The Land-Grant Ledger: October 2021

OCTOBER 2021 | ISSUE NO. 1

THE LAND-GRANT LEDGER INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Dean's Message Fostering Financial Education Clucking All the Way to the Bank Cultivating Crop Climate Resiliency Sweet Victories from Sweet Sorghum Progressive Pedagogy in Online Education Graduate Greatness

Dean's Message

Dear stakeholders and supporters of TSU’s Land-Grant Programs, I am pleased to introduce this first edition of the Land-Grant Ledger with a few brief notes about current happenings in academics, research, and extension. This is a collaborative effort of our Associate Deans, Drs. Latif Lighari, De’Etra Young, and Fulya Baysal-Gurel and the Distance Education Specialist, Janiece Pigg.

Ms. Pigg is a new addition to the Land-Grant programs and she quickly embraced this idea and agreed to edit and publish this monthly communique. We are thankful to her. The purpose of this monthly Land-Grant Ledger is to share the accomplishments of our passionate students, faculty and staff with the public more frequently and regularly. In this premier edition, you will read about youth development activities in the counties, a role model student who recently graduated, and the cutting edge research on today’s challenges, such as climate change and renewable energy.

Thank you for your continued support, Chandra Reddy, Dean Director of Research and Administrator of Extension

EXTENSION

Fostering Financial Education

By Janiece M. Pigg and Maria Sabin In August and September, Tennessee State University (TSU) Extension and University of Tennessee (UT) Extension presented On My Own, a UT Family and Consumer Sciences financial education program at Orchard Knob Middle School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The statewide On My Own program strives to increase students' capacity to establish and build income in the future, as well as increase student interest in the opportunities of pursuing higher education. Volunteers from Hamilton County Master Gardeners, Cigna Health and Life, and Orchard Knob Middle School collaborated with 4H from UT-TSU Extension Hamilton County in conducting this program.

This program was delivered by Ms. Nancy Rucker, Hamilton County UT Extension Agent and County Director, and Ms. Maria Sabin, Hamilton County TSU Extension Agent. Ms. Sabin explained how this program can financially elevate students in a historically impoverished region of Chattanooga. She said, “This program can increase students' knowledge about how to achieve their educational and lifestyle goals and, hopefully, decrease the number of families living in poverty in the future. This program encourages students to consider higher education and make careful choices about their lifestyles.”

Ms. Sabin recounted how an impactful and collaborative youth development program can present many challenges in facilitation.

However, she explained, “Though, the work is involved, it is definitely worth it in terms of the possibility of improving the lives of the students in the future.”

If you are interested in more information about the On My Own program, please contact Ms. Marci Hethmon at hhethmon@utk.edu.

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EXTENSION

Clucking All the Way to the Bank

By Janiece M. Pigg and Walter Malone Mr. Walter Malone, Tennessee State University (TSU) Sullivan County Extension Agent, alongside Ms. Connie Sharp, University of Tennessee (UT) Washington County Extension Agent, have conducted the Chick Chain 4-H project over the last several months.

The Chick Chain project is an ongoing, multicounty united effort with support from TSU Extension, UT Extension, the Appalachian Fair Association, the Washington Farmers Co-op, M&M Farm Supply, Mize Farm & Garden, Rural King Supply, and Ron Ramsey & Associates Realtors and Auctioneers.

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This collaborative project allows for youth in 4th to 12th grade to explore the basics of poultry production, animal science, record keeping, and youth leadership. Mr. Malone explained, “Each year the Washington and Sullivan County UT-TSU Extension Offices partner to offer this hands-on learning opportunity as a component of the 4-H poultry project. The overall purpose of this program is to provide an avenue to foster the development of life skills in the youth participants.”

Through the Chick Chain project, 4-H members raise laying hens to be shown and sold at the annual 4-H Chick Chain Poultry Show and Sale. Mr. Malone noted the importance of this project for the public saying, “Family and community members are made more aware of one method of food production and food safety principles. It provides a connection for people with how their food is produced. Further, the youth participants are learning skills that will help them to be a part of the future workforce.” For more information about this program, please contact Mr. Walter Malone at wmalone@tnstate.edu.

RESEARCH

Cultivating Crop Climate Resiliency

By Janiece M. Pigg and Dr. Jianwei Li Tennessee State University (TSU) College of Agriculture is making great strides in protecting the Tennessee public from the influence of climate change in agricultural croplands. TSU researcher and Associate Professor, Dr. Jianwei Li, is investigating the role of global warming in soil microbes and nitrogen fertilizer applications in switchgrass croplands in Tennessee.

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Dr. Li, along with TSU researchers Dr. Jason deKoff, Dr. Dafeng Hui, Dr. Suping Zhou, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) researcher, Dr. Philip Fay, are in the early stages of utilizing this research to provide solutions to agricultural sustainability.

Switchgrass is a native Tennessee perennial plant that is utilized in various livestock production operations for pasture grazing. Dr. Li explained that this project will influence, “producers and outreach agents, who are frontline workers facing rapid climate change and environmental degradation. This program may provide first-hand experience and solid findings to inform these stakeholders of the likely amplified adverse effects of both, global warming and fertilization. This research will help broaden the view and better understand the complexity of climate change factors on soil and croplands in Tennessee and beyond.”

In addition to the optimistic environmental impacts of this project, researching switchgrass also holds vast implications for the academic mission of TSU. Dr. Li explained, “This project will serve as an important avenue for training minority undergraduate and graduate students in climate change and ecological sciences. Thus, preparing the future work force in agriculture, which is a key institutional mission of TSU as a HBCU.” To learn more about this research project, please contact Dr. Jianwei Li at jli2@tnstate.edu.

RESEARCH

Sweet Victories from Sweet Sorghum

By Janiece M. Pigg and Dr. Ahmad Aziz Dr. Ahmad Aziz, Research Professor in the Tennessee State University (TSU) College of Agriculture, is investigating the vast intricacies of the DNA of sweet sorghum crop varieties.

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Due to its versatility, cost effectiveness, and prolific growth rate, sweet sorghum is utilized in biofuels, such as ethanol. Sweet sorghum crop varieties are grown throughout the state of Tennessee, allowing the production of ethanol and other biofuels to thrive in this region.

Dr. Aziz said, “The ethanol market is one of the fastest growing segments of the sorghum industry in the US. Due to its high sugar content and ease of extractability, sweet sorghum has the potential to enhance the growing success in the ethanol industry using existing factories without competing with food, feed, or fiber systems.”

Dr. Aziz’s research is focused on the genetic mapping capabilities that allow for greater and better yielding sweet sorghum crops for Tennessee producers. Dr. Aziz added, “Currently, some eighty Tennessee producers have four hundred acres of sorghum cane grown in the region. Developing advanced genetic tools will help in establishing sweet sorghum as a dedicated energy crop based on its regional germplasm. Thus, this research will be very valuable to the plant breeding and biofuel community in Tennessee, the United States southern region, and the nation.”

For more information about sweet sorghum varieties, please contact Dr. Ahmad Aziz at aaziz@tnstate.edu.

ACADEMICS

Progressive Pedagogy in Online Education

By Janiece M. Pigg and Dr. John Ricketts The Tennessee State University (TSU) College of Agriculture has entered into a myriad of innovative dual enrollment courses in agriculture, food, and natural resources. Under the direction of Dr. John Ricketts, Professor and Extension Specialist, a package of eight online, micro-adaptive learning dual enrollment courses are being developed by scholars across the country to be housed in the College of Agriculture.

Dr. Ricketts, who was awarded a $1 Million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is the lead on this collaborative endeavor. Dr. Ricketts explained that, “The courses have been developed to utilize state-of-the art digital platforms, pedagogy, and cognitive science to deliver a best-case scenario for students who must take agriculture courses in an online format.”

Through the micro-adaptive learning software, CogBooks, and the course sharing platform, Quottly, all eight online courses will establish an agricultural network of college and high school students from across the country that are prepared graduate on time. This project will also limit the number of courses that have to be cancelled due to a lack of enrollment, further allowing students to meet their educational goals.

“These courses will help students stay on track and complete degrees in agriculture, which is important to the agriculture industry's workforce development future in Tennessee,” explained Dr. Ricketts.

For more information about these dual enrollment courses, please contact Dr. John Ricketts at jricket1@tnstate.edu.

ACADEMICS

Graduate Greatness

By Janiece M. Pigg and Dr. De'Etra Young Kristin Day, Agribusiness graduate from the Tennessee State University (TSU) College of Agriculture in May 2021, has found her niche in environmental science and water policy. Ms. Day is currently completing her Master of Science degree at the University of Arizona in Water, Society and Policy.

Throughout her educational career in the College of Agriculture, Ms. Day was highly involved throughout the TSU campus. Ms. Day was a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 Scholar and a fellow for the United State Forest Service (USFS) 1890 Environmental Justice Academy.

Additionally, she was a participant of Earth Horizons, a TSU and Vanderbilt University partnership program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that aids to strengthen the pathway to graduate school of minority students in geosciences, natural resources, and environmental sciences.

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Dr. De’Etra Young, who served as Ms. Day's mentor said, “I had the privilege of knowing Kristin through her service as an ambassador for the College of Agriculture and participant in the Dean's Scholars Program. Although Kristin was an agribusiness student, her passion for the environment led her to take additional TSU coursework in environmental, water, soil, and geosciences.”

As Ms. Day is completing her master’s degree, she is also serving as a Soil Conservationist intern with the USDA Nature Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

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THE LAND-GRANT LEDGER

OCTOBER 2021 | ISSUE NO. 1

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, Ms. Maria Sabin, Mr. Walter Malone, Dr. Jianwei Li, Dr. Ahmad Aziz, Dr. John Ricketts, and Ms. Kristin Day, 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 UT Extension, USDA NIFA, USDA ARS, CogBooks, Quottly, and the countless 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.

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