December 1, 2020
College of Agriculture Diversity Programs Office Update
We trust all have returned from a safe Thanksgiving holiday break and are ready to end the semester healthy! The fall 2020 semester has been unique for us all; whether it was hybrid or total remote, we all made adjustments. Thanks to all who continued to support our inclusion and diversity programming efforts throughout this past semester. They have been a success because of all of you!
Congratulations to our DPO 2020 students who graduated: three undergraduate students Akayla Calhoun, Sierra McCain, and Eric Valenzuela and graduate student Raymond Thomas. We would like to thank them for their contributions to the K-State MANRRS chapter. We look forward to seeing them use what they have learned throughout their academic careers to strive to become successful.
To end the month of November the K-State MANRRS Chapter had a successful virtual Friendsgiving, a final general body meeting with games and fellowship, on November 18. They will also be hosting a virtual study hall starting November 30, 2020. This study hall is open to all and is meant to provide an atmosphere where students can ask any questions in the chat section as they review for finals.
The DPO will represent K-State at the first ever virtual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) hosted by Tuskegee University on December 6-8, 2020 with the theme “Disparities & Racial Injustices in Agriculture & Rural Communities: Ways Forward.” We are excited to have two students participating in the student competition Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society Symposium and a participant in the panel for the PAWC Advisory Board. These participants are:
- Brandon Green, Animal Sciences & Industry (ASI) freshman from Spring Hill, KS. He will present with Dr. Zelia Wiley and Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. on the topic “An assessment of the success of the MAPS Program: College of AG Cohorts.”
- Raymond Thomas, Agriculture Economics Graduate Student from Houston, TX will present with Dr. Zelia Wiley and Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. on the topic, “The Impact of Virtual vs. Non-Virtual Summer Research Program.”
- Dr. Zelia Wiley will serve as a panel facilitator and on the PAWC Advisory Board.
Join us in congratulating our students as they participate in the 2020 virtual PAWC partnership with the Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society. Thank you to everyone for supporting the Diversity Programs Office with your continued attention and assistance with our programs. We are pleased to say that it has been a successful semester. Special thanks to the DPO staff: Lonnie Hobbs, Jr., Raymond Thomas, Summer Smades, Josephine Gianni, McKenzie Stevens and Sanders Barbee.
We wish you all Happy Holidays! Remember to wear a mask and social distance as we move into the holiday season.
For more information on future events, please contact Dr. Wiley’s email, zwiley@ksu.edu, or the DPO at 785-532-5793.