April 4, 2023
Celebrate Diversity Month with the Diversity Programs Office
Happy Celebrate Diversity Month!
The K-State College of Agriculture/KSRE Diversity Programs Office (DPO) and K-State Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Chapter have had an impactful spring 2023 semester so far. Please take a moment to read about past and upcoming events.
April 13-16, 2023, Dr. Zelia Wiley, Assistant Dean and K-State MANRRS Advisor; Summer Santillana, DPO Coordinator; and Lonnie Hobbs Jr., K-State MANRRS Co-Advisor, will take a delegation of 16 students to Atlanta, GA for the 37th Annual National MANRRS Conference. At the Conference, the students will compete across multiple undergraduate and graduate contests, participate in workshops and network with other MANRRS students and corporate professionals. Please join us in recognizing the following students who are representing K-State at the 2023 National MANRRS Conference:
• Abena Damuah – M.S. Agricultural Economics
• Brandon Green – Animal Sciences & Industry, Bioscience Option
• Brian Owuoche – Agronomy and Economics
• Brie Walker – Animal Sciences & Industry, Pre-Vet Option
• Jordyn Napier-Johnson – Food Sciences & Industry
• Adetola Lamidi – M.S. Agricultural Economics
• LaQuaeja Williams – Fashion Studies
• Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. – Ph.D. Candidate in Agricultural Economics
• Menaka Fernando – Animal Sciences & Industry, Bioscience Option
• Paris Swinson – Psychology
• Raymond Thomas – Ph.D. Candidate in Agricultural Economics
• Robert Nichols - Agribusiness
• Selena Gilyot – Animal Sciences & Industry, Pre-Vet Option
• Sydney Bruce – Animal Sciences & Industry
• Tiffany Poydras – M.S. Agronomy
• Zenzele Asante – Agriculture Technology Management
Our students have been working hard to prepare for the conference, and we look forward to seeing them represent K-State at the National MANRRS Conference April 13-16, 2023.
Throughout Women’s History Month, March, K-State MANRRS and the DPO had a variety of events. Thank you to Zoetis’, Alex Gallo and Jessica Nemeth, for sponsoring the MANRRS General Body meeting on March 8 and celebrating International Women’s Day with K-State MANRRS. Thank you to Bayer’s, Blake Giles and Masha Trenhaile, for sponsoring the meeting on March 22 and talking with the K-State MANRRS Chapter about opportunities and resume advice. Students had the opportunity to learn about the companies and what internship/job opportunities they offer. Thank you to Zoetis and Bayer!
Additionally, we appreciate the participants of the March 21-22, Navigating Difference diversity training for KSRE Professionals. The 2-Day training was successfully held in Manhattan, to educate KSRE professionals about diversity and cultural competence. The purpose of the training is to help extension professionals better meet the needs of the Kansas audience that they serve. The Navigating Difference training has officially hosted 20 classes of KSRE professionals since its adoption in 2012!
On March 28, the DPO traveled to K-State Olathe to host the Black Student Union (BSU) Summit with over 120 students from across high schools and middle schools in the Shawnee Mission Independent School District. The BSU Summit was an event filled with workshops and dialogues to teach students about higher education, K-State and agriculture. This event was hosted in partnership with Hormel Foods and the K-State Office of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs (DMSA).
Speakers on March 28 included: Victoria Xayaphet, Hormel Foods Consumer Insights Intern and K-State Alumni; Bryan Davis, Hormel Foods Staff System Engineer and K-State Alumni; Dr. Zelia Wiley, College of Agriculture and KSRE Assistant Dean and Director for Diversity; Dr. Chiquita Miller, KSRE Family and Consumer Science Agent – Wyandotte Co.; Deana Core, College of Agriculture Assistant Dean for Academic Programs; Dr. Teng Yang, K-State Olathe Teaching Assistant Professor in Controlled Environment Agriculture; Adam Carr, DMSA Program/Project Administrator; Kevin Santos Flores, DMSA Director of Diversity and Multicultural Student Life; and Dr. Tyrone Bates, Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for the Shawnee Mission School District. Tiffany Dixon, BSU Sponsor and Teacher at Shawnee Mission West, led the collaboration to bring all of the BSU Chapters together for this event. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!
Thank you for your continued support of our programs and efforts. If you require any additional information about these events, please contact Zelia Wiley at zwiley@k-state.edu or 785-532-5793. Social Media: Twitter @dpooffice, Instagram: @dop_kstate, Facebook: Diversity Programs Office-Kansas State University.