The Tri-Ag Volume 1, No. 3 March 2015

The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

March 2015 Vol. 1 No 3 | Prairie View A&M University | Prairie View, TX

by Maurice Perkins Spring 2015 marks the start of new beginnings. New crops will be harvested, the birth of livestock, incoming Freshmen embark on their educational journey in CAHS and the first career fair focusing on the careers in agriculture and human sciences.

History was made on March 11, 2015 on the campus of Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), when the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences invited businesses in agriculture and human sciences to the campus, presenting jobs they were looking to fill. The PVCAHS Career Fair hosted nine companies/agencies who were committed to presenting careers at this inaugural event with over 100 job seekers, vying for occupations they desire.

Prairie View A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Human Sciences students were indeed waiting and preparing for this day to come, setting the bar very high in such a demanding field.

“Within the past 6 months I’ve been to career fairs at Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin and the students who came today were by far better prepared than at those [career fairs].” Danny Stowers, RiceTec, Inc. Planning for this historical event started September 2014 with the Department of Marketing Communications & iT (DOMCiT), attempting to address the concerns of the CAHS students who have expressed for decades, the need for career opportunities catered to their needs at a university career fair.

The PVCAHS Career Fair was received with open arms

by CAHS students eager to make plans for their professional future. You could feel the excitement in the room as students engaged with recruiters from USDA, Cooperative Extension Program and Magnolia Gardens Nursery to name a few of the organizations.

The educational criteria for these jobs ranged from degrees in dietetics, family economics and nutrition to animal science, plant and soil sciences.

“Great career fair! Please keep having these for our Agriculture students and alumni. Thank you for thinking about the Agriculture community. I don’t have any suggestions on making it better because, I had a great time!” Memvis J. Hale II, Animal Science In an effort to encourage student participation in the career fair, the DOMCiT team started a drawing for an Apple iPad Mini to those that completed the PVCAHS Career Fair Passport. Each passport was entered into a drawing, which was held at 7:00 pm in the Cooperative Extension Auditorium. There were 3 finalists in the PVCAHS Career Fair Passport drawing, Charles Anderson, Robert McClennon, Jr. and Patierre Thorpe; were Thorpe took the prize and is the recipient of the iPad Mini.

The next PVCAHS Career Fair is slated for September 15, 2015. The CAHS hopes the next one will be even greater than the first. PVCAHS Career Fair committee encourages volunteers, suggestions and input from the entire college. If you have contacts or leads of businesses you feel should be in attendance at the next PVCAHS Career Fair, feel free to email cahsinfo@ pvamu.edu or call (936) 261-5151.

Congratulations to Patierre Thorpe, winner of iPad Mini for attending the PVCAHS Career Fair

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Christopher Cotton (CEP HQ) 3/ 28 Crisanta Mussett (Webb County) 3/ 27

IT’S HAPPENING HERE

Written by Gail Long

Dr. Alton Johnson, Dean & Land Grant Director, for providing leadership to increasing the College’s student enrollment by 13.6% from Spring 2012 to Spring 2015.

Arvitta Scott, 4-H Extension Agent, Brazos County, along with six teen ambassadors presented at the Statewide Healthy Living Summit, “Best Practices in Conducting & Evaluating Sessions for Healthy Living Programs” Shannon Johnson Lackey, 4-H Extension Agent, Tarrant County and Arvitta Scott presented at the Statewide Healthy Living Summit, “Best Practices in Recognition and Interpretation for Healthy Living Programs” Dr. Joice Jeffries, 4-H Program Specialist, along with Scott Horner & Dr. Kellye Thompson presented at the Texas 4-H Summit, “One Kid at a Time”

Dr. Gary Newton, Research Scientist Leader, served as a Reviewer for a Neuroscience and Physiology PanelNational Institutes of General Medical Sciences-MORE Division Dr. Ram Ray, Research Scientist, invitation from NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate to review NASA EPSCoR proposals Meilana Charles, presenter at the National Association for the Education of Young Children, “Paternal Influence on Child Nutrition: Increasing Involvement in Health –Related Classroom Activities”

Dr. Rukeia Draw-Hood conducted two presentations at the Texas 4-H Summit including “Youth Voice Healthy Living Programs” an “Keys to Successful Kick-Off and Community Events and Unlocking Your Potential” Faucette AN, Maher VA, Gutier-rez MA, Jucker JM, Yates DC, WelshTH Jr, Amstalden M, Newton GR, Nuti LC, Forrest DW, Ing NH. Temporal changes in histomorphology and gene expression in goat testes during postnatal development.

Journal of Animal Science. 2014 Oct:92(10):4440-8.

John Ferguson, 4-H Extension Agent, Cass County, presenter at the Texas 4-H Summit, Brownwood, TX, “4-H Community Outreach and “Community Service; and presenter at the Statewide Healthy Living Summit, “Community Service & Learning in Healthy Living Programs

Vol. 1 No. 2 correction: Dr. Noel Estwick, Information Specialist Eden Project, Waller County

LEADERSHIP COLUMN Dr. Doris Morgan-Bloom Higginbotham, Ph.D., Educational Leadership, December 2014 Meilana Charles, A to Z Grantwriting Certification; March of Dimes, Killen/Temple/Waco, Regional Executive Board Member; American Association Family & Consumer Sciences Leadership Academy Jimmy Henry, CED Program Leader, certified Building Analysis & Building Envelop Professional (Energy Audit Certification) Gail Long, accepted and received a scholarship to the LEAD21: Class XI Dr. Louis Nuti, accepted into the LEAD21: Class XI Chris Cotton, Leadership PVAMU, inaugural class 2014 - 2015 Dr. Rukeia Draw-Hood, appointed to National Learning Working Group, USDA NIFA

APPOINTMENTS Rozenia Toney, Administrative Assistant II, Cooperative Extension Program (February 2015) Roderick Lusk, Program Specialist, Community & Economic Development, Cooperative Extension Program (March 2015)

WORK HARD FOR THE

MONEY G R A N T S AWA R D E D T O T H E C O L L E G E

Capacity Building Grant “Increasing Student Enrollment in the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences” $564,838 for 3 years Beginning Farmer & Rancher Development Grant$591,000 for 3 years Capacity Building Grant, “Development of Genomic Resources and Tools for Advancing Sweet potato Genomics”$499,333.00 for 3 years Outreach for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OFSDFR) -$200,000 for one year, formerly known as 2501 Project National Agribility Program (NIFA) with Texas A&M University$125,000 for 3 years

USDA Energy Audit Grant-$130,000 for one year Farm Bill Education-$78,000 for one year USDA “Acquisition of Equipment for the Shared Nutrition Research Facility”-$49,059 for one year Feral Swine Education-$26,000 for one year Cognizant Grant-$25,000 for one year for 4-H Robotics STEM Program in Harris County The Texas Sustainable Strawberry Project in collaboration with Texas AgriLife Extension, $16,600 Milex Corporation “Research the Use of a Sorghum Byproduct Effect on Performance and Control of Parasites in Goats”- $10,000 for one year Expanding Workforce Horizons for Texas Youth Grants-Welcome to the Real World in McLennan County-$1500 for one year Texas 4-H Foundation “Success Seekers 4-H SPIN Club”-McLennan County SPIN Club-$750 for one year

$2,317,080.00

Hi! I’m Growver come & learn new things at Ag Field Day!

FOR THE LOVE OF

ANIMALS

by Gail Long

First ever recipient of the Alfred N. Poindexter Professional Lifetime Achievement Award (2014) What was your first job?

My first paying job was with Dr. A. N. Poindexter at Prairie View A&M University.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Midway, Texas.

What words best described you?

Family, humility, perseverance, patience, and full of life.

Were you always interested in working with animals?

Yes, I grew up on a farm and I took care of animals.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

My mother’s advice includes Four Things You Can’t Recover: 1.

2.

3.

4.

The stone after the throw The word after it is said The occasion after it is missed The time after it’s gone

Dr. A. N. Poindexter’s advice. “If you could go to work every day and enjoy what you do, your paycheck is your bonus.”

What do you like about working as an Veterinary Assistant? I love working with animals, students, the public, encouraging students to attend PVAMU and enrolling in the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences.

Interview with Chandra Adams, Veterinary Assistant, CARC What are you responsible for in your role?

Animal care; working with goats; feeding kid goats; working with the Research Scientists; assisting with student projects; inventory of goats and giving farm tours.

What keeps you busy when you are not at work?

Church, Prairie View Rainbow 4-H Club, Prairie View Federal Credit Union, Community Garden, 100 Ranchers, Small Farmers, Prairie View A&M Agriculture Alumni Chapter, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Black Heritage Committee and The Prairie View Trail Ride.

What do you do for stress relief?

Dance, going out to dinner with son “Woodie,” traveling and spending time with family.

What’s your favorite book?

The Bible and any book that deals with family fun and animals.

What do you like about living in Waller County? City of Prairie View because the city is a family.

McLennan County’s PVAMU Cooperative Extension Program Prepares First-Gens for College Renowned journalist, editor and reporter for USA Today Geri Coleman Tucker writes that, First-Generation college students or First-Gens have several barriers to overcome in college.

Many First-Gens have supportive families; however, unlike incoming students with a college graduate family member, they cannot supply personal anecdotes and experiences to assist them through their collegiate endeavors.

“It’s not just financial and academic help they need either,” said Robin Reid, Communities in School representative and First-Gen college graduate. “It’s social skills and skills to stay in school that they need as much or more than anything else.”

According to Tucker many colleges and universities have programs to support First-Gens. However, many believe these lessons could be addressed at the high school or even middle school grade levels.

by Meilana Charles

Ultimately, the group decided that budgeting, financial aid awards, professor-student communication, school-life balance, student professionalism, class preparation, assertiveness, notetaking, absenteeism and general problem solving skills were the most pressing issues the students deal with.

After discussing specific strategies for assisting first-gens, the group decided to meet again to create a program to address these issues at the middle school and high school grade levels.

The next quarterly meetings we will discuss the possibility of starting a First-Gens peer-to-per volunteer program, as well as, updates on program development.

Nu Xiong a junior at Harvard studying sociology, believes that investing in firstgeneration college students is an investment in one’s community. They are able to return to their community to mentor other potential FirstGens. Hopefully, the collaborative efforts of McLennan County’s Cooperative Extension Program and local colleges, agencies and social service organizations can work together to make an impact in the lives of potential first-gen early so that they can do the same for future first-gens.

“It’s not just financial

and academic help they need”

McLennan County’s Cooperative Extension Program plans to partner with local colleges, agencies and social service organizations to address this need. In September, representatives from Act Locally, Baylor University, Center for Learning and Development, Communities in Schools, McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College met to discuss the best ways to support First-Gens’ college preparedness and retention in McLennan County.

Collegiate success coaches who work with First-Gens explained the struggles of their first-gens adjusting to college life. Other representatives discussed their intent to provide college preparedness programs and address social skills needed for college life, as well as, academic assistance they currently provide.

“I started to see that many of my personal strengths were grounded in my experience as a first-generation student.”

-Nu Xiong, Havard Student

Fares Wins Microirrigation Award Ali Fares, a Professor of Watershed Hydrology and Interim Associate Director of Research since May 2013, received the 2014 Experiment Station Section Excellence in Multistate Research Award on behalf of his colleagues on the 20-state Microirrigation for Sustainable Water Use Project known as W-2128. The team was honored at an awards program during the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities annual meeting in Orlando, Fla on Nov. 3 2015.

This microirrigation project out of more than 300 multistate projects.

The award recognized the land grant universities’ exceptional collaboration on a multistate research project that helps increase water use efficiency using microirrigation systems across the nation.

was

selected

Dr. Fares, who is currently representing Prairie View A & M University with this Multi-State Project, has been working with this group since 2003 while he was at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Currently, representing Prairie View A&M University on the team, Dr Fares is working on developing best management practices to improve irrigation water and nutrient use efficiency using state of the art water and soil solution sensing technologies and numerical models.

In his efforts to improve soil moisture sensing technologies, Dr. Fares has been conducting work on how to minimize the effect of temperature, organic matter, and salinity on the performance of soil moisture sensing through novel approaches and data processing.

Dr. Fares chaired the W-2128 National Research Group, during 2008-2009; and also served as the group’s Vice Chair in 2007-2008 and its secretary in 2006-2007.

In addition, Dr. Fares hosted the 2007-2008 annual

meeting of this group in Hawaii. The group co-organized the Second and Third In-Situ and Remote Soil Moisture Sensing Conference held in Honolulu (2012), and in Houston (2014), respectively. The third conference was also co-organized with Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture and Human Sciences.

Dr. Fares indicated, “Efficient water resource management is one of the most important policy issues facing agriculture now and in the future. A successful irrigation water management program optimizes water availability, ensures optimum crop yield and quality while minimizing production costs and nutrient losses below the root zone.”

The National Research Group has a research project every 5 years. The current project this group is working on, 2014-2019 is the Scaling Micro Irrigation Technologies to address the Global Water Challenge.

Prairie View A&M University is contributing to this project through the objective of improved efficiency of water and nutrients; and will be conducting, laboratory, experimental and modeling work (Hydrus 2d/3D) on conjunctive use of irrigation and nutrients for micro irrigated crop production.

C OL L EGE OF AG R ICULTURE A ND HUMAN SCIE NCE S

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2015

February

June

Houston Hispanic Forum 2/14 FFA Career Development Event 2/26

REAP Summer Program 6/7-6/19

March

Texas FFA Convention (Corpus Christi) 7/13-7/17 125th Anniversary Commencement (Washington, DC) 7/14-7/16 Youth Leadership Lab 7/21-7/23

CAHS Career Fair 3/11 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Exhibit 3/3-3/22 MANRRS Conference Exhibit(Houston) 3/26-3/28

April

125th Anniversary Celebration of 1890 Morrill Act (Land Grant) 4/20-4/24 Agriculture Field Day 4/24-4/25

May 4-H Agribotics Challenge 5/2

July

August

Emergency Management Summit 8/6

September

PVCAHS Career 9/15

October

Lindsey Weatherspoon Ag Breakfast 10/10 (Homecoming Saturday) FFA Leadership Development Event TBD

All events are displayed with a description of our programs on our CAHS Website www.pvamu.edu/cahs/cahs-programs/ We also have an electronic version of our printed program book (The Green Book) www.pvamu.edu/cahs/e-publications/

E C N E I R E P MBER X E AN REME TO

how

C

ck vesto i L n to as Hous hael Thom e h T At Mic en by t t i r W

an you imagine the smell of hundreds of pigs and cattle in one room? I bet the answer is no. Prior to me visiting the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show (HLSR) I imagined it as an eerie smell of manure playing the soundtrack of rural Texas. Contrary to my imagination, the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show is so much more than my imagination can conjure. The smell is quite bearable and there are different genres of music played at the beat of its vast-diverse consumer base.

The HLSR attracts well over 2-million visitors each year. The annual 20-day event, set to encourage and

S odeo and R

promote the breeding, raising and marketing of better livestock and farm products. The fragrance that infects the city of Houston is considered the biggest rodeo in the world and has consistently been growing since it began over 80 years ago. More than 20 championship rodeo competitions are concluded with entertainment by music superstars.

Everyone has their own perception of the HLSR, their own smell, and their own nostalgia. I have compiled a list of 20 things that standout to me of the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show, you may or may not agree, but these are MY truths:

1. African Americans do participate in the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show 2. The smell is not bad 3. People can make some cool things in front you 4. The brisket tacos are very much addictive 5. Tejano Sunday was extremely crowded 6. More people actually know about Prairie View A&M University than I thought 7. The toffee stand from Dallas made me gain at least 1lb 8. Lines are everywhere including the restroom 9. People are extremely nice when you wearing Houston Livestock and Rodeo show badge 10. There were a lot of Pre- Vet majors in the building 11. Pigs are more complex than I thought 12. My colleague’s rock!

13. Funnel Cakes are overrated 14. Never expect more than bars of cellular service at the Rodeo 15. Everyone was selling boots, cowboy hats, and belts filled with rhinestones 16. Mattress Firm beds and chairs are a must have 17. Eating is a religion 18. It cost 3 dollars for a can of Coke 19. I will be sure to return 20. We made an impact on many peoples lives

In Search of The Soul Mate Viewpoint of Dr. Ron Briggs

I

there will n searching for a soul mate, that ‘”magical other,” be times of we enter committed relationships as seeing disappointment, without eyes and hearing without ears. Optimally, dialectical tension romantic relationships are wonderful, bridging caring or righteous aspirations and nurturing the best in people. To be indignation sure, the healthiest relationships will have times when between you and your things are confounding, uncompromising emotions, self­ “main squeeze.” The defeating and challenging. Difficulties arise when we have source of these problems conflicting expectation of what our relationship “should be”’. m a y lie in unrealistic, unreasonable emotional demands, unexplored expectations, or unresolved issues or behaviors. Useful approaches in resolving these dyadic conflicts are positive self-reflection, meaningful introspection, enhance self- awareness, and a willingness to As we succumb to societal myths, seeking to be rescued by be “other oriented”- a willingness to consider your partner’s others, holding others emotionally hostage, we also hold perspective, and effectively communicating, communicating, the ransom. We have difficulty effectively communicating communicating!! Relationships realize desired positive in ways our partner can clearly understand. What follows outcomes when we acknowledge the expectations, needs are thoughts of Dr. James Hollis (Jungian analyst) and Maya and aspirations we bring into the relationship and consider Angelou (author-poet). the divergent ways these psychosocial factors impact the relationships. Nothing will work unless you do.

Hollis expresses, while the early stages of a romantic relationship are often effortless and exciting, successful long- If there is a single notion, which permeates this piece, it is the term relationships involve ongoing efforts and compromise. quality of all of our relationships is a direct function of our Because relationship skills are rarely taught, frequently one or both partners may not know how to establish and “A bird doesn’t sing because it has an maintain a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship on a answer. It sings because it has a song.” mutually exclusive life journey. relationship with ourselves. Since much of our relationship Hollis also suggests that it is not unusual for relational conflicts with ourselves operates at an unconscious level, most of the to originate, regarding relationships. Each of us enters drama and dynamics with others is expressive of our own romantic relationships with idiosyncratic temperaments personal psychology. Hollis agrees, this may prove to be the and unrealized expectations. We dream this magical other most loving thing we can do for the “magical” other. The person might perhaps be the soul mate for us. We harbor greatest gift to others is our own best selves. Paradoxically, notions about what we do and don’t want based on family of if we are to serve relationships well, we are obliged to affirm origin dynamics, what we’ve gleaned from the media, and our our sense of self. “ghosts of Christmases past” relationship experiences. At times our expectations are irrational, projective, fantasized, “We delight in the beauty of a butterfly, but rarely admit the and narcissistic. “When someone shows you who they are, changes it has gone through to achieve its beauty.” ~ Angelou believe them the first time” ~ Angelou.

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.” ~ Angelou Disagreements are not only normal but if constructively resolved, actually strengthen the relationship. Inevitably,

“When someone shows you who they are,believe them the first time”

THERE’S TRADITION IN THE CHILI

T

Chilli Cook off Celebrates the Kick of the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show

by Maurice Perkins

he Prairie View Trail Ride Association made its 58th annual stop through Prairie View A&M University for this year’s chili cook-off and celebration ceremony to kick of the 2015 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo trek.

Founded in 1957 by James Francis Jr. and Myrtis Dightman Sr., the Trail ride Association is a non-profit organization that primarily focuses on the well-being of livestock, camping grounds, and the innovation of agriculture.

Each year, the Trail Ride Association hosts the chili tasting contest and celebration ceremony on campus and proceeds are given to the Department of Agriculture and Human Sciences.

This year boasts local and national celebrities, Mayor of the city of Prairie View, Frank D. Jackson and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer and World Champion Fred Whitfield, to name a few.

According to Dightman, the 300-member organization contributes an estimated $357,000 annually to agriculture research and scholarship.

Judges were given different samples of chili that was prepared by members of the Trailride Association.

After several tastings of all of the different samples, Acres Homes Roping & Riding Club of Houston, Texas emerged as the winners of the 2015 contest.

Ipomoea Batatas Better Known as Jakari Bates, Sweet Potato by Student Writer

T

here is a great deal of interesting research being conducted right now in PVAMU’s Cooperative Agriculture Research Center, especially in the area of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Ming Gao, an Agricultural Researcher for CAHS, is preparing to conduct research on the genomics of sweet potatoes. His research, Development of Genomic Resources and Tools for Advancing Sweet Potato Genomics, is intended to develop some essential sweet potato genomic resources and tools that affect important and desirable traits, such as, color, taste, size, and sensitivity to climate.

The sweet potato is a fairly common vegetable that is eaten all over the world. Sweet potatoes are thought to have first been cultivated around 8,000 BC in South America.

Currently, sweet potatoes are produced in warm and tropical regions all over the globe, as long as, there is enough water to sustain them. Sweet potatoes produce more food per acre than any other cultivated plant. In the United States, sweet potatoes are sometimes referred to as “yams” and they are usually baked, boiled, or microwaved.

They are also used

to make sweet potato pie which is considered a southern staple.

Sweet potatoes received a great deal of attention in the media when First Lady Michelle Obama stated in an official Vine post that her favorite fall vegetable is a sweet potato.

s e Perkin

ic

by Maur

“YES, GOAT MILK”, GETS AWARD The American Advertising Federation-Central Texas presented the 2014 American Advertising Awards this early March 2015. The American Advertising Awards are presented for advertising creative excellence, on both the professional and student level.

Presley Design Studio, LLC was awarded the Silver ADDYS®, for their work on the “Goat Milk Vehicle Wrap” done for Prairie View A&M University, College of Agriculture and Human Sciences.

Conceptualized by the Department of Marketing Communications & iT (DOMCiT), the vehicle is not only a head turner, but also an award winner.

The American Advertising Awards, formerly the ADDYs, is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition. The Goat Milk Vehicle Wrap competed against over 40,000 entries nationwide.

The American Advertising Federation (AAF), the nation’s oldest national advertising trade association, and the only association representing all facets of the advertising industry, is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and acts as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.”

PO Box of 519, 2001 The Tri- Ag Congratulations to Presley Design Studio, LLC and the DOMCiT the Mail CAHSStop at PVAMU! Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture and Human Sciences www.pvamu.edu/cahs

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