DECEMBER 2021 | ISSUE NO. 3
THE LAND-GRANT LEDGER INSIDE THIS ISSUE Dean's Message Women in Agriculture Workshop Winter Canola Research Drives Industry and Institution Outstanding Student Internationally Recognized College of Agriculture Hosts Graduate Student Summit Future Ag Leaders - AFA participants
Dean's Message Dear Stakeholders and supporters of TSU’s Land-Grant Programs, We congratulate our undergraduate and graduate students who successfully completed their academic requirements to graduate on November 20th! We are thankful that the Fall semester ended before we begin to worry about Omicron, the newer mutation of COVID-19. We were able to send 12 students to the Agriculture Future of America Leaders Conference, a prestigious leadership program for college students majoring in agricultural fields. These students were selected on a competitive basis and we have continuously sponsored the highest number of students among the 1890 institutions to this program. We are one step closer to finalizing our Ph.D program in Agricultural Sciences approved by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, after successfully completing the external review and obtaining the final approval from the TSU Board of Trustees. Our research and extension faculty have developed grant proposals for two centers of excellence in partnership with other 1890 institutions. To encourage and support women entrepreneurs, we have successfully sponsored a national conference for Women in Agriculture. Chandra Reddy, Dean Director of Research and Administrator of Extension
EXTENSION
Women in Agriculture Workshop Propels Female Leaders to Success By Janiece M. Pigg Dr. Arvazena Clardy, with a team of Extension educators including Mr. Finis Stribling, Ms. Sherry Crudup, Ms. Anonya A-Amenyenu, and Dr. Ravneet Kaur, conducted the annual Tennessee State University Women in Agriculture Outreach Program. Through grant funding awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), this program aims to propel the agricultural industry in Tennessee by connecting female producers with educational, funding, and professional resources. With over 100 individuals registered for this interactive, virtual conference, participants were connected with area experts who explained new production techniques and technologies, marketing strategies, and professional resources to further participants’ respective agricultural enterprises. Dr. Clardy, Associate Professor and program lead, explained that the Women in Agriculture Outreach Program seeks to, “increase the number of female agricultural producers operating in Tennessee. Additionally, we also provide educational and professional development opportunities for those women”. For more information on the Women in Agriculture Outreach Program, please contact Dr. Arvazena Clardy at aclardy@tnstate.edu.
RESEARCH
Winter Canola Research Drives Industry and Institution By Janiece M. Pigg Dr. Jason de Koff, an Associate Professor and Extension Program Leader, has been diligently researching the winter canola production in Tennessee. Dr. de Koff said, “This project focuses on applied research to identify the best varieties and nitrogen rates for optimal yield and oil content in Tennessee. This work also parallels my Extension focus on bioenergy so that farmers may grow their own fuel through winter canola production for conversion to biodiesel to utilize on their farm”. Through a collaborative effort with Research Associate, Firuz Yuldashev, and graduate students, Taqdeer Gill, Manasarobar Bhattarai, and Kyle McGeary, this research hold implications to enhance sustainable agriculture production, mitigate climate change, and increase environmental integrity. Although the scientific contribution of this scholarly inquiry is vast, this project has also allowed for greater engagement between Tennessee State University and stakeholder groups such as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), and the United States Canola Association. For more information on winter canola research and production, please contact Dr. Jason de Koff at jdekoff@tnstate.edu.
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ACADEMICS
Outstanding Student Internationally Recognized By Janiece M. Pigg Taqdeer Gill, Graduate Research Assistant in the College of Agriculture, recently won two prestigious awards at the 2021 American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) joint International Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ms. Gill won the Outstanding M.S. Student Award from the Association of Agricultural Scientists of Indian Origin for her exceptional accomplishments in research and advocacy in the agricultural industry.
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She also won second place in the oral presentation competition in the Bioenergy Systems division. Under the supervision of Dr. Jason de Koff, Ms. Gill’s investigative inquiry “focuses on studying the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on yield, oil, and protein content of winter canola and pollinators.” “I am thankful to my advisor and TSU for providing me the opportunity and preparation to contribute my efforts towards agricultural research,” Ms. Gill explained.
ACADEMICS
College of Agriculture Hosts Graduate Student Summit with Western Kentucky University Undergraduate Students By Janiece M. Pigg The Tennessee State University (TSU) College of Agriculture hosted a graduate school interest session with undergraduate students from Western Kentucky University. Representatives from every academic college across the TSU campus were present to promote and recruit prospective students into the TSU Graduate School. Undergraduates from Western Kentucky University got the opportunity to discuss the requirements, expectations, and opportunities that are available through graduate school at TSU. Ramona Whitworth Wiggins, Director of Graduate Admissions and facilitator of the event, explained how events such as these allow for TSU to expand the student recruitment pipeline, which is a prominent institutional objective for the university, as a whole.
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ACADEMICS
Future Ag Leaders - AFA participants By Everett D. Jolley Dr. Chandra Reddy, Dean of the College of Agriculture at Tennessee State University (TSU), and several agriculture students had the opportunity to attend the 2021 Agriculture Future of America Leaders (AFA) Conference in Kansas City, Missouri on November 11th through 14th, 2021. The AFA Leaders Conference is the bridge between college and career for undergraduate students studying food systems and agriculture. The four-track program is designed to provide Agriculture students with different personal and professional development opportunities based on their respective collegiate levels and career goals. Each track, designed to give students insight into the business of agriculture and its supporting industries, was filled with workshops and activities throughout the entire day. The conference was sponsored by over 60 of the industry’s biggest companies; including enterprises such as Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), BASF, Bayer, Bunge North America, Cargill, Farm Credit, Farm Journal Foundation, and Merck Animal Health. Most of these impactful companies participated in the Opportunity Fair, an event that allows industry professionals to network, inform, and recruit the nation's top student agricultural leaders.
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THE LAND-GRANT LEDGER
DECEMBER 2021 | ISSUE NO. 3
THANKS FOR TUNING IN THIS MONTH A special thank you to all of our partnering individuals, organizations, sponsors, and stakeholders for your continued support of our land-grant mission. As an institution, we thrive on the innovative partnerships that continue to foster the development, education, and success of all Tennesseans. Thank you most especially to our featured colleagues and students, Dr. Arvazena Clardy, Mr. Finis Stribling, Ms. Sherry Crudup, Ms. Anonya A-Amenyenu, Dr. Ravneet Kaur, Dr. Jason de Koff, Ms. Taqdeer Gill, and Mr. Everett Jolley, for their outstanding work to further our land-grant mission of education, research, and outreach. Without such amazing staff, faculty, and students, the College of Agriculture would not be able to foster active innovation through instruction, research, and public service. We would also like to thank all of our cooperating organizations that are a vital part of the success of the College of Agriculture at Tennessee State University. Thank you to the countless international, national, and local sponsors that allow our programs to flourish throughout the state of Tennessee.
To lean more about the TSU College of Agriculture, visit our website by clicking or scanning the QR code. Connect with us online. TSU-22-035(A)-12a-81320 – Tennessee State University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by Tennessee State University. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Office of Equity and Inclusion, 3500 John Merritt Blvd., General Services Building, Second Floor, Nashville, TN 37209, 615-9637435. The Tennessee State University policy on nondiscrimination can be found at www.tnstate.edu/nondiscrimination