “Students have short attention spans, and that’s why I started using a break in my lectures.”
These breaks can involve anything from a video or an activity to the students interacting with one another about the 3D model, he added.
“Dr. Ram does a phenomenal job of engaging the students in the learning process and developing the teachings beyond just a lecture,” Hayes said.
The moments of engagement are not only seen by the students but also by the teaching assistants helping with the class.
“You can start to see those lightbulb moments in those breaks,” said Morgan Denzer, teaching assistant for Ramanathan’s class and graduate student in the OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences.
Ramanathan also sees these moments when his students begin to understand, he said.
Ranjith Ramanathan meets with students during an in-class activity revolving around the 3D model. Photo by Todd Johnson.
“It’s always exciting to see because students can start to see the parts of the structure they’ve learned,” Denzer said. “Now, they can connect with it visually versus with just the pictures they’ve seen.”
Students with the most noticeable “ah-ha” moments are the students without any chemistry or biology back ground, Ramanathan added.
“I can see in their eyes they’re really excited to see it,” Ramanathan said. “When they have a protein structure in their hands and start turning it over, they say ‘OK, this is what happens in this condition.’”
Ramanathan said he sees his students learning more from their peer-to-peer interactions.
“When they hold a model, you can see in their eyes as they point out the different parts and talk to their friends,” Denzer said. “Those are lightbulb moments.”
Hayes said he can see himself using the creative methods of teaching Ramanathan uses in his personal teaching career.
“Hands-on learning has a special place in agricultural education, and the models used in the introduction to food science class could easily be adapted to the high school setting to spark the interests of the next generation of food scientists at Oklahoma State,” Hayes said.
Moving forward, Ramanathan said he wants to grow his 3D model collection from the three he has now. Having more models in his collection will make group activities easier, he added.
Looking beyond 3D printing, Ramanathan said he is considering using virtual reality as a long-term goal.
“Lecturing can be boring sometimes, but if the students start seeing the real picture, they engage more,” Ramanathan said.
A FAMILY INVESTMENT
Eric and Cheryl DeVuyst have planted roots at Oklahoma State University.
After working at various places across the U.S., the DeVuysts decided to settle down in Oklahoma and raise their daughter, Megan.
The pair has taught at OSU since 2008, and Cheryl DeVuyst was recently named the head of the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics.
“When we met, we were taking classes together,” Eric DeVuyst said. “We don’t know anything different than spending most of our day together.”
Their offices were two doors down from one another, but with Cheryl DeVuyst’s new position that proximity has changed. She has served in various positions on campus so an office change is not something new to her, she said.
“We ride to campus together about 50% of the time,” Eric DeVuyst said. “We have various obligations that will keep us at school, and there are other things one of us may need to go home and check on.”
Working in the same department often leads them to interacting with the same people on a daily basis. This allows them to leave the work talk at work the majority of the time, Eric DeVuyst said.
“Eric has more fun than pretty much anybody on this floor,” Cheryl DeVuyst said. “I enjoy that about him.”
Laughter is a familiar sound near their offices, she said. A constant flow of student traffic goes in and out of their offices, and students truly bring joy to the department, she said.
“We are human,” Eric DeVusyst said. “We have our disagreements, but we enjoy the life we live. We laugh a lot and truly live a joyful life.”
For the past few years, the DeVuysts also enjoyed the on-campus company of Megan and their son-in-law, Jake Fanning. Family is important to the DeVuysts, which is evident in how they treat their students, Fanning said.
“Have your priorities in order,” Cheryl DeVuyst said. “Don’t lose sight of what is most important, which to us is our faith and our family.”
The Ferguson College of Agriculture welcomed this family with open arms and made the unfamiliar territory a place they happily call home, she said.
“When our daughter was considering schools,” Cheryl DeVuyst said. “She told me ‘Why would I go anywhere else? This is family. This is home.’” — CC
Eric (left) and Cheryl DeVuyst enjoy time on the family farm. Photo by Brittny Richards.
Christine Altendorf visits a fuel storage facility Fort Belvoir. Her role at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires her to visit various job sites. Photo by Adoratia Purdy.
Alumna finds success in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Christine Altendorf grew up expecting to attend Oklahoma State University, just like her eight siblings did. However, she said she had no idea her college choice would set her on a career path with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Altendorf spent her first two years at OSU as a mechanical engineering major. However, at the end of her sophomore year, she switched to agricultural engineering, which is now biosystems engineering.
“One of the things that drew me to ag engineering was the smaller classes,” Altendorf said. “You got a little more individual attention and individual help from the professors.”
Ron Elliott, former biosystems agricultural engineering department head and Altendorf’s doctoral adviser, said the department was close-knit with a familial atmosphere.
“Our faculty had very much an open-door policy where students can drop in and ask for help or just see how things are going,” Elliott said. “Our students learned a lot from each other in addition to the professors. Altendorf was a big part of that atmosphere when she was here.”
Paul Weckler, BAE professor, was pursuing his doctorate at the same time Altendorf started her master’s program, and he said he remembers
what being a BAE student was like.
“You can’t hide and be anonymous in this department,” Weckler said. “The students all know their classmates, and the faculty all know their students. Our students get personalized attention.”
In addition to the family aspect of the department, Altendorf said she was drawn to the applied engineering focus the agricultural engineering program offered. She said the handson research has enabled her to use her skills in real-world applications.
“The thing that BAE did most for me was establishing the basics of engineering,” Altendorf said. “Once you get your basics, you can apply them to any direction you want to go.”
Altendorf graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 1985. Upon completion of her master’s degree in 1988, she started her first job as a research engineer at OSU and began pursuing her doctorate while working full time.
After completing her doctorate in 1993, she was interviewed for multiple positions at different universities. However, Altendorf said she was not sure they provided the route she wanted to go.
“During that time period, I was trying to decide what I really wanted to do,” Altendorf said. “That was when I realized after all those years
of research that I am much more of an applied engineer. I like to see things done. I like to have that check list.”
In 1994, Altendorf took a job focusing on hydrology and hydraulics at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Tulsa. Between 1994 and 2012, she served in eight different positions within the Corps from California and Washington, D.C., to Iraq and Afghanistan. Her positions ranged from hydraulic engineering, military design, and civil works construction to restoring Iraqi oil distribution and Afghanistan infrastructure. She said much of her career was focused on program and project management dealing with budget, schedule and quality.
In 2013, Altendorf received a phone call from Army personnel at the Pentagon asking her to take over the U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention program.
Altendorf said she was surprised at the request. At the time, she had not worked directly with the military and was not actively speaking “Army lingo,” she added.
She asked why she was selected to run the SHARP program.
“Soldiers in the Army were able to talk among themselves,” Altendorf said, “but when it came to trying to explain to the media, the public or Congress, they were challenged. They
also needed someone who could run a program, and that is something I learned at the Corps of Engineers.”
After managing the SHARP program, Altendorf left the Corps of Engineers and worked in Hawaii as the region director for U.S. Army Installation Management Command. She was responsible for all the Army installations in the Pacific, including Korea, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and Kwajalein. After five years, she accepted her current position as chief of engineering and construction at the USACE Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in November 2019.
What motivates me, actually, is people.
“Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming, but it’s also very satisfying to think we have a lot of smart people with excellent skills who are doing really major things for this country and others.”
Christine Altendorf
Altendorf said she is thankful for her OSU degrees, which helped her get her first career job and set her on a path to skill development.
Altendorf said she learned supervisory management skills, communication skills and collaboration skills in the Corps. While she must stay up to date with engineering techniques, the skills she uses on a daily basis are people skills, she added
vivacious personality. To become an engineer you have to be smart, he said, but Altendorf’s character and personality are what set her apart.
“Altendorf couldn’t have climbed in the Corps based on her personality alone,” Elliott said. “You obviously have to be extremely good with your engineering skills and project management to reach that level, but I’m sure her personality and people skills helped her along the way, as well.
Although her title seems straightforward, Altendorf said she does much more than what meets the eye. She does not do typical engineer work, such as design, hydraulics or geotechnical work. She manages people, sets policy, and represents the thousands of engineers in the USACE.
“I like speaking publicly,” Altendorf said. “I like motivating people. I like the leadership positions.
“To me, there’s a lot of satisfaction in developing other people,” she added. “What motivates me, actually, is people.”
Weckler said the thing he most
GOT CUBES?
“Sports folks sometimes say a player is good in the clubhouse,” Elliott said. “That means they have a good attitude, they’re well-liked by their teammates, and they bring a positive energy to the team. That’s what I think of when I think of her.”
TRAILBLAZER A TRUE
Alumnus leads others in the sport of rodeo
The rolling hills of Payne County, Oklahoma, are a far cry from the towering buildings in bustling Stamford, Connecticut, but if you ask Bud Bramwell, National Finals Rodeo first ever Forgotten Trailblazers Award winner, he will tell you these hills are his home.
Growing up in Stamford, Bramwell led a typical life for a child in the city, he said.
“We played football in the streets, we roller skated, nobody locked their doors,” Bramwell said. “Times were good back then.”
Before Bramwell held reins in his hands he always wanted to be a cowboy, which was not normal for an inner-city kid in the northeast, he said.
“When we were about 10 or 11 years old, I started horseback riding with my mother, dad and two sisters,” Bramwell said. “We took English riding lessons, and I was the only one in the family who kept it up.”
Riding horses with his family
ignited a passion, he said, and he became fascinated with cowboys he saw on TV.
“There were a couple guys in Connecticut who went to Arizona and lived out there about a year,” Bramwell said. “They came back and bought a place in upstate Connecticut. We would go up there every week, and they would charge you 25 cents to run a calf. They started us and helped us learn how to rope.”
The desire to lead the cowboy lifestyle was ultimately what drove Bramwell to leave his home state and venture south to the plains, he said.
“I knew I wanted to come out here, to Oklahoma, and be a cowboy,” Bramwell said.
Although he was accepted by the University of the Philippines and by Tuskegee University in Alabama, Bramwell chose to come to the plains on a rodeo scholarship to Oklahoma State University, Bramwell said.
“School at OSU was good,” said
Bramwell. “Walt Garrison, an AllAmerican Cowboy football player, was in school then. He used to rope with us every day.”
An animal science graduate of 1963 and a resident of Stillwater since then, Bramwell has seen many innovations and changes take place at OSU.
“Stillwater has changed a lot,” Bramwell said. “None of the buildings had air conditioning in them when I went to school.”
Even after Bramwell graduated from OSU, he continued to be involved with the rodeo program of his alma mater by practicing with the rodeo team members at his personal arena, said CR Bradley, a former OSU Rodeo Team member.
“For two years, I roped with him almost every day of the week,” Bradley said. “I took all my classes in the morning, and then I would rope with him all afternoon almost every day.”
Mentoring a younger generation is a reason Bramwell is so well respected
in the rodeo industry and among the people he meets, Bradley said.
“I spent a lot of time with Bud, and he did a lot for me,” Bradley said. “In 2004, I made the NFR, and then I went on to a be 16-time American Quarter Horse Association world champion.”
Aside from mentoring the college rodeo athletes in Stillwater, Bramwell said he made it his mission to educate children who came from his same background about rodeo through the American Black Cowboys Association.
Bramwell was a co-founder of the American Black Cowboys Association and served as president of the association in 1969.
“Our goal at the conception of the association was to educate Black kids in the inner-city,” Bramwell said. “That was our sole purpose.”
Visiting schools and teaching children about the heritage of AfricanAmerican cowboys was only the beginning of Bramwell’s journey with the ABCA. The association would go
on to host a rodeo in the neighborhood of Harlem in New York City, he said.
“We were given about $5,000 to get a rodeo in Harlem,” Bramwell said.
“We made up a formula to get guys with one pickup and put four guys in it, so we could pay for their gas.”
The Harlem rodeo was the first of its nature, and a movie was made to document the event, Bramwell said.
“We made the movie ‘Black Rodeo’ with guys like Mohammad Ali and Woody Strode,” Bramwell said. “We
Bud Bramwell stays involved in the rodeo industry through his equine therapy business located east of Stillwater. Photo by Matt Staples.
Bud Bramwell it didn’t really make any money. We even had Mohammed Ali riding a horse down 125th Street in Harlem.”
Ted Alexander, a graduate of Langston University and friend of Bramwell, said Bramwell is a person who leads by example and cares for the people around him. “He’s an inspiration to everyone,” Alexander said. “Everyone who has ever talked to him was inspired because every time you talked to him you learned something.”
Bramwell’s outreach has been felt by more than the college cowboys of Stillwater, Alexander said.
“I met Bud Bramwell while I was at Langston University,” Alexander said. “Bud put on a rodeo at Langston for us and he was also the one who built the arena at Langston.”
Our goal … was to educate Black kids in the inner city.
Bramwell has seen the positive impact the ABCA has had on professional rodeo, especially for minorities, he said.
“The percentage of people of color has greatly increased in rodeo,” Bramwell said. “When I came here in 1962 and got my Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association card, there were only 10 Black cowboys in the PRCA out of 4,000 members.”
The world has evolved and so has the sport of rodeo when it comes to people of color, Bramwell said.
“Times have changed for the better,” he said. “Prejudice is not what it was. Guys have made it to the top now, which gives inspiration to the guys who are hoping to be there.”
If you ask people in the rodeo community, Bud Bramwell is a hero of the sport, but Bramwell said he has his own idea of who a hero is.
“My dad was my biggest hero,” Bramwell said. “I always looked up to him because he taught me that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything you want.”
Left: Bud Bramwell earned an animal science degree in 1963. Top Right: Bud Bramwell participated in every rodeo event throughout this career, but his favorite was steer wrestling. Bottom Right: Bud Bramwell competes in saddlebronc riding. Photos courtesy of Bud Bramwell.
AUSTIN CAMPBELL
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Oklahoma FFA Association
project sustainability
NREM alumna helps guide future at DFW
An alumna from Oklahoma State University has turned her passion for the environment into her profession, but she has
done so in an unusual place — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Zoe Cooper Bolack, who earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resources
ecology and management in 2015, works at DFW, the first carbon-neutral airport in North America.
She works day in and day out as part
Zoe Bolack works to preserve the environment as a member of the sustainability team at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Photo by Bryce Bolack.
of the sustainability team to maintain the airport’s carbon neutrality certification, she said.
“DFW, which is the largest carbon neutral airport in the world, was the first in the United States to take on the challenge,” Bolack said. “I am humbled to be on the team.”
Bolack started her collegiate courses at Oklahoma State University in 2012, and as a resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, she was several hours away from home.
She decided to attend OSU when she was a junior in high school after a visit to Stillwater, she said.
“I instantly fell in love with the campus and the Cowboy family,” Bolack said. “It was like a home away from home, and everybody made me feel so welcomed.”
Bolack began her education as an environmental science student, but she later changed her major to NREM and graduated with honors. While
at OSU, she met her husband, Bryce, who earned his degree in accounting, and the pair married in 2016. After OSU, she earned a master’s degree in forest resources from the University of Georgia in 2017.
“While attending OSU, I always had something going on,” Bolack said. “I held several seasonal technician jobs for a few professors in the college of agriculture.”
Tim O’Connell, NREM associate professor and Bolack’s undergraduate adviser, said his first impressions of her only strengthened as she advanced through her academic program.
“Bolack always stood out as an excellent student,” O’Connell said. “She was very determined, independent and just a tad bit of fun.”
Through her extracurricular activities, she conducted bird and arthropod surveys for various projects with NREM graduate students. She also interned for two summers at Sandia
National Laboratories in Albuquerque as part of the wildlife ecology team.
During her junior year, Bolack spent a month in the Peruvian Amazon, volunteering for a non-governmental organization to study birds in the lowlands of the Amazon Rainforest.
Bolack credits her education for opening many opportunities in her career field today.
“Having a solid science background benefited me in my profession,” Bolack said. “Learning the concepts of research, using new technology, and analyzing data has given me a huge head start in the business world and is why I inform management decisions today at the airport.”
Bolack came into the NREM program with relevant skills many students did not possess at such an early stage of college, O’Connell said.
“Bird banding and bird identification are skills students rarely develop until they take the ornithology class,”
Zoe Bolack uses her OSU NREM degree as an environmental analyst at DFW. Photo by Bryce Bolack.
O’Connell said. “I could immediately tell that she had the brains and the work ethic to take her career wherever she wanted to.”
Bolack joined the DFW sustainabil ity team in April 2019. Before coming to the airport, she started by doing consulting work for about 18 months, and then she became an environmental analyst at the DFW Airport, said Sarah Ziomek, sustainability project manag er and Bolack’s supervisor.
“Zoe is a tremendous asset to our team,” Ziomek said. “Her commitment helps amplify the airport-wide commitment to sustainability and our efforts to be an engaged and supportive member of the community.
“She brings the technical expertise and research skills that are essential to developing holistic solutions to complex, sustainability and environmental challenges,” Ziomek added.
have worked in the same office and department.
In her role at DFW, Bolack advances air quality and climate action initiatives, Ziomek said. Bolack also supports and gives insight on sustainability projects and reports for the airport’s carbon neutrality accreditation, Ziomek added.
“My typical day involves meeting with different stakeholders at the airport,” Bolack said. “This includes airlines, tenants and several internal departments, including our energy and design team and construction department to discuss upcoming projects and implementing energy and emission reduction initiatives.”
Having Bolack is a big benefit for the airport because she does so much, Ziomek added.
“She is an innovative thinker and continuously brings new ideas to the table,” Ziomek said. “Zoe’s ability to connect with different stakeholders and incorporate their concerns into our project approach helps to ensure our initiative is successful.”
The two met at Louisiana State University where they attended graduate school. Lofton is from Oklahoma, which is what brought them from LSU to Oklahoma State University. The couple married before joining the OSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.
“We ride to work together 90% of the year,” Haggard said. “But most of the time our jobs do not overlap as much as one might think.”
“We eat lunch together every day,” Lofton said. “Considering we have two little girls, we value this time to decompress and spend time together.”
They see each other multiple times a day, but their professional careers allow them to focus on different projects during the day while at work, Haggard said.
“Ever since graduate school, our offices were together,” Haggard said. “We always try to make time during the work day to spend time together.”
Being near one another at work has allowed them to help one another in their professional careers.
“She is my go-to for creativity and someone I seek guidance from on brainstorming,” Lofton said. “We talk to each other about everything we are doing at work. She helps me a lot.”
The couple said talking to one another is important, but so is listening.
“When you work together and are around each other all the time, it is impossible not to communicate with one another,” Haggard said. “The reason you get married is because you enjoy each other’s company and that shouldn’t stop because you work together.”
During their five years at OSU Lofton and Haggard have established a personal family as well as a professional one, Haggard said.
“Growing up in Oklahoma, I have always been an OSU fan,” Lofton said. “But one day I hope my daughters are able to enjoy OSU and its traditions as much as we have.”
Being closer to family was what brought Haggard and Lofton to OSU, but having the opportunity to do what they love with who they love was simply an added aspect, Lofton said.
“You are supposed to love your spouse more every day,” Lofton said. “Working as closely as we do allows us to continue to do just that.” — CC
Josh Lofton (second from left) and Beatrix Haggard (right) enjoy spending time with their girls, 4-year-old Roslynn (left) and 2-year-old Margaux. Photo by Isabelle Barrett.
asmall
In October 2019, an Oklahoma State University student found the first recorded specimen of a new stinky pest in Oklahoma.
Rodrigo Solis, a sports media sophomore, discovered a brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, at his family’s home in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
“I was taking entomology at the time, so I was collecting bugs for extra credit,” Solis said. “The bug was just climbing on the doorway, so I put it in a jar and took it to my professor.”
Wyatt Hoback, associate professor in the OSU Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, teaches ENTO 2003 Insects in Society, a class for students who are not majoring in entomology. In the course, he gives his students an opportunity after their first exam to collect live or dead insects for extra credit points, he said.
The insect specimens students bring are kept for research purposes, he added.
“This allows us to see what is going on with the insects in Oklahoma,” Hoback said.
Eric Rebek, professor in the OSU Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, said the brown marmorated stink bug is an exotic invasive species. This particular bug is native to Asia, he added.
“Many of our plant pests that are invasive are exotic, and it is usually because they are coming in a lot of different commodities that are shipped to the U.S.,” Rebek said.
Once an invasive insect is introduced to a new location it can have a devastating impact on agricultural and horticultural crops through its feeding habits, he added.
The brown marmorated stink bug feeds on small fruits, vegetables and large-scale agricultural crops like wheat, he said.
“This bug also is kind of a double-edged sword,” Rebek said. “It is a
pest through its feeding activities, so it’s a direct pest on a lot of crops we grow, but then also it is known as a nuisance pest because it invades people’s homes.”
The stink bugs will overwinter in people’s homes and can be there in overwhelming numbers, Rebek said. This is not an issue in Oklahoma yet, he added.
“This particular insect has been found in all of the surrounding states— Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, and New Mexico,” Rebek said.
After the first Oklahoma discovery of the stink bug in late 2019, more specimens have been collected in the state, Rebek added.
“We are starting to see them in more places, so we are concerned about this becoming a major problem,” Rebek said. “If we find a lot more, it could be a serious problem, but first, we need to see where it is occurring in the state and how prevalent it is going to be.”
invader brown
Entomologists track progress of invasive species in Oklahoma
Hoback said offering students an opportunity to collect bugs for extra credit may help determine how far across Oklahoma the brown marmorated stink bug has spread.
Students in Hoback’s 2020 class received a special trap, designed and provided by Trécé Inc., to capture the brown marmorated stink bug. Using the traps, students discoved two brown marmorated stink bugs: one in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and one in Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma.
“It’s bad the bug is here,” Hoback said. “But it’s exciting we get to have non-majors participate and see that something simple, like putting out traps and providing data, allows us to generate information.”
TARYN LORD
ALFALFA COUNTY OKLAHOMA
HELP OSU ENTOMOLOGY TRACK STINK BUGS
The Oklahoma State University Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology is interested in finding more specimens of the brown marmorated stink bug in the state.
Eric Rebek, professor in the OSU Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, said if Oklahomans find a bug that looks like the brown marmorated stink bug, he and his colleagues would like to know about it.
“If they are not sure what they are looking at, they can always bring it to their county extension office,” Rebek said, “or they can bring it to campus to our diagnos tic lab.”
Overall, if more brown marmorated stink bugs are found in Oklahoma this could be a serious problem for farmers, plant growers and homeowners, Rebek added.
Charlie Konemann.
As the morning sun shone across Washington, D.C., on March 4, members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture gathered in the Longworth House Office Building to conduct a hearing to review the state of the rural economy.
As U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue testified to the committee, Anna Brightwell, an Oklahoma State University agribusiness alumna, stood to the side as she documented the hearing through pictures and videos. Brightwell serves as a staff and press assistant of the House Committee on Agriculture for K. Michael Conaway of Texas.
Born and raised in Carthage, Missouri, Brightwell grew up on a cowcalf operation as a fifth-generation cattle producer. She said her father, Rick Brightwell, instilled in her a love for agriculture.
“From an early age, I was involved in 4-H and FFA and exhibited pigs and cattle,” she said. “This involvement and interactions with agricultural producers ignited my interest in agricultural policy and my goal of working in Washington, D.C.”
• aim
After graduating from Carthage High School in 2016, Brightwell attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College for two years on a livestock judging scholarship.
While attending a conference at OSU as a high school student, Brightwell “fell in love” with the campus and knew she wanted to become a part of the “Cowboy family” one day, she said. The family atmosphere in the college, especially in Agricultural Hall was a big reason why she decided to transfer to OSU in 2018 for her junior year, she said.
“Ag Hall just felt like home,” she said. “I liked the feeling of walking by the Student Success Center and always seeing a familiar face.”
Brightwell said transferring to OSU was challenging for her at first because she did not know a lot of people.
Joining the college’s Student Council was a major step forward for her, Brightwell said. She was selected to serve on the Freshmen and Transfer Representatives Council, and she began to know more students by getting involved in various college activities, she said.
“Anna Brightwell is a quiet and
confident leader,” said Cynda Clary, associate dean of academic programs in the Ferguson College of Agriculture. “She has a confidence in what she knows as well as what she would like to do and who she wants to work with.”
Becoming a member of the student council helped her get to know different students and helped her transition to the university go smoothly, Brightwell said.
“She is brave enough to step out to do something that takes courage as a transfer student,” Clary said.
Not satisfied with just serving the college, Brightwell joined the Student Alumni Board and multiple Student Government Association committees to begin serving the university on a wider scale, she said.
“Although I was only a student at OSU for three semesters, I was determined to make the most of being there by serving both the university and the Stillwater community,” she said.
Brightwell is passionate about politics and public service, she said, and hopes to pursue a career in international trade policy and law. She also did internships related to legal aid, community service and policy.
Alumna works her way to Washington, D.C.
Anna Brightwell serves on the staff of the House Committee on Agriculture. Photo provided by Anna Brightwell.
During summer 2019, Brightwell served as the college’s intern for Rep. Frank Lucas. The program helps students from the Ferguson College of Agriculture work with the U.S. House of Representatives on policy issues regarding Lucas’ committee responsibilities, Brightwell said.
“Through the internship, I was able to network within the public and private sector to expand my knowledge of policy issues,” she said.
and rural Americans nationwide,” Brightwell said.
While taking her final on-campus classes in fall 2019, she worked as an intern in the Executive Office of the Governor of Oklahoma and as a legal intern through the Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma office.
She is not afraid to work hard to achieve her goals.
Barb Brightwell
One of the OSU connections she made was with Ricki Schroeder, a 2017 agricultural leadership and agribusiness alumnus, who serves as the legislative assistant and coalitions coordinator for the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.
“Meeting Ricki Schroeder and learning more about his work with the agriculture committee on the 2018
Brightwell said in this role she helped low-income families and senior citizens with their civil legal issues by drafting legal documents and conducting research for staff.
“She is really motivated and passionate about helping people,” said Aisha Sams, NREM senior and a close friend of Brightwell. “She would do anything for anyone, whether she would be paid or not.”
In her current role, she greets visitors as a point of contact for the committee and helps other staff with
OUTSTANDING
research for the staff,” Brightwell said. “I also work with their communications director on developing social media posts and writing press releases. During hearing days, I will also take pictures and videos.”
The 22-year-old has always been a quiet and determined girl, said her mother, Barb Brightwell. Barb Brightwell said she is proud of what her daughter has accomplished.
“Anna has always been goal-oriented,” her mother said. “She is not afraid to work hard to achieve her goals.”
Although Anna Brightwell lives in Washington, D.C., she said she will always be part of the Cowboy family because of the connections she made at OSU.
RENEWING RURAL OKLAHOMA
Inaugural Rural Scholars Program kicks off in rural Oklahoma communities
Rolling hills, sweeping plains and mountainous ranges reach across rural Oklahoma.
However, among beautiful landscapes, rural Oklahomans face multiple challenges, including broadband access issues, healthcare shortages and drought, said Tyson Ochsner, a Rural Renewal Initiative team leader and a plant and soil sciences professor.
“We are the in process of creating a Rural Renewal Institute at Oklahoma State University,” Ochsner said. “When talking to other faculty members about the research needs and opportunities for OSU, addressing the challenges facing rural communities just emerged as a high-priority item.”
Rural Renewal is a Tier 1 Research Initiative, which emphasizes the efforts for “Timely, Impactful, Engaged Research.” The Rural Renewal Initiative includes three parts: the Rural Scholars Program, a seed grant program, and the Rural Renewal Symposium and Prize.
“The Rural Scholars program is one of our core activities because we really
believe our students have the potential to make a difference,” Ochsner said.
The inaugural Rural Scholars program included a 16-week course and 10-week “serviceship,” which is similar to an internship.
The Spring 2020 class met once a week to discuss the history of Oklahoma communities as well as research theories and rural problems. The initial group of students worked in Harmon and Tillman counties in Summer 2020 to conduct research and provide community service.
The scholars program is modeled after a study-abroad program, said Shane Robinson, a Rural Renewal Initiative team leader and agricultural education professor.
“Before you go to a given country, you come together with the professor, and he or she explains customs of the country,” Robinson said.
“We are laying the groundwork as a class and making sure everybody understands the program,” he added.
When the students applied for the Rural Scholars program, they became a key part in the faculty’s research
project, Robinson said. As scholars, students collect data in the areas they are assigned, he said.
Robinson said the students participated in community activities, as well. Whether helping in Habitat for Humanity workdays or library programs, they assisted in the communities in many ways, Robinson said.
“I grew up in a very small town, and it is thriving,” said Audrey King, a Rural Scholar and agricultural education doctoral student. “However, I have gotten to the point where I have likely over educated myself to be able to go back there.
“It makes me happy to think the work I do now, and in the future, could contribute to rural life in a positive way, even if I can’t physically be there,” King said.
Ochsner said students in the 2020 program ranged from freshmen to doctoral students.
King said the different ages and perspectives in a class made it interesting.
“Often, the freshmen and sophomores are just so excited,” King said. “They are excited to be in school and
Rural Scholar Luke Muller (left) and Paul Weckler, BAE professor, collect data on soil moisture levels. Photo by Ali Meek.
the younger students to think harder about the issues.
“The graduate students almost command a higher dialogue and interaction of the undergraduates, including myself,” said Luke Muller, a Rural Scholar and an agribusiness and plant and soil sciences senior. “They make us think more outside the
unique perspective to offer from grow ing up in the area.
“I always thought I was going to come to OSU, get my bachelor’s degree, go straight back to the farm, and take over the operation,” Muller said.
Muller said he hoped to build community ties and become a change agent during the summer. He said in going
some of the greatest threats facing western Oklahomans, Muller said.
More progressive practices, such as using cutting-edge soil moisture sensors, were the focus of his research this summer, he said.
Using these technologies can have big impacts on crop production and water conservation, Muller said.
Opportunity to Assist in the Renewal
The concept for the Rural Renewal Initiative began in 2019 when the OSU vice president for research initiated a search for interdisciplinary research themes across the university.
Three Ferguson College of Agriculture faculty members – Tyson Ochsner, a plant and soil sciences professor; Shane Robinson, an agricultural education professor; and Paul Weckler, a biosystems and agricultural engineering professor — along with Bruce Barringer from the OSU Spears School of Business and Mark Woodring from the OSU Center for Health Sciences, created a proposal, which was presented to the council of deans and approved in September 2019.
“There’s been a huge amount of effort over many decades on trying to improve agricultural productivity to help rural development and deal with some of the issues in rural areas,” said Paul Weckler, a Rural Renewal team leader and a biosystems and agricultural engineering professor.
“There are programs at University of Nebraska, at Iowa State University and at other places to try to help rural areas,” Weckler said. “But, there are a couple of unique things about us because this is coming from the vice president for research. Research is the focus.”
The three programs of the Rural Renewal Initiative – Rural Scholars program, seed projects and Rural Renewal Symposium and Prize — are in need funding.
For more information about the Rural Renewal Initiative, visit ruralrenewal.okstate.edu. — RN
Rural Scholars Caitlin Dreher (left) and Katie Webb help with drive-through meal distribution in Hollis, Oklahoma. Photo by Katelyn Miller.
“The population of farmers and the population of Harmon and Tillman counties have very aging populations,” Muller said. “It’s hard for them to try and invest in technology, such as notill drills and big sprayers, late in their careers and having to constantly pay those bills.
“We interacted with them and tailored technologies to improve their productivity and soil health, which could be doable for them,” Muller said.
Muller said community involvement in the Rural Renewal Initiative is a key in making it successful.
“As long as people are looking for ways to give back in their communities and being open-minded to working for the betterment of the community, now and in the future, that’s the biggest thing we could ask for,” Muller said.
Robinson said people can support the cause multiple ways, but the main way is to be involved in the community. Whether participating in round-table discussions or talking at the local coffee shop, rural Oklahomans’ input matters, he said.
“We want to help in every way possible, but we are somewhat limited in terms of dollar bills,” Robinson said. “The more money we add, the more work we can potentially do.”
Robinson said funding is needed for the next round of Rural Scholars. Counties wanting to host a scholar can donate money and time, Robinson said.
The Rural Scholars received a stipend for their efforts during the summer, and the communities provided housing for the students.
“I was raised in a rural place where everybody had to work together and lock arms and do what they could for the betterment of the community for everybody,” Robinson said. “We’re all in it together.”
MOVING CLOSER TO HOME
When Justin and Mellissa Crosswhite saw the chance to move closer to family, they knew they had to jump on the opportunity.
The two are instructors within the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Sciences, where they teach and advise the freshmen and sophomore students in the department.
“I am an Oklahoma native and graduated from OSU,” Justin Crosswhite said. “I moved to the University of Florida to get my master’s degree.”
Mellissa Crosswhite was also at the University of Florida finishing her bachelor’s degree, he said.
“We have been in the same building for most of our relationship,” he said. “It would be more of an adjustment for us if we didn’t work together and see each other all day.”
Although they work next door to one another, the Crosswhites consider this normal.
“We definitely have times where we are working on totally different things,” Mellissa Crosswhite said. “We have similar duties, but we teach different classes. Justin is more on the meat science side of things, and I am a reproductive physiologist.”
Both husband and wife advise different clubs and have different obligations. These differences keep a certain amount of their jobs separate, but they do bounce ideas off of each other, she said.
“There is more of an investment, which leads to better communication when we talk about work at home,” Justin Crosswhite said. “We know what the other person is talking about and who they are talking about. We can relate to each other and understand most situations the other is experiencing.”
They also ride to work together most days when they do not have to advise a club meeting or have other work obligations, he said.
“We work well together,” Mellissa Crosswhite said. “It seems like people refer to us as the Crosswhites more than they refer to us as individuals.
“I don’t know that this could work for everyone, but it works for us,” she said. “We stay busy and lead separate lives, but at the end of the day we are there for each other.” — CC
REBEKAH NASH
SHELBY COUNTY ILLINOIS
Justin (left) and Mellissa Crosswhite came to OSU in 2016. Photo by Matt Staples.
TFerguson College of Agriculture names the 2019-20 Outstanding Senior
A Journey of Success
he Louis and Betty Gardner
Outstanding Senior award is presented to students who are engaged, involved and academically sound. This year’s Outstanding Senior in the Ferguson College of Agriculture — Mckenzie Carvalho — is no different, said Dwayne Cartmell, an agricultural communications professor and Carvalho’s academic adviser.
Carvalho, an agribusiness and agricultural communications senior, grew up in Maxwell, a small town in northern California.
She was involved in multiple activities, including FFA, softball, volleyball and cheerleading.
“In FFA, I showed swine, competed in public speaking contests and horse judging, and held chapter, section, and region offices,” Carvalho said. “At FFA events, I visited with the Ferguson College of Agriculture Ambassador team and knew those were the people I wanted to be associated with.”
Carvalho brought the leadership skills she learned from FFA to OSU where she has excelled academically for the past four years, Cartmell said.
“Mckenzie is a tremendous student,” Cartmell said. “She’s highly engaged in activities of all levels of the
college, the university and our discipline in agriculture as a whole.”
Carvalho served in multiple capacities throughout her time at OSU. She was involved in Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Encounter, Oklahoma AgCredit Student Board of Directors, Alpha Zeta Honor Society, Ferguson College of Agriculture Ambassadors, Student Alumni Board and the college’s Student Council.
She also has traveled with students and faculty from the college on four study-abroad trips.
“Few words can capture the feeling of touring Auschwitz, photographing Costa Rica’s wildlife and landscapes, jumping off a bridge in New Zealand, and climbing the Great Wall of China,” Carvalho said. “My time at OSU has been filled with meeting people and participating in many activities, which motivated me to focus on mentoring international students.
“I had such a positive start at OSU and wanted to ensure students coming here from abroad were also able to experience this,” Carvalho added.
Cartmell said he had the opportunity to lead Carvalho on a study-abroad photography trip to Costa Rica.
“Her interest in international
agriculture and international involvement was apparent by the way she interacted with new people in different countries,” Cartmell said. “But above all, her interest in communications was evident.
“It was a really cool experience being able to witness that drive in a student during an international study,” he said.
Although Carvalho is an out-ofstate student, she still has a passion for learning about the needs of rural Oklahoma, she said.
Traveling on study-abroad trips as well as around Oklahoma have helped her challenge herself while serving others, she added.
“Traveling the world on agricultural study-abroad trips and around the state with the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Encounter opened my eyes to global agriculture, the importance of diverse cultures and the needs of rural Oklahoma,” Carvalho said. “These experiences expanded my perspective on inclusiveness and set me on a career path of developing rural communities.
Rob Terry, head of the OSU Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership, met Carvalho through a study-abroad trip
Success
Mckenzie Carvalho chose the Ferguson College of Agriculture through meeting with the college’s student ambassadors at the National FFA Convention. Photo by Sierra Winters
to the Czech Republic after her freshman year.
“Carvalho is very gregarious,” Terry said. “She met and interacted with people very well in an international setting. She always represented our department and our college in a positive way.
“Attitude makes a difference,” Terry added. “Mckenzie always has a positive attitude and is a great ambassador for our college.
“I would regard Mckenzie as having been someone who has had a positive influence on our college, her peers, the faculty, and also alumni and stakeholders,” he said.
Carvalho gathered many different experiences to enrich her time at OSU and will benefit from those when she goes out to the world, Terry said.
Along with study-abroad trips and being involved within different organizations throughout the college, Carvalho also participated in community service efforts.
“My desire to find community led to four years of campus involvement,”
Carvalho said. “I not only made friends and learned from mentors through these organizations and positions, but also I gained transferable skills such as time management, conflict resolution and adaptability.
“Through my time as a Ferguson College of Agriculture Ambassador, an AG 1011 Student Academic Mentor, and China Agricultural University student mentor, I challenged myself to serve others, while working toward career and personal goals,” she added.
Carvalho also was involved in multiple research projects throughout her time at OSU.
Her interest in research in agricultural economics began the summer after her sophomore year when she had the opportunity to intern for the Noble Research Institute, she said.
“My mentor, Myriah Johnson, tailored my summer to expose me to many different research projects,” Carvalho said, “from a literature review on what would happen to the market without U.S. beef production to articles on the Pasture, Rangeland
and Forage insurance program and the Farm Bill.”
After returning to OSU for her junior year, Carvalho began a research project on the factors influencing participation in supplemental nutrition assistance programs across Oklahoma counties, she said.
“My interest in researching welfare programs came from wanting to better understand the largest title in the Farm Bill,” Carvalho said. “I learned what drives SNAP participation and eligibility in rural, mixed, and urban Oklahoma counties and determined how people can better reach susceptible individuals.
“Conducting research is what influenced me to pursue my master’s with hopes of going on to get my doctorate and becoming an extension economist,” Carvalho added.
ELLIE SCHMIDGALL
On the Wright Path
Verona, Missouri, native Lora Wright received the 2020 Ferguson College of Agriculture Outstanding Freshman award in April.
With plans to go to law school, she said she hopes to use her education to help farmers and ranchers.
“I came to OSU for the opportunities offered to me through the dairy programs,” Wright said. “OSU provided the course of study I wanted as well as a familial atmosphere.”
Wright, who is an agribusiness major, grew up on a registered Holstein dairy farm and knew she wanted to stay connected to the industry when she went to college. She works at the Ferguson Family Dairy Center and is involved in the Dairy Science Club, Alpha Zeta, Sigma Alpha, and is a McKnight Scholar and Career Liaison.
Through hard work and encouragement from her adviser, Wright said she
received the award she did not know existed a year prior.
“Maintaining a high GPA is very important to me,” Wright said. “I take advantage of every tutoring opportunity along with any time to meet with professors during office hours. I’ve always liked to stay busy.”
Honoring
Dean’s Award of Excellence Recipients
2020 Seniors of Distinction
Levi Baker agricultural economics
Katherine Bezner agricultural leadership
Mason Blinson plant & soil sciences animal science
Grayson Cottrell animal science
Rainee DeRoin environmental science
Jessica Gore biochemistry & molecular biology
Madison Gore natural resource ecology & management
Autumn Gregg agribusiness / animal science
Jerryca Haller agricultural education
Ty Montgomery biochemistry & molecular biology animal science
Jacob Sestak agricultural economics
Hunter Starr agribusiness
Hunter Tolliver biochemistry & molecular biology
Amanda Upton agricultural economics
Courtney Wiedenmann agricultural education
Mckenzie
Ferguson College of Agriculture Alumni News
Summer/Fall 2020
ALUMNI EARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Kelli Payne serves as the president of the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City.
Payne attended Oklahoma State University, finishing her bachelor’s degree in animal science with an option in livestock merchandising in 2014. Understanding the importance of gaining real-world experience, she frequently took semesters off to work and take advantage of exciting opportunities, including working for Congressman Wes Watkins.
In April 2019, Payne was appointed to her current position, making her the first female and one of only six people in the 110-year history. In this position, Payne attends trade shows in Oklahoma and neighboring states, as
Myriah Johnson serves as the senior director of beef sustainability research with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Johnson began her education in the Ferguson College of Agriculture in 2005. After completing her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics at OSU, Johnson went on to obtain her master’s in agricultural economics and doctorate in animal science from Texas A&M University.
While at OSU, Johnson was a member of Alpha Zeta and was honored as an OSU Senior of Significance and an OSU Top Ten Freshmen Woman.
After completing her education in 2016, Johnson began working at the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as an agricultural economics consultant. In 2018, she assumed the responsibilities of economics program lead and helped develop the Industry Relations and Stewardship
well as cattlemen’s meetings and sponsored events. She works to increase the Oklahoma National Stockyards’ presence in the cattle industry and beyond and builds on the tradition of providing a top-notch market for cattle producers, all while maintaining the area’s historic integrity.
In 2018, Payne was fundraising committee chair and led efforts in honor of Jones’ retirement to endow the David Jones Dairy Judging Team Endowed Fund, the first endowed fund for the OSU Dairy Judging Program. She continues to invest in the program and in research and judging teams.
Payne and her friend Dave Newcomb have provided the Kelli Payne and Dave Newcomb Annual Fellowship since 2018 to provide
program. During her time at Noble, she also revolutionized the Lloyd Noble Scholars in Agriculture Program. She designed specific, directed research for each of the scholars while they were at Noble and continued to mentor many of them upon their return to college and even into their graduate studies.
Johnson has introduced several Noble Scholars to faculty at OSU as the scholars seek opportunities for graduate study, often personally introducing them on campus visits.
In her current position with NCBA, Johnson leads the Beef Checkoff’s sustainability research program. She is responsible for not only setting the direction of the research program, but also developing and implementing checkoff-funded programs that validate and benchmark how beef is responsibly and sustainably raised.
Johnson serves as an adjunct faculty member in the OSU Department
scholarship support to an OSU student who is a U.S. military veteran working toward a master’s degree within the Ferguson College of Agriculture.
of Agricultural Economics where she has served on three graduate student committees and created research opportunities for each of these students. Johnson was a member of Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Class XIX and continues to contribute to OSU as a scholarship donor and contributor to the New Frontiers Campaign.
Kelli Payne Myriah Johnson
OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE
This summer, the OSU Alumni Association launched a new membership model that emphasizes life membership and recognizes previous support through annual dues.
Annual dues paid by members in the past will now be credited toward a life membership, along with any dues paid in the future. Once a member has paid $1,000 or more in dues, they will be considered a life member.
New payment schedules and methods are also being offered to lower the barriers to becoming a life member. New monthly and quarterly payment plans are available for as little as $10 and $25, respectively. Apple Pay, Google Pay and electronic fund transfers from a member’s checking or savings account may also be used to make payments.
Members may still choose to pay one time per year if they wish, and those dues will now count toward a life membership.
GET INVOLVED
You can show your support of the Ferguson College of Agriculture by becoming a member of the OSU Alumni Association. A portion of all membership dues received are returned to the college to support our alumni events and student programming.
Each year, the Ferguson College of Agriculture Alumni Board of Directors coordinates and is involved with several events, including Roundup, a
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
“It has never been easier to become an Alumni Association life member,” said Rob McInturf, OSU Alumni Association president. “More importantly, there have never been more reasons to be an active member — both for our members and for the institution.”
The Alumni Association has increased its member benefits and programming over the past decade with the addition of Alumni Career Services, the reintroduction of Traveling Cowboys, the implementation of virtual programming and more.
Life members also have a new way to give back through a new membership level called Life Membership Plus, which will offer enhanced benefits and experiences in the future.
Visit ORANGECONNECTION. org/join to learn more about the new membership model and claim your life membership credit if you are a current or previous annual member.
Homecoming Celebration and Annual Alumni Meeting ,and the Access Tour.
If you are interested in getting involved with these activities, consider becoming a board member. Visit agriculture.okstate.edu/alumni to learn more and complete a board member application.
Stay connected and support the college and OSU by becoming a member of the OSU Alumni Association.
Agriculture Alumni Board of Directors
Kirby Smith President Oklahoma City Southwest District
Haley Nabors Vice President Enid, Oklahoma At-large Member
Rick Reimer Secretary Claremore, Oklahoma Northeast District
Melissa Mourer Executive Secretary Stillwater, Oklahoma
Brandon Chandler Stratford, Oklahoma Southeast District
Phillip Cowley Morrison, Oklahoma At-large Member
Lewis Cunningham Edmond, Oklahoma At-large Member
Raylon Earls Guymon, Oklahoma Northwest District
Mechelle Hampton Tulsa, Oklahoma Northeast District
Jon Marc Holt Woodward, Oklahoma Northwest District
Amber McNeil Elgin, Oklahoma Southwest District
Charles Rohla Ardmore, Oklahoma Southeast District
Meg Stangl Okarche, Oklahoma At-large Member
Building a brighter future.
Raising cattle along with growing cotton and wheat, Cody and Kara Goodknight, 2019 Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award winners, strive to produce quality food and fiber for a growing world. The Goodknights are proud and passionate about the work they are doing, producing innovative and valuable products in rural Oklahoma.
www.okfarmbureau.org
Featured: Cody (right) and Kara Goodknight on their ranch.
Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership
448 Agricultural Hall Stillwater, OK 74078-6031
CAREER DEVELOPMENT IS A JOURNEY
FROM YOUR FIRST DAY ON CAMPUS
Find your interests and skills in the classroom. Discover more about who you are and what you want to do after graduation.
Work with our career services team in the Student Success Center to create a career plan to achieve your professional goals.
Network by attending our Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Fair. More than 90 employers attend each year.
Job searching can be daunting. Let us help you in your search so you can graduate with confidence in what comes next.
Apply your career development skills, and grow in your profession. Use HireOSUGrads.com to find future opportunities!