The Tri-Ag Volume 1, No. 2 February 2015

The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

Feb. 2015 Vol. 1 No 2 | Prairie View A&M University | Prairie View, TX

W.O.W. Bins; Wiping Out Waste

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Written by Maurice Perkins

On the other hand, when trees are harvested for papermaking, carbon is released, generally in the form of carbon dioxide. When the rate of carbon absorption exceeds the rate of release, carbon is said to be “sequestered.” This carbon sequestration reduces greenhouse gas concentrations by removing Our very own CAHS students carbon dioxide from the have decided to take a Recycling one ton of paper would: atmosphere. stand. Junior, Management Information Systems major • Save enough energy to power the This trio has found that paper and CAHS DOMCIT average American home for six in the U.S. represents one employee has teamed up with months. of the biggest components Devyn Pleasant, a sophomore, • Save 7,000 gallons of water. of solid waste in landfills – Animal Science major and • Save 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.

26 million tons (or 16% of Ayesha Rodgers, a senior MANNRS Treasurer to kick Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one landfill solid waste) in 2009. off a CAHS pilot paper recycle metric ton of carbon equivalent (MTCE).

Be on the look out for the program.

WOW! Bins in the CEP and your personal recycle box The environmental benefits of for your office, coming soon. paper recycling are many. Paper recycling: • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that can contribute The ladies hope to make a difference, not only in CEP, but also all over CAHS and eventually to climate change by avoiding methane emissions campus wide. Join the team of life changers and and reducing energy required for a number of paper help recycle paper products, for a better future. products.

• Extends the fiber supply and contributes to carbon sequestration.

• Saves considerable landfill space.

• Reduces energy and water consumption.

• Decreases the need for disposal veryone has a part to play in minimizing waste and promoting recycling. Apart from recycling at home, you can easily start a paper-recycling project in your office, community, church, club or school.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Rolando Zamora, CEP (Willacy) 2/3 Aruna Weerasooriya, Plant System Research 2/5 Diane Turner, FSCO 2/12 Vida Harrison, CEP(Harris) 2/12 Grace Guerra-Gonzalez, CEP (Bexar) 2/15 LaBeaula Times, DOMCIT 2/16

Ibuomi Abibo 2/14

Written by Gail Long

Meilana Charles, Family & Consumer (FCS) Extension Agent, McLennan County received the New Achievers Honoree Award from the American Association of Family & Consumer SciencesTexas Affiliate Ten (10) students with the One Kid at a Time (OKAT) Program from Desoto ISD competed in the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo under the supervision of Scott Horner, Research Specialist & Cynthia Pierfax, 4-H Extension Agent, and Dallas County. One of our Alpine’s, bred and owned by the International Goat Research Center won the Grand Champion and was exhibited by one of the OKAT students.

Ashely Moore, FCS Extension Agent, Harris County, Texas ArgiLife Extension Superior Service Team Award, “Texas GROW! EAT! GO!” (TGEG) Dr. Flavio Ribeiro, Research Scientist, was named Assistant Captain to the Junior Commercial Steer & Feeding Management Committee with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Rolondo Zamora, Willacy County Extension Agent and Christopher Cotton, Program Specialist, Community Economic Development (CED) was successful in helping a client (who was living in a rundown home) get a grant to demolish and rebuild their home. The client went from a pier and beam house to a brand new concrete slab, four bedrooms home estimated at over $100,000.

Twenty six 4-H six teens and ten adult volunteer coaches from five counties (Brazos, Cass, Dallas, Harris, Travis) were trained and commissioned as healthy living ambassadors at the Statewide Healthy Living Summit Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas.

Dr. Noel M. Estwick, Information Specialist, appointed to Chair-Elect of the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Professional Development Committee (Waller County). EDEN is a collaborative effort to pursue a teaching career with the Cypress Independent School District

Dr.Wash Jones, Agriculture Instructor, was appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education

Recent Happenings The College of Agriculture & Human Sciences students and Science students from Prairie View A&M University & Texas A&M University displayed and presented research poster presentations at the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Reproductive Biology Annual Retreat and the R.O. Berry Lecture at the Navasota Civic Center. This program incorporated a new outreach activity for over 40 students from the Navasota Independent School district interested in the sciences. Dr. Gary Newton co-chaired the retreat.

Fiscal Staff including Claudine Gee, Director of Fiscal Operations, Wanda Bryant, Administrative Assistant, Gwynetta Sneed, Property Officer, Elaine Shafer, Staff Accountant, Diane Turner, Staff Accountant, Ryan Harris, Reconciliation Specialist, Ophelia Theodore, Reconciliation Specialist and Craig Warner, Staff Assistant conducted a staff retreat titled “1 V.O.I.C.E.� to discuss issues, concerns and recommendations for improvements for a smoother and functional department

Retiree Wanda Bryant

PROMOTION: Lloyd Hebert has been promoted to Program Specialist, Community Economic Development APPOINTMENT: Mia Isaac-Mercer, Adjunct Professor, Human Nutrition & Foods, College of Agriculture & Human Sciences RETIREES: Effective 1/31/2015 - Wanda Bryant, Administrative Assistant, Cooperative Extension Program (CEP), Helen Gaines, Administrative Assistant, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology, Jackie Gooden, Administrative Assistant, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology, Dr. Velva McWhinney, Research Scientist, Cooperative Agriculture Research Center (CARC) FAREWELL: Leticia Rolland-Hardy, FCS Extension Agent, Grimes County; Ashley Hubbard, Research Technician, CARC Winnefred Jackson, Community Economic Development Extension Agent

Retiree Jackie Gooden

Retiree Helen Gaines Retiree Dr. Velva McWhinney

STUDENT FORUM

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THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 19, 2015

5:30pm- Until

Carden- Waller Cooperative Extension Building CEP Auditorium

#studentforum COME JOIN US

BE INFORMED

EXTENDING A HAND THROUGH

EXTENSION Interview by Gail Long

Interview with Rolando Zamora, Extension Agent, Willacy County

What was your first job? My first job was working for the USDA Soil Conservation Service as a county employee in 1991.

My duties were counting dead citrus trees in the Rio Grande Valley under the Tree Assistance Program until I finished college in 1995.

counting on me to help them with their situations such as; establishing a business plan, assistance in a loan, looking at improving family finances, community gardens, and other related topics. It is my duties to make sure they are reached.

Where did you grow up? I grew up in a small rural community know as Linn San Manuel, Texas located in the Rio Grande Valley. Population of about 700.

What words best described you? Ambitious with a little humor.

What keeps you busy when you are not at work? I live out on a ranch and I tend to my small herd of cattle and wildlife operation. I also participate in community events to help our local church, school, fire department and others youth groups. Work related, I still talk to people outside of work and tell them what I do and if they need any help.

Were you always interested in becoming an Extension Agent? No…. I wanted to become an Agriculture Science Teacher but when I was introduced to Cooperative Extension Program, I have been here 16 yrs.

What do you do for stress relief? At home, I work at the ranch. This is great because it may be some hard physical activity for the body but it is soothing for the mind. At work, you need to know how to pace yourself.

What’s the best advice you have ever received? To enjoy what you are doing and to have fun. Learn ideas from others.

They may work or they may not but you got to go out and look at furthering your knowledge.

What’s your favorite book? I don’t like reading! That’s who I am. I enjoy working outside or doing things.

I guess I could say that outdoor wildlife books are on the top of my list.

What do you like about working as an Extension Agent? There are always new people you meet (young and old) and your educational programing may target different audiences trough out the week. There’s never a dull moment at the extension office. We are here to help people even if you have to reach outside the box.

What do you like about living in Willacy County? I like the small rural setting. The people enjoy their historic town and are trying to keep it traditional but at the same time trying to bring in new business growth, parks, street improvement, and more. Agriculture has been the back bone of this county and still is but with new technology such as our wind turbines and neighboring county space launching sight we can say that Willacy County is keeping up with the rest.

Tell us something others would be surprised to know about you? As people may know me for my passion for cooking BBQ, ranching, fishing and hunting, I enjoy playing basketball.

What are you responsible for in your role as an Extension Agent? I am responsible to follow my plan of work that I have organized and to meet those goals and outcomes. I have clients who are

Students study abroad in Namibia

by Wash Jones

The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences co-sponsors the opportunity for students to study abroad in Namibia (Africa). The program is funded through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as a joint venture between Texas A&M University (TAMU), Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN). Dr. Wash A. Jones, assistant professor in CAHS, is the PVAMU faculty leader.

Some interesting concepts which the students address or learn about in Namibia:

Three PVAMU students participated in the summer 2014 trip:

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Fitsum Abuye, senior agriculture major with a concentration in agricultural economics Conlee Fry, senior agriculture major with a concentration in animal science Jasper Ross, junior psychology major

During the trip, students participate in six semester credit hours of TAMU coursework by completing an agricultural photography course and a cultural pluralism in agriculture course. Scheduled activities for the students include class discussions and experiential learning activities focused on food security, community-based natural resource management, career competencies, photography and cultural pluralism.

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Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and only 2% of the land receives enough rain annually for agricultural purposes The country does not have any formal nutrition education program, so malnutrition is a huge concern Namibia’s public health system is extremely poor due to bad administration since the country’s independence from South Africa in 1990 The rate of HIV is as high as one in three persons in some parts of the country Although affirmative action for the empowerment of females, Blacks and disabled individuals is a government policy, women typically are oppressed and have no say even though they are represented in leadership roles

The goal for 2015 is to have at least 10 PVAMU students participate in the study abroad trip scheduled for July 7 – August 12, 2015. This opportunity is open to any currently enrolled PVAMU student. For more information or to assist with funding student travel, contact Dr. Wash A. Jones at wajones@pvamu.edu.

Conlee Fry offered the following reflection to get other students motivated to attend future study abroad trips: “Dream all you want of the wonders of the world or the countries that contain them, but I urge you to, one day, stop dreaming and go.”

“Dynamic

Experience” -Conlee Fry, Student

The CAHS gets SLAPed

by Maurice Perkins

It is no secret that in most major corporations you rarely see non-Anglo-Saxon executives.

The diversity as you climb the corporate ladder diminishes the higher you climb.

Removing ethnicity out of the equation, let’s understand what are the roadblocks that hinder minorities from excelling.

Laszlo Bock, VP of People Operations for Google states, “GPA (grade point average) are worthless as criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless . . . five hiring attributes that Google looks at in determining new hires: 1. general 2. ability, 3. cognitive 4. emergent leadership, 5. intellectual humility, ownership and the least attribute is expertise”. Many low to medium income families lack these five attributes.

For decades these classes of families have been trained to work. It’s the blue-collar way of life.

(S.LA.P.)

“Something that every students needs” -Ayesha Rodgers, SLAP Student

Since its inception in Spring 2014 the Student Leadership Apprentice Program (SLAP) has taken on the task of transitioning a bluecollar bred and raised student in to a whitecollar leader, focusing on the qualities and attributes needed to compete in their industry.

With the direction and coaching of Executive Leadership Mentors, Peer Mentors and SLAProgram Management, students who participate in the program are challenged with core content that are believed to be essential skills necessary to obtain leadership roles.

Conceptualized by LaRachelle Smith and Danielle Hairston-Green, the SLAP to date has impacted over 10 Prairie View A&M University students. Smith and Hairston-Green played the role of SLAP Advisors on the management team, providing direction with the program’s growth.

Presently, SLAP is available at Prairie View A&M University, but students at Alcorn University have shown interest in SLAP.

Jakari Bates, New Buildings, New Beginnings by Student Writer

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he College of Agriculture and Human Sciences is anticipating the completion and opening of its new academic building. The building went under construction in early spring 2013, any is located between Hilliard Hall and the Juvenile Justice and Psychology building. The new building will be an 89,000 square-foot, four-story facility that will include a 400 seat auditorium theater-style seating, technology-enhanced classrooms, and a 400 square-foot student lounge on the second floor. There will be large, open areas dedicated to student-professor collaboration. The building will also have a tall, eye-catching clock tower that will extend far above the campus.

CAHS is also looking forward to more new facilities and renovations that are coming in the near future. The upcoming Combined Agricultural Center is an estimated $8.5 million project that is scheduled to be completed around the fall semester of 2017. The new center will consists of a meat processing laboratory, a covered livestock arena, livestock pens, locker rooms, and showers.

The meat processing laboratory will be used for research and educational purposes with a demonstration kitchen and classroom spaces to accommodate the laboratory. The livestock arena will feature retractable bleacher seating for 1000 and a 32,400 sq. ft. arena floor.

Livestock pens will also be incorporated to contain livestock for both the meat processing laboratory and the livestock arena.

The arena will be used to host rodeo events, such as, riding,

roping, team roping and barrel racing. It is also prepared to host cattle shows and animal handling events.

The new CAHS facilities are an example of one of the many positive changes that are underway at CAHS.

astava

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by Ashw

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ollege of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) recently switched to Managed Printer Services for all desktop printers in CEP and CARC buildings. 55 new Lexmark laser printers have been installed to serve the faculty and staff within CAHS. Managed Printing Services (MPS) solution is expected to enhance printing efficiency and produce great savings in terms of financial and human resources. No more waiting for toners, machine maintenance issues etc. All printers are administered through a centralized online Managed Print Services (MPS) system from CAHS-Multimedia center. The printer toner requirements and printer status are monitored in real time via MPS server. The vendor dispatches the toners automatically after receiving an alert from the MPS system. The system also provides a detailed breakdown of our usage, service/ ticket history, their performance, and some other interesting information about overall cost of printing for the entire department.

Apart from office printers we have also installed 8 Canon IR-Advanced color copier/scanner for bulk copying, printing and scanning requirements. These copiers are conveniently located at various places in the college buildings. In addition, we also accept bulk-printing orders via CAHS Service Request. The new Managed Printer Services system will start saving time and money and allow DOMCiT’s staff to focus on your more important requests.

The Tri- Ag Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

PO Box 519, Mail Stop 2001 Prairie View A&M University www.pvamu.edu/cahs

Story Submissions/ Comments: cahscomm@pvamu.edu Developed by : DOMCiT