CHANCELLOR’S REPORT, NOVEMBER 2019
NOVEMBER 2019
ORLANDO F. MCMEANS | RENITA MARSHALL | ANDRA JOHNSON | DAWN MELLION-PATIN | CALVIN WALKER Chancellor-Dean
Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Services /Associate Dean
Vice Chancellor for Research & Technology Development
Vice Chancellor for Extension & Outreach
Executive Vice-Chancellor and Director of SUAREC Special Projects
SU Board of Supervisors approves new SUAREC Vice Chancellors
RenitaMarshall
Dr.
Dr.
Calvin
Calvin R. Walker, Ph.D., has been appointed the Executive Vice-Chancellor and Director of Department: Agriculture, Research and Extension Center Special Projects at the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SU Ag Center). Dr. Walker previously served as the interim Chancellor of the Southern University Ag Center and Dean of the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences from February 2019 – September 2019. For more than 30 years, Dr. Walker served as a professor of animal science at Southern University and A&M College. He has also served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Development, Chairman of the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Chair of Agricultural Sciences and Urban Forestry, Southern University Baton Rouge campus’ Division Leader of Agricultural Sciences and Program Leader of Animal Science. Dr. Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Louisiana Tech University and a Master’s and Ph.D. in Animal Science from Oregon State University.
Renita W. Marshall, DVM, has been appointed the Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Services/ Associate Dean of the Southern University College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences. Since 2017 Dr. Marshall has held the positions of Director of the Southern University Institute for One Health One Medicine, Department Chair of Agricultural Sciences and Professor of Animal Science. She has also served as the Veterinarian for the Southern University Ag Center since 2012.
In her role as a professor of animal science, she served as the faculty advisor for both the Department of Animal Science’s Pre-Veterinary Club and Southern University’s Chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS). She was also a co-coordinator of the Southern University College of Sciences and Agriculture’s Beginning Agricultural Youth Opportunities Unlimited (BAYOU) Program. Prior to teaching at the college, Renita was employed with the Southern University Ag Center for more than a decade. During that time, she held the titles of Interim Associate Research Director and Livestock Programs Director. Dr. Marshall has received several certifications which include a Pharmacy Certification from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy. She is also a United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency Controlled Substance Certified Veterinarian, and a United States Department of Agriculture Category II Accredited Veterinarian. She has secured $7.5 million in grant funds to expand teaching, research and extension programs at Southern University and has written several scholarly articles on small ruminants, swine, cattle, water resources, animal reproduction, and minority-owned small farm operations. Renita is a member of numerous community and professional organizations. She is a member of the Baton Rouge Zoo’s Advisory Board, Southern University’s Representative for the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency (MOHSEP) Animal Disaster/Evacuation and a member of the Next Generation Global Health Security Network. Dr. Marshall earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Southern University, a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Drs. Walker and Marshall were both appointed to their positions during the Southern University Board of Supervisors meeting on October 18, 2019.
Career & Graduate
EXPO hosted by the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences
Nearly 200 Southern University students participated in the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences first Career and Graduate School Expo. The expo was held in the Seymour Gymnasium on Southern University’s campus on October 31. “The College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences held this Career and Graduate School Expo to give our students exposure to the various careers available in agriculture,” said Harold Mellieon, Jr., Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Program Leader of Southern University’s Department of Agricultural Science. “Our students needed to see what it was like to go through the process of a career fair and we wanted to provide them with the opportunity to speak to professionals working in the different areas of agriculture,” added Mellieon. More than 25 vendors including the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office; Jackson State University’s Graduate School; the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), National Ag Statistics Service, and Rural Development; BREC, and the Baton Rouge Zoo participated in the event, which was open to all Southern University students. Naomi Cooper, a sophomore animal science major from Houston, Texas said the expo was very beneficial to her. “I came to the career expo to learn about different opportunities available in my field and to possibly get an internship are even a job opportunity for the summer or spring semester,” expressed Cooper. “My interactions with the vendors have been positive and I like that I have been able to get more information and see different aspects inside the agriculture department. This event gives students the opportunity to see and not just think about one area. They can broaden their horizons and venture out to different opportunities,” she said. Dr. Mellieon said the large student turn out showed that the College of Agriculture is pushing in the right direction.
“We are looking to create better students to take advantage of the different opportunities available in the field of agriculture and we want to offer these opportunities to our students as early as possible and as often as possible,” proclaimed Mellieon. “That way, our students will have been introduced to multiple career paths and graduate schools before graduation. So when they finish college, they won’t have to worry about where they are going to go and what they are going to do next. They can pick and choose from three to five options,” added Mellieon. For additional information about the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences, visit www.suagcenter.com and click ‘Academics.’
SU Ag Center’s Research Assistant Felton DeRouen III, along with SU Animal Sciences students Tayla Williams and Colby Bonier, both freshmen, held a petting zoo for youth during the Wyandotte Early Head Start’s Fall Festival on October 18. The petting zoo provided the young head start students with an opportunity to see and touch real chickens and rabbits for the first time. A petting zoo can provide an opportunity to introduce youth of all ages to agriculture and teaches them where their food comes from.
chicken embryos at SHERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL
SU Ag Center’s Research Assistant, Felton DeRouen, III, conducted a presentation on chicken embryos for Ms. Brittany Hindyard 8th grade science class at Sherwood Middle Magnet School. During the September 13 presentation, DeRouen discussed his job duties at the SU Ag Center and the proper incubation techniques for chickens. He brought several different species of embryos for the students to observe as well as a rabbit. “In my closing remarks to her class I encourage the students to consider agriculture as a career and expressed how important it is in everyday life,” said DeRousen.
More than 200 individuals participated in a job fair for the Southern University Ag Center’s Southern Institute for Medicinal Plants on Monday, October. 21. The Institute hosted the fair for its medicinal marijuana program partner, Ilera Holistic Healthcare, at the Ag Center’s M.A. Edmond Livestock Arena's Multipurpose Building. The job fair received print and television coverage from media outlets throughout the state. Ilera is currently reviewing applications for cultivation technicians, trimmers, extractors, packers, sales and education outreach representatives and controllers. The company plans to have the positions filled by late November.
The SU Ag Center’s Cooperative Extension Program participated in the East Baton Rouge Parish’s Council on Aging Senior Lifestyle Expo. The event was held October 11th at the Baton Rouge Raising Cane’s River Center. Over 3,000 participants took part in educational seminars, live entertainment, healthy cooking demonstrations, interactive projects and received free fresh produce. Pictured from left to right: Gerald Williams, William Augustine, De’Shoin A. York, Tessica Johnson, Kiana Kelly, and Marlin Ford. Not pictured, Jasmine Gibbs and Frankie Poland.
Students attending Kentwood High Magnet School participated in the 2nd annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest on October 31. The contest winners were: Tylann Brumfield, first place; Isaiah Martin, second place; followed by Zy’Keyvia Cook in third place. The first-place winner received a $25 gift card to Foot Locker and the second and third place winners received $5 gift cards to Sonic. The contest was conducted by Nicolette Gordon, Youth Development Agent for the SU Ag Center.
PUMPKIN carving
climate change with
being a looming concern, The Global Climate Model was developed by NASA and has been used in research projects by scientists worldwide to study climates of the past, present, and future. EdGCM provides a user-friendly interface, as well as a database and s c i e n t i fi c visualization tools that make it possible for educators and students to access some of NASA’s most advanced climate modeling capabilities.
The SU Ag Center’s Air, Nutrient, Soil, Water, Ecosystem, and Remote Sensing Institute (SU-ANSWERS) hosted a two-day Educational Global Climate Modeling (EdGCM) Workshop on October 15-16, 2019. The workshop equipped students and educators with a scientific model to predict climate change and assess the impacts of changing climates. “Investigating climate change and its impacts on natural resources, developing mitigation
The EdGCM Workshop was funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Capacity Building Grants titled, “A Modeling Approach to Climate Change and Natural Resource Education” with Dr. Ning as the project director.
strategies, and better serving the community in coping with the impacts are among many objectives of the SU ANSWERS Institute,” said Dr. Zhu Ning, Endowed Professor and Director of the SU ANSWERS Institute. Created by Dr. Mark Chandler, a scientist at Columbia University, EdGCM is a software suite that allows users to run a fully functional 3D Global Climate Model (GCM) on laptops or desktop computers.
WE GOT
For more information about the SU ANSWERS Institute and the climate change projects, contact Dr. Ning, at 225-771-6292 or email her at zhu_ning@subr.edu.
A.N.S.W.E.R.S.
SUAREC SUPPORTS AS THEY PROMOTE SAFETY The SU Ag Center’s Cooperative Extension Program participated in the 2019 ExxonMobil YMCA Safety Fair. The fair, which was held Saturday, September 28th at the YMCA Howell Place facility, was a family-friendly preparedness and safety resource event. The SU Ag Center team interacted with fair participants and distributed nutrition, health, and wellness information. Participants were also urged to take the Opioid Awareness Pledge. The pledge encourages participants to avoid opioid misuse and safely discard unused opioid medications.
HORTICULTURE offerssecondchance Nine youth received certificates of completion from the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s (SU Ag Center) Fast Track program. The certificates were presented to the youth on October 24 during a ceremony held at the Bridge City Center for Youth (BCCY) in Westwego, La. The Fast Track program provides agricultural training to incarcerated and adjudicated youth. Training topics include communication and life skills, as well as horticultural and workforce skills. Instruction involves both classroom and hands-on activities including the establishment of horticultural garden plots. Instructors utilize a community gardening curriculum that was developed by the SU Ag Center. The classes at BCCY are instructed by Jemal Williams, a native of New Orleans. The students learned and had hands-on experience with everything from starting seeds to harvesting and eating their produce. Jalapeno peppers grown at BCCY were harvested on the day of the ceremony and stuffed with ground meat and cheeses to be eaten during a meal following the ceremony. The Fast Track program is currently being implemented at two additional facilities. They are the Baton Rouge Detention Center (BRDC) located in North Baton Rouge and THRIVE of Baton Rouge, a public charter boarding school that serves adjudicated students, located in South Baton Rouge. Each facility has a garden implemented on their own campus, built by the students and used as an experiential learning tool for the horticulture and workforce skills lessons. Gardening classes are conducted weekly, and bi-weekly at BCCY. Certificate recipients at BCCY completed the 14-week course and are able to utilize their certificates to present at court dates as proof of program participation and completion, as well as present to plant nurseries and landscape companies when filling out applications for horticultural related jobs. Stephanie Elwood, Extension Associate at the SU Ag Center, leads the Fast Track Program. For additional information about the Fast Track Program contact Elwood at stephanie_elwood@suagcenter.com or Yemane Ghebreyessus at yemane_ghebreyessus@subr.com.
learning everyday about
DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
The Southern University Ag Center hosted its inaugural Learning Everyday About Development (L.E.A.D.) Conference for mayors and community leaders on October 8 at the St. Gabriel Community Center in St. Gabriel, La. The conference was held to provide mayors, police juries, city council members and other community leaders with information on initiatives and grants. Topics covered during the conference included Prospering Your Community through External Programs, Growing Your Small Community and Strengthening, Empowering and Financing Rural/Small Communities. “It’s very important for the Southern University Ag Center to host these types of events because many community leaders and mayors don’t have access to the resources needed to grow their towns,” said Gerald Williams, Assistant Specialist for Community and Economic Development at the SU Ag Center. “We will continue to partner with these community leaders to provide them with the economic development resources they need,” he added. For additional information about the L. E. A. D. Conference, contact Gerald Williams at 225-771-5782 or email him at gerald_williams@suagcenter.com. Southern University Ag Center’s Meat Processing Laboratory in Baton Rouge recently held a joint training with staff from Fort Valley State University’s Georgia Small Ruminant Research and Extension Center and small ruminant producers in Louisiana. The overall goal of the joint training was to demonstrate the humane handling and harvesting of animals, for small meat processing plants. The training consisted of USDA federal inspection requirements for harvesting animals, observation and animal handling and stunning practices as well as ante mortem and humane handling in red meat. Additionally, the group toured several other meat processing and harvesting facilities in Louisiana. Eight participants received certificates of completion: Larry Brown, Terrell Hollis, Terrence Lewis of Fort Valley, Georgia; Robert Wallace from Zachary, La.; Felton DeRouen III and Bernell Muse from Baton Rouge, La., and Allen Muse from Greensburg, La. The instructors were Brian Miller, Assistant Director for Animal Health and Food Safety at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; Orlando Phelps, Career Development and Consultation Center in Hermanville, Mississippi and Curtis Chisley, Meat Lab Manager at the Southern University Ag Center. The visitors from Fort Valley State University were elated to have received this training and were able to re-open their meat processing laboratory following the training they received during this visit. The Georgia Small Ruminant Research and Extension Center at Fort Valley State University’s meat processing laboratory was closed this summer after PETA filed complaints against the laboratory for inhumane treatment of animals. As a condition of reopening the harvesting facilities, the staff had to receive training on the proper and humane way to harvest the animals.
welcomedby
SUAREC
f estival FALL More than 200 individuals participated in the Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development Institute (SARDI) Fall Festival on October 19. The festival was co-hosted with Agromen Inc., at SARDI’s office in Opelousas, La. The event included demonstrations on planting Fall crops, small ruminants, and farm safety. There were also informational sessions on Hemp, health and wellness, and a kid's carnival featuring a petting zoo along with carnival games and activities. Agromen Incorporated is a non-profit agricultural organization in St. Landry Parish. The organization, which has been in existence for 25 years, consists of professional African American men who assist the community with agricultural-related topics. Each year the organization holds an annual field day in St. Landry Parish. SARDI is a satellite campus of the Southern University Ag Center housed in Opelousas, La. The Institute focuses on improving the socio-economic well-being of citizens in rural communities within a ten-parish region of St. Landry, Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Lafayette, Pointe Coupee, St. Martin, and Vermillion. For additional information about SARDI, contact Chasity Johnson at 337-943-2410 or email sardi@suagcenter.com. The Great American Smokeout is an annual intervention event held on the third Thursday of November every year by the American Cancer Society. Approximately 40 million American adults still smoke, and tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the country. The event challenges people to quit smoking on that day or use the day to make a plan to quit. The SU Ag C e n t e r ’s Communities of Color Network hosted the following events statewide:
Region 1 – Ryan Sugulleh 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Southern University at New Orleans University Center 6400 Press Drive New Orleans, LA 70126 Activity: Tobacco presentation and cookout Region 2- Frankie Poland 10:00 a.m. —2:00 p.m. Iberville Parish Council on Aging 58015 Court St., Plaquemine, LA. Activity: Parish Council on Aging Thanksgiving Luncheon Region 7 – Johnetta Rhone David Raines Community Center 2920 Round Grove Ln Shreveport, LA 71109 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Activity: Workshop presentation, Booth Display, Refreshments Region 8 – Jamea Hart 12 Noon Emily P Roberson Rec. 3504 Jackson Street Monroe, LA 71202 12:00 Activity: Cookout, Presentation, and Giveaways
from our table to yours
have a
and happy
Holiday Season Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center and the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences is an entity of Southern University System, Orlando F. McMeans, Chancellor-Dean, Ray L. Belton, System President, Domoine D. Rutledge, Esq., Chairman, Board of Supervisors. It is issued in furtherance of the Cooperative Extension Work Act of December 1971, in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture. All educational programs conducted by the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center and the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences are provided to people of all ages regardless of race, national origin, or disability. Š 2019 Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension and the College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences. PRODUCED BY THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATION SERVICES
P.O. Box 10010 Baton Rouge, LA 70813
(225) 771-2242
suagcenter.com
@suagcenter