August 11, 2020
The Diversity Programs Office Update
The infamous summer of 2020 is about to close and we are getting ready to start the fall 2020 semester. I applaud the efforts of our faculty/staff and students for they have persevered through our “new normal” during the summer. We are all healthy and safe, but most of all we made it! Please remember to follow the CDC, State of Kansas and K-State guidelines as we welcome new faculty/staff and students. We are making a paradigm shift to continue our success in the areas of inclusion, diversity, and equity! No matter how hard we strategize, we must respect our culture in presenting our programs. As Peter Drucker states, "Culture will eat strategy for lunch."
As an update, the last three weeks have been a celebration for current, incoming and visiting students. The first closing ceremony was on July 30 with the KSRE Fellows summer research program. It was the only program on campus presented in remote status. We are so proud of our mentors and fellows for contributing research to advance the food and agricultural sciences' arena. Below you will see the 2020 KSRE fellows and mentors. Bravo to our faculty who mentored our students remotely and to our corporate partners who shared their time in the most important program!
- Kamaya Brantley, University of Georgia - Dr. Dorivar Ruiz Diaz – Agronomy
- Evan Buckner, University of Arkansas - Dr. Johanna Dille – Agronomy
- Daria Clinkscales, Virginia State University - Dr. Sara Gragg – Food Science Institute, Animal Sciences & Industry
- Terrell Hills, Southern University - Dr. Chad Paulk – Grain Science & Industry
- Miya McAntire, Clark University - Dr. Jeremy Marshall – Entomology
- Karsyn McClain, North Carolina A&T State University - Dr. Jennifer Bormann – Animal Sciences & Industry
- Alyssa Perry, Prairie View A&M University - Dr. Greg Aldrich – Grain Science & Industry
- Jazmine Whitaker, Tuskegee University - Dr. Alison Crane - Animal Sciences & Industry
During the first week of August, we concluded the abbreviated Project IMPACT Multicultural Academic Programs (MAPS). For the week, the 2020 College of Ag cohort participated in professional development, dining etiquette academic success daily sessions, animal units drive by tour and visited the north agronomy farm. The team project involved different topics per sustainability. On the same day as their Sustainability project presentation, the 2020 cohort took COVID-19 safe pictures, and later attended safely seated closing dinner with certificate of completion ceremony. It was an awesome experience! Join me in congratulating the 2020 MAPS graduates below.
• Selena Gilyot - Animal Sciences & Industry (ASI)/Pre Veterinary Medicine
• Brandon Green – ASI with the Bioscience option
• Graycen Harrell – ASI/Pre Veterinary Medicine
• Leah Hudson – Agronomy/Plant Science option
• Alyssa Harris – ASI/Pre Veterinary Medicine
• Grace Huyhn - ASI/Pre Veterinary Medicine
• Brian Owouche – Agronomy
• Jasmine Torres - ASI/Pre Veterinary Medicine
• Brienna Walker - ASI/Pre Veterinary Medicine
Our final program to recognize before the start of the fall 2020 semester is the Project IMPAPCT Kompass program. Although the Kompass program was abbreviated, the same enthusiasm was exhibited as in the past. We were happy all participated. Three students successfully participated and completed this program. Thanks to Koch Industries for your continued support of this university effort. Congratulations to the 2020 College of AG Kompass cohort; Mark Perry, Agronomy; Jacob Abrams, ASI/Pre-Vet option; and Naiely Rodriguez, ASI/Pre-Vet option.
To end the summer, we thank you for being a part of our success. There were several changes but the results were the same, POSITIVE! Congratulations are in order for all of our students who completed internships remotely, hybrid or on site. Please know we are proud of you! Special congratulations to Raymond J. Thomas who successfully defended his master’s thesis during all of our diversity programming. Finally, I would like to thank my office staff for their work. I didn't do this alone! Thanks to Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. (Ph.D. student), Summer Smades, Mckenzie Stevens and Keli Yungeberg who was the glue through all!
Please continue to look for more diversity events as we continue to advertise. We appreciate your support. For more information about upcoming events, or to collaborate with the DPO, please call 785-532-5793 or contact the DPO staff Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. or Dr. Zelia Wiley, Assistant Dean.