Linking the College to its Alumni and Friends Tennessee State University College of Agriculture Magazine • www.tnstate.edu/agriculture • Summer/Fall 2021
Thriving during a pandemic ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • Meet our Farm Bill Scholars • TSU family captured by COVID • A Professor’s Props
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Message from the Dean
D
ear Alumni and Friends,
After 18 months of working from home, teaching, and learning remotely, everyone at Tennessee State University is ready to return thanks to miracle vaccines, connect with their colleagues, and do business in the still COVID-19-dominated world. The biggest surprises we are all enjoying on TSU campus are overflowing residence halls and classrooms with students from across the country and world. We are experiencing the highest enrollment in five years. Agriculture classes are brimming with students and some classes have been split into two sections at the last minute. Students and professors in the College are excited and began the new academic year in earnest although with masks and social distancing practices in place.
Dr. Chandra Reddy, Dean College of Agriculture
Despite the pandemic, this past year has been one for the record books for college’s grant funding and the number of agricultural graduates from our joint Ph.D program with Biological Sciences. We graduated 10 Ph.D. students majoring in agricultural sciences and our faculty secured more than $22 million in grant funds. In relative terms, these are tenfold increases in the last decade and demonstrate significantly improved agricultural research capabilities of Tennessee State University. We have featured some of our outstanding research faculty in this issue on pages 24-25 and 34-35. The rebuilding effort of the 2020 deadly tornado damaged research infrastructure of the Agricultural Research and Education Center at the Main Campus is progressing in earnest. A series of transitory hoop houses are being built (cover photo) to facilitate the transition of experimental materials from the damaged greenhouses so that they can be remodeled and rebuilt. We have also completed the architectural designs for the Agricultural Education Building and the pavilion. We are now developing construction maps and plans for the Poultry Research Facility, Farm Operations shed, Hoop Houses, and Goat Research Facility. We will replace the damaged horse barn with a previously designed Organic Research Facility. We are continuing our county operations in all the 50 counties both in-person and online and following CDC safety protocols. I am also pleased to share, as part of our periodic Agent Compensation Review process, we brought county agents’ salaries to the market rates in Tennessee and the region. This is our second big agent compensation adjustment in the last decade. We thank TSU President Glenda Glover and Interim Provost Michael Harris for supporting this much needed periodic adjustment so that we can stay competitive in attracting the best candidates for the county agent positions. Several news outlets and some of you have inquired about the status and outcomes of the Joint Land-Grant Funding Study Committee appointed by the state legislature. I have briefly written about this in the last issue. At this point, the Committee has completed its work and identified that the state might have underfunded TSU land-grant programs by millions of dollars. We are very confident that Governor and the State Legislature will review these findings and increase TSU’s funding significantly! Thanks for your continued support of Tennessee State University and its land-grant programs!
Chandra Reddy Dean and Director of Research Administrator of Extension
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Contents 1
Message from the Dean
2
Contents
3
14
Farm Bill scholars focus on studies
From the Editor
16
4
Young Entrepreneur finds her way into Ag Labs to create sports drink
Warm Welcome Back Orientation
18
6
Honoring Earth: Students celebrate Earth Day by cleaning up wetlands
Zooming through a pandemic
20
Captured by COVID
8
Congrats Spring Class of 2021!
22
Thriving in a Pandemic
9
A Professor’s Props
24
College faculty create scholarship fund to help cash-strapped students graduate
Dean recognizes top professors for excellence
26
Walk Across the 1890s
28
Rising Stars in Agriculture
30
Touchdown! College wins big as former TSU football coach appointed Ag Marketing Director
31
Lifelong farmer named director of New Farmer Academy
32
Online defense: Graduate students Zoom through theses presentations
40
Bloom Where You Are Planted
13
Hoop House Raising Contract workers for DW McRee Construction install a portion of one of the five hoop houses being built on The Farm. The hoop houses will temporarily replace researchers’ greenhouses destroyed by a lethal tornado that hit Nashville in March of 2020. See story on p. 22. Photo by Joan Kite
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Contributors include: Thyneice Bowden, Laura Brisbon, Tom Byl, Zoe Grosskreutz, Ebony Lott, Aria McElroy, Dharma Pitchay, Dana Smith, and Essence Williams.
From the Editor
W
elcome back! As evidenced by the stories in this issue, we will persevere and succeed.
Despite a historic pandemic that turned the world upside down and a hostile tornado that ripped apart the Agricultural Research and Education Center aka The Farm, our administration, faculty, and staff suited up, showed up, and got the work done. Everyone learned how to Zoom and education continued uninterrupted. Granted, there were dark times. The College became quiet as students retreated to their dorms to take online classes and staff staggered their work schedules, occasionally encountering each other in a hallway or empty lab. We remained masked and socially distanced. One of our own scientists, Dr. Thyniece Bowden, a post-doctoral associate, contracted COVID-19 from her daughter and quickly the entire family had it. She tells the tale on page 20.
Joan Kite Editor
At the height of the pandemic, the campus seemed barren, empty, and quiet. But behind that stillness, computer bytes flew through cyberspace. Ideas were exchanged. Research was completed. Papers were published. Grant applications were submitted. The work paid off. TSU broke its research-funding record being awarded more than $70 million for the fiscal year 2020-2021. The College singlehandedly received $22 million, the highest amount awarded to a College on campus. You will learn about some of that research currently being conducted by Professors Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge and Dr. Richard Browning beginning on page 22. Our students didn’t falter either. Mastering the art of Zooming, students presented their research to professors and fellow classmates and graduate students presented their dissertations to their respective advisors and committees. Learning new technology turned into another skill added to the resume. Depending on the class a student was in directly affected his or her campus experience. We had seniors who graduated virtually and freshmen who were accepted, took classes online during their first year, and had yet to set foot on campus. To the seniors who moved on, congratulations. To those students finally setting foot on campus, a sincere welcome. We can’t wait to meet you in person! Major personnel changes occurred as well. Many faculty and staff chose to retire, while others moved out of state or found different jobs. We filled many of the newly vacant positions quickly while adding new roles to the roster. Learn about some of our friendly new faces on pages 30, 32, and 40. Most importantly, we celebrate our students. In this issue, you will meet some of our Farm Bill Scholars on page 14, and learn how College faculty members created their own scholarship program to help our students in need of financial assistance on page 13. You will also meet eight professors recognized for their outstanding work in the classroom and the laboratory. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we can see the clearing. In the meantime, challenges remain. We returned to “normal” operations in August with students moving onto campus, professors returning to the classrooms, and staff at their stations. We are ready, if need be, to quickly return to pandemic precautions if the number of cases of COVID-19 climb into the danger zone. We are hoping for the best, encouraging everyone to get vaccinated, and are offering vaccine clinics on campus. On the Farm, contractors are erecting temporary hoop houses so professors can continue their research. Design phases for most of the buildings destroyed by the tornado have been completed. We are hopeful that by this time next year, many of those buildings will be completed in time for the Small Farm Expo of 2022.
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Young entrepreneur finds her way into Ag labs to create sports drink By JOAN KITE Essence Williams, 26, is aspiring to become a basketball coach, but along the way to fulfilling her dreams, she also decided to create a sports drink. She has named this replenishment drink TigerLyte in honor of TSU, her soon-to-be alma mater. “TigerLyte” is in the process of being patented with future hopes of it being produced in large quantities. TSU’s Research and Sponsored Programs has provided encouragement to Williams by providing necessary funding for the product. “I envision TigerLyte as the sports drinks for HBCUs, similar to how Gatorade represents University of Florida,” Williams said. Williams, who lives in Murfreesboro, is studying accounting economics and
earning her master’s degree in Business Administration at TSU. She was not an agricultural student when she took an on-campus detour to the College of Agriculture labs to dream up her sports drink. For help, she reached out and worked with agricultural professors Dr. Matthew Blair, Dr. Ying Wu, and Dr. Ravi Ramasamy. Dr. Wu helped her create a replenishing and nutritional drink that boast natural cane sugar. Dr. Blair shared his research about the pseudocereal amaranth with Williams and together the pair settled on a natural coloring for the strawberry-flavored drink. And Dr. Ramasamy helped her with bacterial testing to ensure the drink’s safety. “TigerLyte is unique from other sports drinks because it’s an all-natural sports drink with organic cane sugar as
the sweeter,” Williams said. “It has 60 percent less sugar than Gatorade and it’s the closest thing to water. It can also be a water supplement unlike any other sports drink.” Before she knew it, Williams had a definitive product complete with a business plan that she could pitch. Williams said she plans to produce the drink in five flavors: strawberry, orange, lemon-lime, blueberry, and mango. She reached out to Dr. Ruthie Reynolds, TSU’s former director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, who put her in touch with TSU’s Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP). RSP agreed to invest in the drink and split any profits with Williams from its sales. Williams said she hopes one sales counter that might boast her product TIGERLYTE, Turn to page 49
Essence Williams, (left) a graduate student majoring in Business Administration, poses with models of her product TigerLyte, a sports replenishment drink. Williams found her way into the College of Agriculture labs where she got help from professors in creating her product, which is in the process of being patented. Photos by Joan Kite
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Honoring Earth
Students celebrate Earth Day by cleaning up wetlands By JOAN KITE Photos by TOM BYL Approximately 14 students joined Professors Tom Byl, Bill Sutton, and Bharat Pokharel for Earth Day 2021 on a Friday morning in April to clean up the wetlands, located within the Agricultural and Research Education Center affectionately known as “The Farm.”
Cleaning up the wetlands for Earth Day has become an annual event at TSU and is open to everyone though many students who participate are studying environmental science. The students have celebrated the past four annual Earth Days by cleaning up the area.
More than one year after a devastating tornado swept through The Farm, students were still clearing out debris left behind by that storm.
The Cumberland River Compact, an organization that seeks to educate citizens, restore the Cumberland River, and provide outreach to communities, provided TSU with some of the tools they needed for their clean-up job.
“We got some large pieces of the greenhouses. There was also aluminum siding and a lot of insulation,” said Dr. Tom Byl, who is a research biologist for the Water Resource Division of the United States Geological Survey.
“Now it has become so routine (the wetlands clean-up). The Cumberland Compact used to provide education, but we’re done it so often, now Bill Sutton explains the safety precautions,” Dr. Byl said.
More trash is added by two storm sewers that drain near the wetlands, Dr. Byl said. The wetlands are fed by two springs nearby.
Debris finding its way into the area can get so bad that one year, professors found beavers using plastic bottles to build their dams.
“The storm systems can actually release items at certain pressure valves. There is one that opens up in the woods close to the railroad tracks and you can see it from Google Earth,” Dr. Byl said. “They just release trash. We treat it very seriously. Everyone wears thick rubber gloves.”
“The garbage degrades into microplastics. All of this stuff can cause health issues,” Dr. Byl said.
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The students were rewarded for their hard efforts with lunch afterward – slices of pizza.
Students gathered and piled debris from the wetlands that they collected in a service event honoring Earth Day (left). Professor Tom Byl and Environmental Sciences student Champagne Cunningham spent Saturday morning in gloomy weather clearing up the wetlands (above). Debris (right) collected was hauled off in trucks and sent to proper disposal facilities.
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g n i r p S Ph.D. in Biological Sciences Sadiye Aras Kripa Dhakal Priya Saini
M.S. in Agricultural Sciences Durga Joshi
M.S. in Food and Animal Sciences Constance Bennett Zedonia Williams
B.S. in Agricultural Sciences: Maurie Anderson, of Lithonia, Georgia Simon Asefaw, of Nashville, Tennessee Le’Zerrick Scott Baker, of La Vergne, Tennessee Kayla Carney, of Wilmington, Delaware Kristin Day, of Prairieville, Louisiana Roneisha Drake, of Somerville, Tennessee Kalie Ellis, of Ashland City, Tennessee Frederick Garland, of Memphis, Tennessee Mikia Garrett, of Memphis, Tennessee Alyssa Hobbs, of Nashville, Tennessee Kaylee Hurt, of Antioch, Tennessee Benjamin D. Johnson, of Roswell, Georgia Jacqueline Johnson, of Munford, Tennessee Adriana Martin, of Memphis, Tennessee
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Waymon McNeal of Germantown, Wisconsin Tyerra McRae, of Powder Springs, Georgia Laura Midgett, of Lebanon, Tennessee Kennedye Miller, of Richmond, Texas Nakana’Ela Riley Morton, of La Follette, Tennessee Jacob Rawls, of Antioch, Tennessee Pre’Sha A. Rozar, of Memphis, Tennessee Braxton Simpson, of Kennesaw, Georgia Justin Lane Spicer, of Fayetteville, Tennessee Akiliyah Sumlin, of Langston, Oklahoma Darrien Turner, of Nashville, Tennessee Ashlyn Celeste Wherry, of Harvest, Alabama Ray’Shon Wilson, Antioch, Tennessee
Spri
ng
B.S. degree in Family & Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Fashion Merchandising: Kevin Anderson Jr. Willie Avery Jayla Beason Derricka Becton April Chukwu Cherniecia Clark Ja’Quayah Cotner
Brianna Davis Felicity Gurley Yori Latiker Tia McDonald Jevata Partridge Emeaya Powell Mariah Venzant
B.S. degree in Family & Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Child Development & Family Studies: Skyler Barbee Ron’Niecia Buford Cynthia Cole Ansona Donelson Taylor King
Monica McAlpine Jakerria McDonald Zemzem Seraj Brianne Swanagan
B.S. degree in Family & Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Food & Nutritional Sciences: Kayla Helms Jasmine Henderson Amber Jones
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Dr. Matthew Blair poses with one of his favorite pieces in the office — a photograph, which was taken by Dr. Blair’s father, of Martin Luther King in Washington, D.C. when he gave the “I Have A Dream” speech. Photo by Joan Kite
What can you learn about your professors visiting them in their offices during office hours? Plenty.
A Professor’s Props By JOAN KITE
We spent an afternoon with Dr. Matthew Blair, a professor who specializes in plant breeding and molecular genetics, examining items in his office to learn more about the man. He immediately confessed he was a bit of a hoarder when it came to collecting things over his lifetime, but he has also been the recipient of countless gifts from students all over the world. Here are some of the gems he shared with us. At TSU, Dr. Blair specializes in the study of legumes and alternative crops such as amaranth. But it’s clear his second love is the world and the diverse cultures that it offers. His father was a photographer for National Geographic and his mother was a freelance writer. The couple met each other in Ethiopia “post-JFK’s and pre-MLK’s assassinations.” Dr. Blair and
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his twin brother were born in England. Dr. Blair earned his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture at Cornell University, his master’s in Agronomy at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and his doctorate in Plant Breeding back at Cornell. He joined the staff at TSU in 2013 and quickly attracted a following of students. It’s clear from his office surroundings that his parents had a huge influence on his life. “We went as toddlers to the National Mall to protest,” Dr. Blair recalled. He said his parents covered and attended lots of protests when he was growing up. “I grew up in protests.” Dr. Blair is affable and can often be seen on campus visiting with students and colleagues around trees he has planted.
TSU’s mascot is the tiger and Dr. Blair has acquired quite the collection over the years. Pictured above is his tiger of ferocity which has a place on the top shelf of his bookcase. Dr. Blair’s Chinese tiger (right) is a drawing he purchased while in China. In the bottom right corner is a sculpture of a circus tiger, tired and caged. Photos by Joan Kite
Dr. Blair purchased this sign (above) at a Nashville antiques show which came from a replica of a slave cabin where famed agricultural scientist George Washington Carver was raised. Carver invented numerous products including those made with peanuts, soybean, and sweet potatoes.
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A can of Bush’s bean sits on the shelf of the professor who likes to be known as “The Bean Man” (top right). “Bush’s is a Tennessee company,” Dr. Blair added. Dr. Blair brushes off his diploma (above right) noting that the frame is in need of restoration work. Dr. Blair (left) is a Fulbright scholar. Totems (below) that his parents got while in India. Photos by Joan Kite
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College faculty create scholarship fund to help students graduate By JOAN KITE For faculty members who are witnesses and students enduring the hardship, being short several hundred dollars on a tuition bill is heartbreaking. Being shown the college exit door because of it, can be excruciating. In the school year 2015-16, faculty and some students within the College of Agriculture were dealing with just that. Every semester, a handful of students were notified that they would no longer be allowed to continue their schooling because of outstanding bills but some of those bills were as small as $400 to $1,000. College faculty thought those small figures were too high of a price to pay to sacrifice a quality education. “The fact that we had students that were having to leave school for sums of money that were not unsurmountable was not ideal,” said Dr. Nick Gawel, superintendent of the Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville.
former executive director of Academic Programs, Dr. Samuel Nahashon, head of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Samuel Dennis, research professor in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and former TSU professor Lan Li. They all contributed funds to the initial pool. “My initial contribution was less than $500,” Dr. Gawel recalled.
A small group of faculty members gathered together to talk about creating a scholarship fund to help students struggling with finances stay in school.
Those starting funds helped attract contributions from other faculty members and eventually the account was able to become vested, generating revenue on Laura Brisbon received a $1,000 Faculty Scholarship before earning its own to help finance her bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture in May of 2020. Photo courtesy of Laura Brisbon future scholarships.
Scholarship founding members included Dr. Gawel, Dr. De’Etra Young, interim associate dean of Academics and Landgrant Programs, William F. Hayslett, Sr.,
“We came together through Mr. Hayslett,” said Professor Korsi Dumenyo, who has since accepted much of the responsibility of administering the
scholarship fund. “The Faculty Scholarship Committee decided if we can get $25,000 collected, at FACULTY, Turn to page 38
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Farm Bill Scholar Aria McElroy, a rising sophomore from Detroit, Michigan, sits in the yard that her family is constantly landscaping. “My Dad has always promoted gardening,” she said. Photo courtesy of Aria McElroy
For three students, the Farm Bill scholarship has meant few worries about finances and much energy devoted to their dreams.
Farm Bill scholars focus on studies By JOAN KITE At least one transfer student and two rising sophomores have experienced first-hand the gift that comes from being awarded a Farm Bill Scholarship. TSU’s College of Agriculture was awarded $1.773 million for its 1890 Farm Bill Scholarship Program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Scholarship Program. Those monies, which were authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill, can finance approximately more than 45 students’ educations for the next four years. Current Farm Bill Scholars quickly realized the perks of an education when tuition and room and board are paid for.
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“The Farm Bill Scholarship? It has been a great opportunity,” said Farm Bill Scholar Justin Walker, 19, a rising sophomore who is focusing on agribusiness. “It helps take a lot of pressure off me as a student.” Farm Bill Scholar and rising sophomore Aria McElroy, 19, agrees. “It was a heavy burden lifted from my shoulders. It helps me focus on schoolwork,” said McElroy, whose concentration is in Environmental Science. She is focusing on Environmental Science. To fund four years of her education, McElroy must maintain a 3.2 GPA. Farm Bill Scholar Zoe Grosskreutz, a transfer student from Cleveland State Community College, echoes their feelings.
Farm Bill Scholar Zoe Grosskreutz, a transfer student, is interning this summer with Cobb-Vantress, a poultry breeding farm in Deerfield, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Zoe Grosskreutz
“It’s allowed me not to worry about how I am going to pay for school. I am able to focus on the step,” Grosskreutz said “I am contemplating a graduate school.” Grosskreutz first heard about TSU from her agriculture instructor at Cleveland State University. Just three years before, Lauren Stevens was a graduate research assistant at TSU and a student herself. Now McElroy, Morris and Walker can focus on their dreams. McElroy sees herself working a community garden to help people understand nutrition and how people’s actions affect the environment and corporations. Walker said he wants to earn a master’s degree in Agribusiness and work with the USDA or FDA. With dollar signs out of the way, all three Farm Bill Scholars agreed they were happy with the funding and thrilled for the education, despite the pandemic, which has thrown a few kinks in their paths.
“I really think TSU is looking for students who are contributing to the community, those who show passion within their work.” Justin Walker Farm Bill Scholar “I’ve gone through half of my college experience virtual,” said Grosskreutz, who is interning this summer and working on genetics at Cobb-Vantress, Inc., a poultry breeding farm in FARM BILL SCHOLARS, Turn to page 46
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Welcome Back
Freshmen, sophomore and scholarship students were invited to a Welcome Back Orientation after many of the students spent the pandemic connecting with students and faculty on Zoom.
For the first time since the College had closed due to the pandemic, students gathered together on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, wearing masks and able to socially distance as they ate pizza slices from TSU alums’ business Slim +Husky’s. During the gathering, faculty and students introduced themselves to each other and Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, formally welcomed them and encouraged the students to get vaccinated if they haven’t done so already.
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Students (above right) line up for slices of Slim +Husky’s pizza served by Administrative Assistant Jason Foster during a welcome orientation on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Ms. Curletha Campbell, (above left) faculty and staff resource manager, hands out white chocolate chip cookies with cranberry along with the pizza slices. Dr. Chandra Reddy, (below right) dean of the College of Agriculture, welcomes the students to the College of Agriculture. “We’re like a family here,” Dr. Reddy told the students. New Assistant Professor Dr. Sonali Roy (below left) introduces herself as Everett Jolley, the College’s Recruitment and Retention Counselor, holds the microphone for her. Professor William Sutton (bottom left) waves to the students after introducing himself to the crowd. Next to Sutton are Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, interim dean of Research, and Dr. Ankit Patras, associate professor. Photos by Joan Kite
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USDA Scholar Jourdon Huntley (above) works in the lab. Professor Carollyn Boykins-Winrow (right) stands front and center in front of her students during a class that occurred before the pandemic. Both faculty and students had to adjust quickly to new teaching tools when the pandemic closed the country down in early March of 2020. Photos by Joan Kite
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Zooming through a pandemic Faculty, students take speed course in new technology By JOAN KITE The final days of “The Science of Meat” class were approaching, and it was now time for students to present their formal presentations. Only this time, being in front of the class meant presenting from one’s home with a PowerPoint presentation through Zoom. The pandemic had rearranged the stage and all the players, including the professor, were forced to adjust to new teaching tools. “We have been on Zoom classes for a year now. We do presentations every week
“I learned to be very tolerant on Zoom. Much like the students, I had to grow into it.” Carollyn Boykins-Winrow Animal Science Professor for Animal Health and Disease,” said USDA scholar Jourdon Huntley, 21, sounding like a veteran presenter. “I hate presenting in
front of others, but I have this switch. It just turns on.” Watching the students present their findings through Zoom, one would never know that the software is a relatively new tool for the school box. Assistant Professor Carollyn Boykins-Winrow, who teaches “The Science of Meat” class, said she has also had to adapt. “I learned to be very tolerant on Zoom,” Boykins-Winrow said. “Much like the students, I had to grow into it.” ZOOMING, Turn to page 48
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Despite knowing the science, a young doctor and her family were besieged by the virus.
Captured by COVID By THYNEICE BOWDEN, PH.D. When the pandemic hit, my daughters’ schools were shutdown from March 16, 2020, until May 28, 2020. By this time my husband and I were working virtually from home, but I still went into the lab after the girls finished their virtual school and worked from early afternoon into the evenings. Their schools opened with COVID-19 guidelines and virtual school as an option in August of 2020. We took the virtual option from Aug. 3, 2020, through Nov. 17, 2020, mainly because my 16-year-old was having asthmatic allergic reactions to seafood, nuts, and pollen putting her in the vulnerable population for COVID-19. Not to mention, I have worked in two top infectious disease laboratories in Nashville, Tennessee, so one thing that I do know is how to stay safe from a highly contagious virus. By Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, my children had only been in school for three weeks concurrently in 2020. We could see that they needed interaction with other children, connectivity issues with virtual school were driving me nuts, their
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workload was greater at home than it had been with them physically being in school, and my 16-year-old daughter’s grades had plummeted. I monitored the active COVID-19 cases at my daughters’ schools,’ which had decreased after September of 2020. My husband and I decided our children could return to school in January of 2021. After all, the schools’ COVID-19 policies were in place and my children’s class sizes were smaller. On Jan. 5, 2021, after the first day back
at school, my 5-year-old had a fever that night. We separated her from her sisters and let her sleep on a little couch in our room. I took her to the doctor the next morning, and she was diagnosed with strep, so she stayed home for two days. Then my 11-year-old had a fever 24 hours after taking her sister to the doctor, so I took her to the doctor, and she too was diagnosed with strep. Okay, not surprised by this at all because when you have multiple children this happens very often.
Dr. Thyneice Bowden (left) talks in her lab at the College of Agriculture. Bowden’s entire family (above) was struck by COVID-19. (From top left) LaNecia Matthews, Korlyn Bowden, Thyneice Taylor-Bowden, Karis Bowden and Thyneice’s husband, Korby Bowden. Photos courtesy of Thyneice Bowden.
Then my nephew, who was staying with us during the college break, needed to get tested for COVID-19 before he went back to Eastern North Carolina University. So, on Jan. 7, 2021, I took him to get tested for COVID-19 at Meharry Medical College’s drive-thru testing site. He was concerned that they were going to dig in his brain so to ease his concern I told him that I would take a test with him especially since I had taken six COVID-19 tests prior to this one; all negative by the way. Well, the next day my test results came
back, and they were positive, while my nephew’s test results were negative.
COVID-19 on Jan. 10, 2021. All three of them tested positive and then my husband had to get tested and his results came back positive. So, everyone in the house was COVID-19 positive except my nephew. Also, we found out a week later that my 5-year old’s teacher tested positive for COVID-19, too.
Shocked at first, I reviewed my actions trying to figure out how this happened. Once my daughters were diagnosed with strep, they should have been tested for COVID-19 too, but unfortunately, they weren’t. It is not uncommon for anyone, especially children, to have a virus and an The day after I received my test results, I opportunistic bacterial infection at the same started to have symptoms of severe nasal time. congestion and fatigue. The first week, I So, I took the girls to get tested for
CAPTURED, Turn to page 48
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Thriving in a Pandemic
Despite a terrible tornado, enforced lockdowns, and pandemic isolation, TSU faculty, staff, and students found ways to prosper. By JOAN KITE Fall Semester 2021 is here highlighting the re-emergence and return of students, staff, and faculty to the College campus. Still, the terrible events of 2020 in Nashville, that began with a tornado that tore up the College’s research farm, segued into a global pandemic forcing everyone into isolation and lockdown, and
ended with a Christmas Day explosion in downtown Nashville, did not deter huge strides that the College made in its endeavors.
week planning the restoration on the Farm while continuing to monitor and maintain health standards so the College community remained safe.
Students and professors adapted quickly to online classes and Zoom meetings. Professors used uninterrupted work at home to churn out a record number of funded research proposals. Administration spent hours every
“We are a resilient institution and have always dealt with scant resources and infrastructure,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture. “Fortunately, our faculty and staff are very innovative and entrepreneurial, and we are making lemonade out of lemons!” The pandemic has proven to be a time when professors can hone their focus on research, publishing and grant applications. All has gone well. According to the College’s End of the Year Report dated Summer of 2021, “the College obtained 68 competitive grants totaling $20,288,344.” In addition, faculty from the College of Agriculture “published 132 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Of these publications, 61 had students as senior authors, 20 included students as junior authors, and 51 were faculty publications. Professors cited the ability to work in solitude without interruption enhancing concentration and focus.
In April of 2021, heavy rains hit Nashville causing the Cumberland River to crest and flood The Farm. The Farm’s Dexter cattle were temporarily stranded from the main grounds by flood waters filled with carp and other fish. Photo by Joan Kite
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New research grants include: • Professor Dr. Karla Addesso’s $6 million NIFA grant to lead a team of researchers and graduate THRIVING, Turn to page 36
College of Agriculture Farm Superintendent Eddie Williams and Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, survey the construction site at the Farm where five hoop houses are being erected to provide researchers with greenhouses to temporarily replace those destroyed by the tornado that struck in March of 2020. Photo by Dharma Pitchay
One of the many damaged greenhouses at the Farm destroyed by the tornado during March of 2020. Photo by Joan Kite
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The following professors have been recognized for professorial excellence. From left, Dr. Yongming (Simon) Sang, Dr. Matthew Blair, Dr. William “Bill” Sutton, Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Dr. Ankit Patras, Dr. Jianwei Li, and Dr. Karla Addesso (lower right photo courtesy of Karla Addesso). Photo by Joan Kite
Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, has recognized eight professors for their excellence this year in research, teaching, grant funding, and publishing. The honored professors are: Dr. Karla Addesso, associate professor in Entomology; Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, interim associate dean of Research and associate professor; Dr. Matthew Blair, professor in Advanced Plant Breeding; Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, associate research professor specializing in Microbial Safety of Food; Dr. Jianwei Li, associate professor specializing in Climate Change; Dr. Ankit Patras, associate professor of Food Science; Dr. Yongming Sang, associate professor of Animal Genomics and Immunology; and Dr. Bill Sutton, assistant professor of Environmental Sciences. “The College of Agriculture thanks and congratulates these outstanding faculty for their excellence in research,” said Dr.
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Reddy. “They successfully competed at the national level to secure grant funds, partnered with colleagues within and outside the college, trained graduate students, and published their research findings in elite journals in their respective fields. Their research is in the forefront of solving some of today’s challenges in agricultural sector.” Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, one of the professors identified for her excellent work, was recently named interim dean of Research, and is now overseeing the research faculty. “We have great faculty in the College of Agriculture,” Dr. Baysal-Gurel said. “Last year, even during the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions and tornado damage to the campus agriculture facilities, some faculty demonstrated exceptional performance as exhibited in the productivity of their programs and strong national/international reputation. Their
Professorial Excellence Dean recognizes faculty members for quality work By JOAN KITE
extraordinary accomplishments and dedication to their research program and College of Agriculture are appreciated.” “It was a nice surprise,” said Dr. Patras, who spent part of the pandemic researching UV light and its potential affects to destroy the COVID-19 virus. Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge said there is no secret to the hard work that she has put in researching antimicrobial drug resistance of foodborne pathogens, microbial safety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the characterization of microorganisms in consumer homes. “I like working so when I get my check , I feel like I did something to earn it,” Dr. Kilonzo-Nthenge said. PROFESSORS, Turn to page 34
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When goals enmesh and others, including you, are helped, the College calls that a win-win situation for everyone. Learn why everyone should ...
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Dana Smith, marketing and communications coordinator for TSU’s Community Nutrition Education State Staff (left), and her husband Terry Smith, a retired firefighter (right), joined Walk Across the 1890s sometimes walking together, and sometimes separately, still always walking for HBCUs and raising awareness for the goodness that historically black universities bring to America. Dana. Photos courtesy of Dana Smith
Walk Across the 1890s By JOAN KITE From Arkansas to Tennessee to Alabama from March 22 to May 14 of 2021, supporters of HBCUs have been hoofing it to show their support for historically black universities by walking 840 miles, which is the distance connecting the 1890 landgrant institutions Tennessee State University, Alabama A&M University, and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff. Anyone could participate in “Walk
Across the 1890s” regardless of age. Individuals could walk. Teams could be formed of three to six people. “I tried to walk two to three miles daily,” said Dana Smith, marketing and communications coordinator for TSU’s Community Nutrition Education State Staff. “It allowed me to incorporate walking instead of driving. The walk was a healthy twist in the conference.” Walk Across the 1890s is a healthy way to celebrate and recognize the virtual, multi-state conference, which was held on May 18-20. The event
recognized community nutrition education in HBCUs. TSU hosted the first day on May 18. The conference’s purpose was designed to pool resources related to SNAP-ED and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) at the three 1890 land-grant universities. The three universities are seeking to build community food accessibility and partnerships. Smith formed a her walking team with fellow employees Angela Settles, WALK, Turn to page 38
Tennessee Walk Across the 1890s participants (left) were able to raise $2,004 for the MidSouth Food Bank. Pictured from left to right are Tasha McCraven, child nutrition manager of the Mid-South Food Bank, Ebony Lott, TSU’s Western Region Area Specialist, and Benneka Brooks, TSU SNAP-ED Program Assistant. Photo courtesy of Ebony Lott
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4-H agricultural stars carry message of hope Four 4-H Agricultural Ambassadors visited TSU as the world slowly re-opened to a post-pandemic “normal.” The young high school students talked of a future filled with positive hope. (From top to bottom) Justin Crowe, director of 4-H Programs for UT Extension, Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean of the College of Agriculture’s Extension Program, Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, Dr. Tom Broyles, Extension associate professor and State Program Leader for 4-H/ Youth Development, Ryan Hensley, director of the 4-H Foundation at the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, Rita Fleming, TSU College assistant professor, 4-H Ag Ambassadors Tim Held, Bonnie Chandler, and Hadley Brown, volunteer leader Amelia Sturgill of Fentress City, and 4-H Ag Ambassador Natalie Sturgill. Photo by Joan Kite
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Four 4-H Agricultural Ambassadors Tim Held and Bonnie Chandler talk about their experiences in 4-H while the College’s Dean Dr. Chandra Reddy listens. Photo by Joan Kite
Rising Stars in Agriculture All-Star 4-H Ag ambassadors share stories of success, gratitude By JOAN KITE One of the first meetings on campus post-pandemic was the visit by four 4-H Ag Ambassadors who are considered All Stars in the Cooperative Extension Tennessee 4-H program. The students visited in late June. The 4-H Program teaches thousands of young people in the United States to learn by doing and offers classes in health, science, agriculture, and civic engagement. “You guys are so well trained,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture. “You are a blessing to us.”
The students were there to express their deep gratitude for the main opportunities granted by being involved in the 4-H program. “My journey started in the fourth grade,” said 4-H Ag Ambassador Natalie Sturgill, of Fentress City. “I was involved in baking, poster contests, went to swimming classes. I can now sew and serve others.” “Tennessee 4-H has given me so many opportunities. I would like to thank you all for that,” Sturgill said. Because of the program, the 4-H Ag Ambassadors said they were “living happily
ever better.” Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean of Cooperative Extension advised the young ambassadors to reach out to the disadvantaged. “More than 50 percent of our resources go to 4-H programs,” Dr. Lighari said. “You must understand working together as human beings.” When the students asked Dr. Reddy for advice, the Dean informed them there were many opportunities in the world now. “Focus on something you like,” Dr. Reddy said. “These days you can make it cool.”
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Touchdown!
Former TSU football coach appointed as Ag Marketing Director By JOAN KITE Former TSU Head Football Coach Rod Reed has been appointed as Director of Marketing and Communications for the College of Agriculture. Reed will help Dean Chandra Reddy create a college advisory board of stakeholders to provide input and guidance on college programs and expand partnerships with government, corporate, and alumni stakeholders. Reed brings to the agricultural playing field his extensive ties with local and national contacts gathered from his years as head football coach with TSU. “Coach Reed’s experience in recruiting and mentoring top notch football players will be very useful for us in recruiting and nurturing relationships with top agricultural businesses of the country as partners and advisors to the bustling college’s academic, research, and outreach programs,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture.
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“I am excited to have him promote our students, faculty, and programs!” Reed has been learning about the College meeting faculty and staff and touring the labs. “I think it is really interesting what I have seen so far,” said Reed. “It’s really amazing just to see the labs. I watched them putting trackers in a pygmy rattle snake.” Wildlife professor Bill Sutton and his research students track the endangered pygmy rattle snake in Middle Tennessee to find out more about its behaviors and habitats. Reed, a native Texan, said he is ready for the new challenge at the College of Agriculture. As a young footballer, Reed’s father, who also played football at TSU, stressed the value of earning a degree. Reed had majored in Mass Communications in 1989.
Lifelong farmer named director for New Farmer Academy By JOAN KITE
Some might say it was a given Finis Stribling, III would be named director for the College’s New Farmer Academy and Small Farm Programs. After all, he’s been training for this position all of his life. “I’ve been in this position (at TSU) for seven years,” Stribling said. “It’s been a good fit.” The New Farmer Academy Program seeks to train new and aspiring farmers during a seven-month certification program. Participants are exposed to a bit of everything including farm economics and marketing and agricultural and livestock production. Participants get real-life experience working with techniques or equipment on TSU’s own research farm or by touring other farms in Tennessee.
Stribling was raised on his parents’ farm in Arkansas where he grew up helping them raise cotton, soybean, and wheat. They also raised saddle bred horses and hogs. As a teenager in 4-H and FFA programs, Stribling had his own side gigs raising and selling sweet potatoes, pears, and firewood. When he went to college at the University of Arkansas, he started as an accounting major, but the Universe was having none of that. Stribling quickly changed his major to farm management and agricultural economics. Fresh out of college at the age of 24, Stribling applied for and was accepted to serve as a 4-H Agent for the University of Arkansas in Madison County. FARMER, Turn to page 46
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Online defense
Graduate students Zoom through thesis presentations The pandemic brought swift changes to all on campus sending most home and that included graduate students working on their dissertations. Graduate students in the College of Agriculture work closely with their advisors during the dissertation process and are well prepared by the time they present their theses, but the pandemic added Zoom to the mix. Graduate students found themselves learning how to present their projects on Zoom and found that Zoom had enabled additions to their audiences as campus members logged on
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after announcements for the presentations were delivered through University Communications.
studies early at Cornell University in New York. There, Hickok is studying apples and their resistance to fire blight.
“I did my proposal over Zoom,” said David Hickok who successfully presented his paper, “Root Responses to Aluminum Stress in Cowpea.” “I like it better because I get a lot more nervous in front of people so I liked Zoom better.”
His TSU advisor and mentor, Research Professor Dr. Matthew Blair, said he believes a “thesis defense is better in class.” But Zoom presentations should deter no one.
Hickok will graduate this fall semester with a master’s degree in agricultural sciences focusing on plant sciences. He was allowed to enroll and begin his doctoral
“David did all of his interviews for his Ph.D. program through Zoom,” Dr. Blair said. “Having taken classes in Zoom made it easier to go through the application process, proposal and defense.”
Graduate student David Hickok (right) presents his dissertation on Zoom as members of the faculty and student body log in to watch. Sudip Adhikari (above) speaks with his Zoom audience about his dissertation titled “Factors Influencing Risk Management Decisions.” David Hickok’s Zoom audience (left) included the professors on his dissertation committee, colleagues from his lab, and visitors from other areas of the campus including Dr. Tatiana Zabaleta, who is earning a Master’s in Public Health. Photos by Joan Kite
Now that school has officially re-opened and all students are back in class, Blair said he is considering providing the Zoom presentation option for all theses presentations because students and faculty can log in to attend such presentations from the comfort of their offices. Sudip Adhikari, a graduate student concentrating in Agribusiness, presented his paper titled, “Factors Influencing Risk Management Decisions” on Zoom. “It’s not that different,” said Adhikari’s advisor, Dr. Aditya Khanal, associate
professor in Agribusiness. “Sometimes, it’s easier because the students have PowerPoint and can go back in the slides. The other aspect that is missing is that you can’t physically see the student. We can not see what kind of environment they are in.” Adhikari also successfully presented his thesis, earned his graduate degree at TSU, and will pursue his doctoral studies at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Both Dr. Blair and Dr. Khanal noticed that Zoom presentations attracted attendees who might otherwise not have attended a
dissertation presentation. That observation alone makes dissertation presentations on Zoom more attractive, Khanal said. “Attendance from other students and faculty in Zoom increase,” Khanal said. “I prefer the physical environment, but even with Zoom, (Adhikari) got multiple offers from other schools.” Hickok is completing the final touches for his thesis, submitting it to the graduate school for formatting. The ultimate goal is to publish Hickok’s findings regarding the research he conducted.
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PROFESSORS, From page 25
Dr. Karla Addesso Associate Professor Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: Woody ornamental pest management. Insect behavior and chemical ecology. Research Team Members: Research Associate Paul O’Neal, Post-Doctorate Fellows Cindy Perkovich and Kripa Dhakal, Lab Technician Garrett Roper, Master’s Student Axel Gonzalez (recently graduated) and Master’s Student Asmita Gautam. Addesso
I lead a national team on a Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant consisting of 23 labs and more than 100 personnel. The team is funded to investigate management of flatheaded borers in nut, fruit, nursery and landscape trees across the United States. Our goal is to develop management options for all affected commodities while minimizing duplication of effort. To date, I have secured approximately $15 million dollars in grant funding ($7 million as PI). I also train many undergraduate interns and graduate students in my lab. I have graduated three Master’s students as their primary advisor. My students have won research competition awards and secured prestigious internships and select training opportunities. Two of my Master’s students have gone on to Ph.D. programs at Purdue University and University of Tennessee entomology departments. My third Master’s student works as a research technician with GDM Seeds, a global seed production company in Iowa. I am mentoring a new Master’s student and two postdoctoral scientists.
Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel Associate Professor/ Interim Associate Dean of Research Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: Plant Pathology, Nursery Production Research Team Members: Master’s Students Ravi Bika and Krishna Neupane; Doctoral Students Bhawana Ghimire, Sandhya Neupane, and Madha Parajuli; Post-Doctorate Fellow Farhat A. Avin; and Research Associates Terri Simmons and Christina Jennings. Baysal-Gurel
Dr. Matthew W. Blair Professor Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: New Crops and Plant Genomics/Genetics Research Team Members: Master’s Students Maia Payne and Sharla Scantling, Visiting Master’s of Public Health Student Tatiana Zabaleta, and Research Associate Lucas Mackasmiel. Previous students include David Hickok, Daniel Demissie, Xingbo Wu, and Yahaya Damba. Blair
Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge Professor Department of Human Sciences Research Areas: Food Microbiology/Food Safety Research Team Members: Graduate students Tobenna Aniume, Murren Nzomo, and Siqin Liu; undergraduate students Jourdan Huntley, and Jordyn White; and Research Associate Abdullah Mafiz. Kilonzo-Nthenge
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Dr. Jianwei Li Associate Professor Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: Climate Change, Biogeochemistry, Soil Science, and Agriculture Research Team Members: Graduate students Ms. Precious Areeveso and Ms. Xuehan Wang and Post-Doctorate Research Associate Dr. Lahiru Gamage I believe that I was selected because as a principle investigator, I have acquired $1.9 million in external grant Li money from NSF, USDA, and DOE, in addition to publications in top-notch international journals (e.g., Nature Communications, Global Change Biology) led by my students and myself. My research theme centers on soil-climate interaction and microbial feedback, with focuses on thermal variation on soil decomposition and the underlying microbial mechanisms. My research group employed field and laboratory experiments as well as quantitative modeling approaches to address questions that intersect climate change and terrestrial biogeochemical cycles, while we sincerely embrace collaborative team work and an inclusive and positive working environment for professionalism, productivity, and personal growth.
Dr. Ankit Patras Associate Professor Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: Innovative Food Manufacturing, Process optimization and Modeling of Food Systems, Natural Therapeutics (identification and discovery) Research Team Members: Graduate students Anjali Kurup, Pranav Vashisht, and Anita Scales; Post-Doctorate Fellow Dr. Brahmaiah Pendyala; and Lab Manager Yvonne Myles. Patras
Dr. Yongming (Simon) Sang Associate Professor Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: Animal Immunogenetics and Antiviral Regulation Research Team Members: Undergraduate students Ms. Kendall McCoy, Ms. Autumn Peterson, and Ms. LeAnn Lopez; Graduate students Mr. Jordan Jennings, Ms. Yun Tian, Mr. Jiuyi Li; Mr. Marquette Pate; and Ms. Alessandria Aikerson-Russell; and Post-Doctorate Fellow Dr. Collins Khwatenge. Sang
Dr. William “Bill” Sutton Associate Professor Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Areas: Wildlife Biology, Conservation Biology, Disturbance Ecology, Wildlife Diseases, Biometry, Global Change Ecology Research Team Members: Post-Doctorate Research Associate Dr. Matthew Grisnik; Doctoral student Brent Newman; Master’s students Rachel Brubaker, Marley Machara, Jesse Eaker, and Carlin Frost; and Undergraduate student Cierra Woods.
Sutton
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THRIVING, From page 22
students in a project studying the “management of a genus of related flatheaded borer beetles” that attack trees and other woody plants in nurseries and orchards. •
Dr. De’Etra Young, interim associate dean of Academics and Land-grant Programs, was awarded a grant totaling $1.773 million fueling the education of numerous TSU students, titled the “TSU 1890 Scholarship Program: Training and Mentoring the Next Generation of Leaders in Food and Agricultural Sciences.”
•
Dr. John Ricketts’ $1 million grant titled, “Rapid Rollout of 8 National Standard-based Rigorous and Remote AFNR Courses for Underserved College-bound Students” is designed to develop eight standards-based courses in agriculture, food, and natural resources for high school students needing online/ digital learning options.
•
Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, interim associate dean of Research, is the co-project director of a recently awarded nearly $4 million grant that funds a multi-institutional team who will investigate ways to protect boxwoods from boxwood blight, which is highly invasive and critically damaging to the boxwood industry.
On National Ag Day in 2021, the USDA awarded TSU’s College of Agriculture $1.46 million in grant money for research projects. Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge received a $464,816 grant for her project “Establishing Animal Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs to Maximize Profitability of Small-Scale Ruminant Production Systems,” which she began during the pandemic lockdown. “We were collecting preliminary data, and analyzing the data,” Dr. KilonzoNthenge said. “Farmers are now allowing us to go to their farms.”
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Research Assistant Emily Hayes stands over one of the fainting goats on the Farm. Dr. Richard Browning is beginning research on the performance and growth of the fainting goat for meat production this year as part of a three-year project funded by the USDA. Photo by Joan Kite
Dr. Kilonzo-Nthenge is researching ways to protect goats and sheep from pathogens found in the livestock’s environments.
“Farmers are now allowing us to go to their farms.” Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge Professor TSU College of Agriculture
What she has found so far that is critical to the protection of these animals is that many farmers have no or little relationships with veterinarians, which is vital to keeping animals healthy, she said. Dr. Richard Browning, who manages the Dexter cattle and goat herds on the Farm, received a $496,703 grant for his project, “Managing Breed Resources to Improve Productivity and Profitability in Meat Goats.”
Dr. Browning is researching whether one can increase meat goat profitability through better genetic management. “This is a new phase of our breeding evaluation,” Dr. Browning said. “We’re focusing on fainting goats. We’re studying them for performance and growth.” Known as the myotonic or Tennessee fainting goat, the animal gets its name from a hereditary condition that may cause it to stiffen its legs and fall over when startled. This goat was first brought to Marshall County in the 1880s. “We are on our fifth breed now,” Dr. Browning said. He will start breeding the fainting goats this fall. Dr. Browning said he expects he will buy about a dozen males to supplement the current herd and will cross breed the females for extended studies. Despite the setbacks brought on by weather and illness, the College is moving forward, working with contractors and insurance adjusters in hopes that all that was lost will be replaced by next fall.
Dr. Richard Browning checks on the goat and cattle herds following a flooding incident on “The Farm” in 2021. Dr. Browning received a grant this year of almost $500,000 to fund a research project studying the performance and growth of “myotonic” or fainting goats, the final part of a five-part ongoing research project. Photo by Joan Kite
Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge (right) watches one of her research assistants Tobenna Aniume prepare petri dishes for an experiment. Photo by Joan Kite
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WALK, From page 27
Debbie Goddard, and Latasha Holloway. The group called themselves “Walking It Out, Tigerettes.” Tracy Smith, Dana’s husband, also participated in Walking Across the 1890s. “For me, I just walked in our neighborhood,” Tracy Smith said. “I was trying to find a good way to incorporate physical exercise into my life. Walking seemed like a good option.” “I like getting out in the morning and seeing the sunrise,” he said. “Sometimes, I have my ear phones. Sometimes, I just walk and talk to God.” The College’s Interim Associate Dean of Research Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel snagged First Place in the walking/running competition averaging about 10 miles a day. She said she tends to walk at night to clear her head and often uses a treadmill. FACULTY, From page 13
Dumenyo said. So far, two students have been able to benefit from the scholarship fund. Laura Midgett, now Laura Brisbon as she has gotten married and Brisbon is her married name, received $1,000. She graduated in May with a concentration in
All TSU participants were provided with a medal making everyone feel like a winner no matter how far they walked. Photo by Joan Kite
Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication. Student Michael Crawford also received a scholarship based on need and merit. He is now in graduate school here in the College of Agriculture. “The faculty scholarship was a blessing to
me and allowed me to have more financial freedom to study hard and enjoy my last semester before graduating with my bachelor’s degree,” Midgett said. Donations to the Faculty Scholarship Fund are always welcome. Anyone who would like to contribute, can contact Dr. Korsi Dumenyo at cdumenyo@tnstate.edu.
Faculty Contributors for Ag Faculty Scholarship Fund Karla Addesso* Clement Elumpe Akumu Kaushalya Amarasekare Reginald Archer* Ahmad Naseer Aziz* Savonya C. Barnes* Fulya Baysal-Gurel* Matthew W. Blair Carollyn H. Boykins* Fitzroy D. Bullock* Fur-Chi Chen* Samuel Dennis Korsi Dumenyo*
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E Kudjo Dzantor Enefiok P. Ekanem Robert P. Estes Nick L Gawel* Solomon G. Haile William F. Hayslett, Sr* Aditya Khanal Agnes K. Kilonzo-Nthenge* Jianwei Li Lan Li Mary Y Mafuyai Margaret T Mmbaga* Justin Garrett Moore*
Samuel N Nahashon* Dilip Nandwani Ahmad Naseer Aziz* Bharat Pokharel* Roger Sauve George R Smith* William B Sutton Ali Taheri Fisseha Tegegne Anthony Witcher* De’Etra Young* Suping Zhou* *Continuous Donors
Don’t Stop Now. Become the Master.
M.S. in Agricultural Science
Concentrations: Agribusiness Management & Analysis Agricultural Education Biotechnology Food Marketing & Supply Chain Management
M.S. in Food & Animal Sciences M.S. in Environmental Sciences Contact Graduate Coordinator Dr. Bharat Pokharel at bpokhare@tnstate.edu.
Bloom where you are planted
Success stories from the College of Agriculture
Dean’s Office boasts new faces Much has changed during the pandemic, and that includes the employee landscape in the Dean’s Office. Dr. De’Etra Young has been named associate dean of Academics and Landgrant Programs. Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel has been named interim associate dean for Research filling in for Dr. Carter Catlin, who has retired. Here are some of the new employees you will meet face-to-face upon your return to campus:
Donna Hinton
Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel Since receiving her doctoral degree in 2003, Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel has worked at Ohio State University in different positions then took the plant pathologist position with the College of Agriculture in 2015. She has been working at the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, but can now be found at the College’s main campus at least two days a week. At TSU, Dr. Baysal-Gurel has established an impressive research program in plant pathology on nursery crop plants, published 21 refereed journal articles of first author equivalence, and secured over $ 14 million external grant funds as PI or co-PI.
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Nashville native Donna Hinton is now serving as the senior office assistant to Dean Dr. Chandra Reddy. Ms. Hinton earned a B.A. in Psychology minoring in French and English from Middle Tennessee State University. She worked in teacher certification at Fisk University for 17 years. At TSU, she was working as an administrative assistant to Dr. Sam Nahashon, head of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, before she joined the Dean’s Suite.
Faculty/Staff Resource Manager in the College of Agriculture. She will be taking the lead on Human Resources and personnel matters for the college. Campbell recently relocated to Tennessee with her family from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She has more than 10 years of experience in Human Resource Management, Operations/Management, Public Relations, and Organizational Leadership and Communications. Campbell holds a B.S. in Business Administration, an M.B.A. with a concentration in entrepreneurship, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale.
Phoebe Jones
Curletha Campbell Curletha Campbell is serving as the
Phoebe Jones serves as the technical writer for the College of Agriculture. A recent transplant from Greenville, SC, Jones has bachelor’s degrees in history and theatre with a concentration in creative writing from Presbyterian College. She completed her master’s degree in Technical Communication at Arizona State University.
Bloom Where You Are Planted
College of Ag professor twice named ‘Communicator of the Year’
Dr. Jason de Koff speaks to visitors in his lab. Photo by Joan Kite
For the second time, College of Agriculture Professor Dr. Jason de Koff has been named Communicator of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists (TAAA&S). This year, he is being honored for the exceptional educational tools he created to teach farmers and other stakeholders about using drones in agriculture. This year, Dr. de Koff won first place for Best Fact sheet and Best Website. He won second place for Best Feature Story and Best Educational Video Recording. All of the award-winning materials are a direct result of his research about drone usage in agriculture and his adeptness at sharing that knowledge in the field. His fact sheet and website will move forward to compete for the National Communication Awards. “I was pleasantly surprised,” Dr. de Koff said. He was initially named Communicator of the Year in 2017 for his work in bioenergy. He was quick to credit his graduate student and research assistant Priya Saini
for her contributions to his award-winning Fact Sheet “Using Software to Capture and Analyze Drone Images.” That fact sheet won an Excellence in Extension Education Materials with the American Society of Agronomy in November 2020. Dr. de Koff also gave some credit to the pandemic, which compelled him to quickly take face-to-face classes and deliver them in the digital classroom. “I had a workshop I was doing for farmers in January and February,” Dr. de Koff said. “When the pandemic hit, we turned that workshop into videos that could be put online. Priya helped me with the fact sheet.” Dr. de Koff, who has been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, is looking forward post-pandemic to returning to the farmers’ fields and working directly with others. “The vaccine has made me more willing to get back to the things that I had been doing,” he said. “Nothing can really replace that face-to-face interaction.”
Welcome new coordinator for online learning
Janiece Pigg is the College’s new coordinator for online learning. Photo courtesy of Janiece Pigg
Janiece Pigg is another new face you will see on the College’s campus. Pigg has been hired as the coordinator for online curriculum development working closely with Dr. John Rickets in the AITC building. “Our College is very excited to be adding Janiece Pigg, a rare find with dual purpose experience and expertise in instructional technology and agriculture! Stop by the AITC and see her for ideas and help moving your Ag and Human Sciences programs online,” Dr. Ricketts said. From Starkville, Mississippi, Pigg earned her undergraduate degree in Agriculture Education, Leadership, Extension and
Communication from Mississippi State University (MSU) and her master’s degree in Agricultural Extension and Education from Louisiana State University (LSU). She found her new home quickly in East Nashville where she lives with her “amazing” dog — a Husky-German Shepherd mix named Cotton. She is a self-proclaimed foodie. Pigg grew up familiar with agriculture. Her family owned a pecan tree orchard and their home was surrounded by farms. Pigg participated in 4-H activities growing up. Her father managed a hunting farm.
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Bloom where you are planted
Success stories from the College of Agriculture
ExxonMobil donates $5,000 to help restore The Farm ExxonMobil Pipeline Company sets right next to the Agricultural Research and Education Center. Affectionately known as the Farm, the College’s research farm was destroyed by a tornado in March of 2020. In an instant disappearing act, an education center, dozens of hoop houses, poultry enclosures, and greenhouses housing ongoing research? All of it left to the wind. Dr. Browning lost much of the infrastructure that housed his Dexter cattle and when the Farm flooded shortly after the pandemic due to heavy rains, his cattle were able to wander to areas unreachable due to the flooding. Add the pandemic and it has been a difficult year. So Dr. Browning was pleasantly surprised when the College’s neighbor, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, donated $5,000 to Dr. Browning to assist with his livestock operations. Dr. Richard Browning, who oversees livestock operations at the Agricultural Research and Dr. Browning manages not only the Education Center, graciously accepts a $5,000 check from ExxonMobil to help with tornado Dexter cattle, but also several varieties of damage restoration. Photo by Joan Kite goats.
AAUW awards first-ever post-doctoral fellowship to TSU staff researcher The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has awarded its 2020–21 American Post-Doctoral Fellowship to Thyniece Bowden of Nashville. “These funds will help me to complete my research project titled, ‘The Evaluation of Lysines’ Affect on the Microflora of Broiler Chickens’,” Bowden said. “I am thrilled to be awarded this post-doctoral fellowship and to be the only female to ever receive this award in the history of Tennessee State University.” Bowden is seeking a full-time faculty position while training students in research and working at TSU. “I enjoy mentoring and training the
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next young female scientists here at TSU,” Bowden said. “The support of AAUW is giving me a head start on my journey toward accomplishing my academic goals and career aspirations,” she said. AAUW is one of the world’s leading supporters of graduate women’s education. Over the past 132 years, it has provided more than $115 million in fellowships, grants and awards to 13,000 women from 150 countries. AAUW is proud to be one of the nation’s largest educational funders for women of color. Thyniece Bowden
Bloom Where You Are Planted
Fiscal Analysts, Admin Assistants join Dean’s Office Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, has been able to fill several positions in the Dean’s Suite to help support administrative and fiscal responsibilities. Meet the new employees who you will find in the Biotechnology Building and in The Barn on the College’s campus grounds.
Helen Trimble-Anthony
Cathy Mekula
Cathy Mekula has been hired as an administrative assistant working in the Dean’s Suite at the College of Agriculture. Mekula brings to the position years of administrative experience, namely in the medical field. She has worked for nine years with orthopedic and neurological surgeons, transplant physicians, and management at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She enjoys yard work, reading, napping, and doting on her German Shepherd, Ava. She also has recently acquired a rooster whom she has named Buddy. The rooster has taken to staying inside a kennel next to Ava’s.
Helen Trimble-Anthony, a Nashville native, is a TSU alumna who earned her undergraduate degree in accounting from TSU and her master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. In her graduate program, Trimble Anthony specialized in Health Administration. Over the years, Trimble-Anthony has worked for Fisk University, Meharry Medical College, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Prior to accepting the position at the College of Agriculture, Trimble-Anthony was working as a financial analyst in the Grants Office at TSU. Trimble-Anthony says she is a people person and a foodie and when she is not entertaining friends or family, she can be found binge-watching her favorite shows or challenging someone to a game of “Words with Friends.”
Jason Foster Jason Foster, a relative newcomer to Nashville from Wisconsin, is an Administrative Assistant III within the
College of Agriculture. Foster recently served as testing coordinator at Middle Tennessee State University. He worked for Milwaukee Public Schools for six years. He is married with one daughter, Aniya.
Hongmei Cui Hongmei Cui is an Accounting Clerk III in the SNAP-ED Department within the College of Agriculture. Cui brings years of accounting experience from her time at West Virginia University where she worked up from Accounting Assistant I to Business Manager 1. Cui graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a B.S. in Accounting.
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Bloom where you are planted
Success stories from the College of Agriculture
UT, TSU leaders meet to discuss future growth Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, and Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean of TSU Cooperative Extension, met with Dr. Ashley M. Stokes, the new dean of UT Extension in the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture in late July at TSU’s College of Agriculture. The three met to become acquainted and discuss plans for potential growth. Stokes, a veterinarian, is the first woman to serve as dean of UT Extension in its more than 100 years of service. She comes most recently from Colorado State University. The three administrators said they enjoyed their meeting and look forward to collaborative projects in the near future.
Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean of TSU College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension (from l. to r.), Dr. Ashley M. Stokes, new dean of UT Extension in the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, and Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture at TSU, take a moment for photo opportunity following a mid-summer business meeting. Photo by Joan Kite
Corteva Agriscience donates grain legume plot harvester to professor An internship completed years ago by Professor Matthew Blair proved fruitful when a contact from the former company where Blair interned reached out to the professor and offered to donate an Almaco grain legume plot harvester valued at $70,000. “I will use it for production in Ashland City for seed certification,” Professor Blair said. “It is also a good opportunity for student training. It has GPS capabilities.” As a graduate student, Blair had interned in the winter nursery for the company ASGROW, where he worked with Tom Monroe, who worked in the summer nursery. ASGROW was bought by Corteva Agriscience. When Blair presented at a plant science conference in 2017, he reconnected with Tom Monroe, who reached out to the TSU professor extending him the donation. Monroe now works in Global Asset Recovery for Corteva Agriscience. “...(this) would be useful for your mung bean experiments, as it is a two-row combine which works well with upright legumes Pictured above is the Split Harvest Pro (SHP50), which is a soybean such as soybean,” Monroe wrote to Blair. “Apart from this I will keep in mind if a planter comes up for donation from another one nursery plot harvester identical to the one donated to Professor Matthew Blair for his research on mung beans. of our stations.” Blair is quick to point out to his students that relationships said. established early in one’s career can bear fruit down the road. Blair is making arrangements to pick up the combine from “Like other professors, I reach out to the private sector,” Blair Union City, Tennessee this fall
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Bloom Where You Are Planted
TSU alum named minority-serving liaison for 1890 land-grant institutions for CARET TSU alum James G. Brown Jr., who served since 2017 as the TSU delegate to the Council of Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET) for the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU), has been appointed as the Minority-Serving Institutions Liaison to represent all 19 of the U.S. 1890 institutions for CARET. Much of his vital contributions will include carrying the crucial message to federal and state government leaders about the economic needs of the 19 historically black universities in the United States that were established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890. “It is overwhelming and I humbly accept the challenge. TSU College of Agriculture Dean (Chandra) Reddy said I could walk on water.” Brown said. “I believe that it is a large responsibility with an important task. I am now on the Executive Committee of CARET, and I will be giving reports at the national level on the ongoing issues at the 1890 land-grant institutions. Before it was just TSU. Now, it is all the 1890s.” Brown brings to his new position 36 years of experience working as a district soil conservationist with the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). He graduated from TSU’s College of Agriculture in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Agriculture Economics. “Adequate and timely congressional support for the nation’s agricultural research and outreach is of utmost importance for the United States to lead and feed the burgeoning world population. The nation’s 1890 land-grant institutions play a vital role in not only solving the grand challenges facing the agricultural
“I believe it is a large responsibility with an important task. I am now on the Executive Committee of CARET, and I will be giving reports at the national level...” James G. Brown, Jr. Liaison, Minority-Serving Institutions, CARET sector but also in training its future leaders,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture. “I am glad Mr. Brown has been selected to represent all 19 of the 1890 universities for CARET and the APLU. I am confident he will represent well the 1890 community in this Council.
As chairman of the 1890 Association of Research Directors, I certainly need capable individuals like Mr. Brown to articulate our needs with the Congress.” Brown is clearly a “people person.” He retired from the NCRS in 2009, but Brown is far from resting on any laurels. He currently pastors at Parker’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Portland, Tennessee, and is the Second Vice Moderator of the East Fork District Association of Missionary Baptist Churches. He has been involved in organizations such as Leadership Middle Tennessee, Leadership Robertson County, Tennessee, the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency Board of Directors, the King David Masonic Lodge #187 P.H.E., and I Care of Robertson County, Inc. of Robertson County, Tennessee. Brown has served as a board member on the Robertson County YMCA board member and for the United Way, both of which he has served as past chairperson. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Robertson County Community Foundation, the Robertson County Joint Economic and Community Development Board, and the Robertson County Scholarship Foundation. He currently serves as the Grand Jury Foreman for Robertson County, where he is the first black Grand Jury Foreman of Robertson County, Tennessee. He has served in that role monthly for more than 15 years. Not only will he carry the message about the crucial work of 1890 institutions in agriculture to national and state legislators, but he also reaches out to farmers in the fields, business enterprises, and other organizations.
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FARMER, From page 31 small farm program in Hardeman County and Stribling jumped at the opportunity to work with adults. Once at TSU, Stribling settled in, working as the superintendent of the Cheatham County Farm for about three years, then becoming a Small Farm Specialist in 2008. During this time, he transferred to Maury County, which was closer to home in Williamson County where he lives with his wife. When Stribling started working with the New Farmer Academy, nine farmers
attended its first meeting. Currently, 150 farmers are attending this year’s Academy from across the state. Stribling has helped expand the program from the Nashville arena to Wartburg and Memphis, Tennessee. “We need new farmers and innovators to continue to build on our agricultural leadership in the world and small farmers are the backbone of the agricultural industry and rural economies,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture. “Mr. Stribling has been successfully running TSU’s New Farmer Academy and has also been supporting our small farm programs. I am confident that Mr. Stribling will build on our current
strengths in these programs and help new and small farmers become sustainable and profitable.” Already Stribling’s efforts have had an impact on the Nashville farming landscape. Farmer Reggie Marshall, who used to sell his goods at the Nashville Farmer’s Market, has now opened up a new farmer’s market at an area hospital. Veteran Farmer Charley Jordan, who was named the Most Improved Beginning Small Farmer in 2016 by the College’s Small Farm Expo, helped establish a state chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, a nonprofit that helps veterans and active duty members start careers in agriculture.
FARM BILL SCHOLARS, From page 15
those who show their passion within their work.”
Deerfield, Tennessee.
TSU has been able to attract stellar students from all over and competition for the Farm Bill Scholarship is picking up.
All three scholars, who have been part of the “virtual class” are expected to arrive at Tennessee State University this fall, when the University re-opens its doors for business. Despite the students’ distance from campus this past year, the scholars said they felt connected through their involvement in courses, the College’s Dean’s Scholars Program, and national organizations such as Agricultural Future of America (AFA), and the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). “I would say to (other students), ‘Most definitely apply’,” Walker said. “Make sure they have a strong essay. I really think TSU is looking for students who are contributing to the community,
“The average GPA for students awarded for the Farm Bill Scholarship is 3.9,” said Dr. De’Etra Young, interim associate dean of Academics and Land-grant Programs in the College of Agriculture. Dr. Young, who oversees the scholarship program, says she now has 42 students who are Farm Bill Scholars. “I am able focus on the next step. I am not worried about how I’m going to pay for school,” said Grosskreutz offering advice to the future agriculture students. “Get it. It’s completely worth it.” To find out more about the Farm Bill Scholarship Program, contact Dr. De’Etra Young at dyoung23@tnstate.edu.
Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College (middle), poses with Chelsea Randle (left) and Alanis Onwu (right). Both young ladies received scholarships from the Rehabilitation Corp. of Tennessee Scholarship. Photo by Joan Kite
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Student Kudos
The College of Agriculture recognizes just some of many of our students doing outstanding work on and off campus.
Emmanuel Wallace • • • • • • • • •
Ag Lending Intern, Farm Credit Mid-America, Dickson, TN, 2021 President, Chi Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Inc., 2021 Intern, Nashville Zoo, 2020 Director of Public Relations, Chi Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity Inc 2020-2021 Junior Class Vice President 2020-2021 Sophomore Class Vice President 2019-2021 MANRRS Farm Credit VIP Scholar Mister MANRRS 2019-2020 Freshman Innovation Council Mentor
Zahria Austin • • • •
PetSmart Summer Experience internship, 2021 Zion Hill Baptist Church scholarship, Atlanta, Georgia, 2021 Scholarship, Tennessee State University Atlanta Alumni Chapter, 2021 Majoring in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Food and Nutritional Sciences
Shaun Wimberly • •
African American Catholic Rodriq McCravy Scholarship, Office of Multicultural Ministry of the Archdiocese of Louisville, 2020 Majoring in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Agribusiness
Kerrington Howard •
Internship, Mammoth Cave National Park, HBCUI Greening Youth Foundation, 2021 During his internship, Howard led cave crawls, shadow cave guided tours, river clean ups, and bird banding.
•
Majoring in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Agribusiness
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ZOOMING, From page 19 The student’s presentations were also a bit surprising considering they were writing papers for the College of Agriculture, which researches goats and Dexter cattle for livestock production. Huntley was concerned about the living conditions that farm animals had to withstand on their way to the slaughterhouse. “I don’t want to judge other people, but the animals are not treated well,” said Huntley who saw her first factory farm as an intern at Purdue University. Classmate and junior student Damien Antwine, 21, opted to explore wet markets where animals are slaughtered upon a customer’s purchase. Wet markets earned a dark reputation when initial word that the COVID-19 virus may have come from a bat purchased at one. Antwine’s photos were graphic, showing the carcasses of animals on display for sale in countries such as China. Antwine told his classmates there were pictures he omitted because of his concern with distressing his classmates. Huntley chose a similar path for her presentation. She omitted the more brutal CAPTURED, From page 21 had enough energy to use the restroom, drink fluids, take vitamins (C, D, and Zinc), elderberry supplements, and Tylenol. By the second week, I slowly started to eat hot soups, and drink tea, but was still fatigued by headaches and nasal congestion. My girls didn’t feel well either, but my husband felt better than all of us, so he ensured we had food or friends sent food and other supplies to our house. Everyone was told to wear masks in the house, and everyone had their own designated spaces. They were to avoid each other as much as possible. Everywhere, I sprayed disinfectant and used disinfectant wipes. Basically, we went through this for about four weeks
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A photo of a wet market taken from Damien Antwine’s Zoom presentation about wet markets.
graphics of factory farm life. Better to inform than disturb, Huntley said. “Dr. Boykins told us to find some issue that is related to the meat industry,” Antwine said. “When it came to finding something about meat sales, I thought about how the virus may have come from the wet markets.” Huntley aspires to become a clinical veterinarian, but she also wants to be in the position of enforcing factory laws for farm animals. Antwine wants to travel and some of us still tested positive for COVID-19 after 14 days. By February of 2021, we all tested negative and, except for my 16-yearold, most of us were feeling normal. S contracted strep the first day back to school and still had lingering symptoms until the end of February. I had to take her to the hospital twice. Due to her health condition and having COVID-19, she still had inflammation and the irritation in her lungs caused her to have difficulty breathing. She took oral steroids, used a steroid inhaler, and rested for another nine days. This caused her to miss a lot of school instruction time. In late February, I had Dr. Suping Zhou, who was doing research for COVID-19 in nurseries, test my blood for antibodies for COVID-19. I tested positive for
and work with wildlife, namely exotics. Boykins-Winrow joked that her students are skilled enough in Zoom, they could probably teach. Still, she misses the real classroom. “I miss students. I really enjoy the interaction,” Boykins-Winrow said. “I remind students and myself that we have learned a lot in pre-COVID and postCOVID life. We will take a lot of that with us.”
antibodies in my blood stream. By April of 2021, my husband, my 16-year-old, and me were fully vaccinated. Had my daughter not been able to be vaccinated so soon, she would have gone back to virtual learning for safety of her not catching COVID-19 again. My other 12-year-old daughter was fully vaccinated by June of 2021. The data is not out yet for smaller children, so my 5-year-old still is waiting to be vaccinated, so we still run the risk of catching COVID-19. We are still being careful and will continue to do so. I am glad to say that we are very blessed to have made it through all of this because we personally know of many who did not.
TIGERLYTE, From page 5 will be in the TSU bookstore, the same locale where students can stock up on TSU’s sport teams’ swag. The other place she sees people eager to buy TigerLyte is wherever TSU games are played. She envisions the drink could serve as a marketing vehicle to promote successful TSU athletes. “I’m very excited,” Williams said. “I’m looking forward to leaving my legacy behind here.” Williams, who has always been an athlete herself, is involved with TSU’s track team while she is attending classes. The development of a sports drink became a side gig for her. “Essence is a charming young woman who is a go-getter and a business woman at heart,” said Dr. Blair. “She works like
Williams uses this lab in Lawson Hall to prepare her innovative sports drink. Photo courtesy of Essence Williams.
crazy.”
the disabled or the poor.
Williams also envisions using her profits from the drink to help the underserved whether it be minorities or
“I am a giving person,” Williams said. “Any money I make will go back to the community.”
Calendar of Events August 2021
September 2021
Aug. 16 Classes Begin
Sept. 1 TSU Extension Agent County Program Sept. 2 Small Farms Expo 2021
October2021 Oct. 13
Founders Day
Oct. 24-30 TSU Homecoming, “The Return”
Sept. 6 Labor Day Holiday
November 2021 Nov. 11
Veterans Day
Nov. 22-24
Fall Break
December 2021
January 2022
Dec. 24 Fall Break
Dec. 24-Jan. 2
Fall Break
Jan. 17
MLK Jr. Day
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AgLINK Vol. 9, Issue 1 SUMMER/FALL 2021 Tennessee State University College of Agriculture (615) 963-7561 www.tnstate.edu/agriculture
Tennessee State University College of Agriculture 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209
Dr. Chandra Reddy Dean & Director of Research Administrator of Extension Joan Kite AgLINK Editor TSU - 22-010(A)-3-13500 - 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: Natasha Dowell, Office of Equity and Inclusion, ndowell1@tnstate.edu, 3500 John Merritt Blvd., General Services Building, Second Floor, Nashville, TN 37209, 615-963-7435. The Tennessee State University policy on nondiscrimination can be found at www.tnstate.edu/nondiscrimination.
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