Message from the Dean: Dr. Chandra Reddy

Greetings from the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture! In this issue of AgLink, we share with you, our stakeholders, alumni, and friends some of the highlights of the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, and what a year it was at TSUAg! Research was the buzzword frequently bandied about on campus throughout the spring semester and for good reason, as the College of Agriculture hosted a series of important research summits both on campus and in the case of the Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium (ARD Symposium), at the nearby Gaylord Opryland Convention Center.

The College’s hosting of the ARD Symposium was undoubtedly the seminal event of the spring semester. The biennial gathering of the best research minds from across the 1890 land-grant university system was the largest in the event’s nearly 50-year history so it’s a good thing we chose the cavernous Opryland as our venue.

Our students, faculty, and staff members were tremendous throughout the symposium, performing well in offering up their meticulous research, networking with students and faculty members from our fellow 1890s, and being gracious hosts to all in attendance. We were pleased to see TSU President Dr. Glenda Glover in attendance as well, it was great to spend time with her in advance of her retirement this summer. You can read more about the symposium by checking out this issue’s cover story on page 12.

And while the ARD Symposium may have been our biggest research-focused event in the spring semester, it was far from our only one. On several occasions we welcomed dignitaries from the USDA, the Southern Research Station, faculty from other universities, and industry stakeholders to campus. You can read about a couple of those moments on pages 8 and 30, where you can read about a pair of symposiums we took part in right here on campus.

In this issue we turn our attention to the Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, TN. Having recently undergone a momentous change in leadership from the long-serving Dr. Nick Gawel, to newly-established Director Dr. Karla Addesso, we thought it an apt time to dive into the history of the NRC. Take a look at page 36 to learn more about that history, Dr. Gawel’s time, and his successor, Dr. Addesso.

We spent time celebrating our successes this semester as well, taking a week to commemorate the establishment of our new department structure installed last semester. Each of what is now five academic departments operating at the College had their day in the sun during Ag Week, which you can learn more about on page 32.

As always, this issue of AgLink brings to you stories about our amazing students and faculty members as well, highlighting their achievements in the classroom, the field, and the lab. Our goodbye to longtime faculty member Dr. Sam Dennis and a profile of graduate researcher Devin Moore are highlights you should enjoy.

Thank you for reading and for your continued support of Tennessee State University, the College of Agriculture and our land-grant programs!