A Big Blue Year in Review: 2013 Edition

[Author's Note: To put yourself in a proper frame for reading, please turn on your favorite holiday music, sit by a fire (or candle), pour yourself some coffee, hot cider, or hot chocolate, and enjoy.]

2013 has certainly been a great year for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment!  We have so much to be reflective on in this season of togetherness and celebration of love.  Below are some reasons that 2013 has been such a banner year for us all.  This is no way serves as an official list, but one of reflection and promise as we look toward a bright 2014. Check out the University's holiday greeting and then come back to check out the rest of the blog........

What's In a Name?
This year brought on a name change for our College. Our new name has stirred emotions of alumni, students and others, bringing on much discussion.  The new name, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment truly does encapsulate who we are and what we do by today's standards.  For those in the industry, agriculture is such an implied word.  But what about for generations removed from the farm? The addition of "...,Food and Environment" helps focus on some of the pressing challenges for the industry in the future and helps with public education on some of the issues we are working so hard to research, educate and extend ourselves into Kentucky's communities.  The name change allows the general public to better understand who we are: The landgrant College focusing on contributions and innovations in animal sciences and animal health; in crop, plant and food production; in the health and well-being of Kentuckians through nutrition, family development and activity; in food production, development and food security; in environmental stewardship through design, alternative fuel approaches, woodland and natural resource management; and in personal development through leadership, economic and humanitarian measures.

In short, the new name allows us to prepare for the challenges of 2014 and beyond.  We are poised to better tell our story and continue making a difference in the lives of Kentucky and beyond.





Our Students
Our student body currently sits at its largest in UK history.  The University is now nearly 30,000 Wildcat strong.  The many accomplishments of our students through awards in undergraduate research, leadership roles taken throughout campus and nationwide in organizations, and the high academic caliber of our student body make this a big pride point among our Big Blue Nation faithful.  As a top ten research college of agriculture, we hold high esteem for the accomplishments of our students- in and outside the classroom.

Our college's largest undergraduate and freshman classes have came the past two years.  As over 400 freshman and transfer students have entered our door, our undergraduate student enrollment is at 2699 students, and with adding graduate students, we sit at just shy of 3200 total students. The scholastic achievements of our students make them our college's most academically talented group in our history.  This year's mid-fifty percantile for our incoming class was a 22-27 ACT and a 3.3-3.9 high school GPA.  One of our incoming freshman, Megan Harper, of Calloway County, was named a Belles of the American Royal and Agriculture Future of America Scholar.  Others received many top scholarships from around the University and around the country.

Our students continue to impress through academic research, like Devin Henry through the agricultural biotechnology program, Amanda Pesquira who received the Alltech Young Scientist Award, or landscape architect students, Jared Kailen, Justin Menke, and Thomas Wortman, who received Oswald Awards for research and creativity.

Our UKAg students hold leadership positions across the ranks of campus as well.  DanceBlue is a student-ran philanthropy on campus and involves many of our students.  This year's overall student chair is Claci Ayers, an agricultural biotechnology student and UK's current Homecoming Queen.  Many of our other students, including Christa Childers, a dietetics student, who serves on the Family Relations Committee, and Alex Bugg and Kaitlin Klair, serving as team captains of the CAFE Cow Tippers DanceBlue Team, a group consisting of students from across the College. DanceBlue is one of my favorite things our students do each year and it truly brings our campus together.  If you have never been, try and check it out February 22-23, 2014. The video includes last year's reveal and the group dance number at the end, and is sure to inspire you and get your toe-tapping.

Our faculty and staff
We are widely known for our committed faculty and staff that serve the College in so many ways.

We began 2013 with two of our professors, Dr. Roberta Dwyer and Dr. John Grove, being named Outstanding Teachers at the University.  We will begin 2014 by having another recipient, Dr. Mark Coyne, receiving the same distinction.

On a national front, Dr. Bill Silvia, Animal Sciences, was recognized as a Regional National Teacher by the USDA and APLU. Also from Animal Sciences,  Dr. Debra Aaron received the Distinguished Service Award from the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science.

Dr. Kelly Webber, Dietetics and Human Nutrition, received a NIH grant for work on weight loss.  The year's Patricia Brantley Todd Award Recepients were recently named from our School of Human Environmental Sciences, including Jason Hans, Family Science,  for the teaching award.

Some of our student programming won awards at the annual NAADA Conference, including programs for National Ag Awareness Day and Ag Bash.

Leadership
Finally, we want to thank and acknowledge the leadership and administration of Dr. Scott Smith.  Dr. Smith leaves our College where he has been Dean since 2001.  We appreciate his work and commitment to the Commonwealth and wish him the best, although he's not going very far and will be teaching some sections of GEN 100 for our students.

We also want to welcome Dr.Nancy Cox into the role of Dean effective January 1, 2014.  We know that she will be a visionary dean and lead UK Ag to even greater heights.

In Summary......
It's been a great year to be a Wildcat, and hope that some of you who may be prospective Wildcats or parents of a soon-to-be-Wildcat see the many proud accomplishments for our College this year, in years prior and in years to come.  How will you prospective Wildcats engage your potential here at UK and make your mark?  We look back on an exciting year for our College, and look forward to the greatness that 2014 will bring for our UK Ag Family.  

Remember that our Incoming Freshmen Scholarships are due January 15, 2014!

Happy Holidays!!

- Jason H.

Jason Headrick is the Director of Student Relations for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.  He is a 2002 graduate of UK with a B.S. in agricultural communications and is set to complete his MA in May 2014.  He serves on the board for the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association.  He also is on the board for the Fayette County UK Alumni Club.  

So I went to the Career Fair…Now What?

Earlier in the semester, the College of Agriculture, Food & Environment hosted over twenty agricultural companies at our annual Career Fair.  Students labored over their preparations for the Career Fair: we searched for the perfect professional outfit, brushed up our resumes with a fine toothed comb, and practiced our handshakes- all for the sake of securing an interview for a job or internship.  Now that the Career Fair is over, we’re done, right?

WRONG!  We are done with the hard part- making a good first impression with the recruiters.  Now, however, we have the opportunity to not only remind our potential employers of our names and credentials, but we also have the opportunity to impress them with our follow-up etiquette. 

What exactly is follow-up etiquette?  It is the simple steps we can take to ensure the connections we made at the Career Fair are solidified.  The day or so after the Career Fair, be sure to contact the employers to whom you spoke.  Sending a quick, simple e-mail thanking them for taking their time to come to the Career Fair and reminding them that you are interested in their company can help you to stand out above all the other people they met at the Career Fair.  If you spoke with them about something unusual, such as sports during your initial introduction or connection, mention it in your e-mail.  You want the employers to read it and think, “Oh, right, I remember this person…” 

Countless interviews, internships, and jobs have been won at Career Fairs, and the Career Fair hosted by the College of Agriculture, Food & Environment this week is no exception.  Who knows?  Maybe it will be YOU who earns one of those coveted positions at the prestigious companies who were on campus - just remember to use your follow-up etiquette and solidify the connections made.  

Looking for help o your internship or job search within the College?  Contact Amanda Saha, the College's new Director of Career Development & Enrichment.  

- Kendall

Kendall is a senior majoring in Agricultural Education.  She is from Georgetown, Kentucky and will be student teaching in the spring.  After graduation, Kendall would like to work in the education sector.

A Whole New World....

Recently some ag ambassadors went on a journey across the world to the Mediterranean.  Well, at least we were there in theory.  

As part of International Food Night, we went to Oasis Restaurant in the Chevy Chase Place here in Lexington. We try to get a taste of other cultures whenever and wherever we can. The Mediterranean night was a quaint, but very fun time and also quite the experience for me.

         

Being in Oasis, and even a Mediterranean restaurant for the first time, I had no clue of what I was getting myself into. When I looked at the menu, I'm pretty sure I looked like a kid in a candy store. There were so many options and I really wanted to try them all. As we were chowing down on some hummus and pita bread, Jason (our ambassador advisor) and Leslie (a fellow ambassador) were giving the rundown on the menu like they were "Ranean" experts. I debated for the longest if I should get the Schawarma Mix or start simple with a Pita-Wich. Schawarma is a meat of choice that is grilled on a spit for long periods of time, then shaved and served. I decided to go with a lamb kabob pita-wich. Leslie ordered what seemed like miniature, hard donuts. They were actually called falafels and they are mainly grounded fava beans that are then deep-fried. We also had a past ambassador join us for dinner. We had a grand ole time.

It should be a personal goal for people to try different types of food. You never know what you like until you try. We started international food night because it is very common to see students eating cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, and the all time favorite- pizza. It's important to keep in mind that you will be pushed to do things out of your comfort zone and that's exactly what I did. Who ever would of ever known that I would like Mediterranean food? Jason always emphasizes that keeping an open mind will help us in our careers in the future. I think that it is good to have a diverse background of foods. That falls under the category of being a well-rounded individual. Tasting other foods also helps you appreciate other cultures. Knowing about foods of other cultures will can keep you connected in a small way to other backgrounds. All foods have a specific meaning to most cultures. By experiencing those foods that could link us together more on common ground. No telling where the ambassadors will land next for International Food Night. 

And if the title of the blog entry had you humming, check this video out for the song that is running through your head.

 

 Until next time,

 Ya ssas!

 (Good-bye in Greek)

Kenyatta

How Ag Aware Are You?

The public perception of agriculture seems to hold a negative connotation.  Often, it is viewed as cows and plows and not for its true meaning.  Each aspect of our lives, from the food we eat, to the clothes on our body, and even the fuel in our vehicles relates back to agriculture.  Those of us that are directly related and passionate about agriculture need others to see it as we do.  We see a rapidly growing population without the technology to produce enough food to go around and extremely high gas prices that we could possibly bring down with the help of biofuels.  Most importantly, we need to educate the public on all aspects of agriculture and how it truly impacts and plays a role in our lifestyles. 

On April 18^th the UK College of Agriculture Ambassadors and Ag Student Council held a campus wide activity-- Ag Awareness Day.  Students were able to stroll through main campus and enjoy free food, visit booths educating them about the many sides of agriculture.  These ranged from the Kentucky Soybean Association to facts about our land grant college, to how clothing is made and developed and budget planning is important to a family, to being able to buy plants grown in our greenhouses on campus.  Over four hundred UK students stopped to check out the buzz about ag and all that our college has to offer.  Through explaining our eighteen diverse majors, many new seeds were planted in young and adventurous minds that were previously unaware.  This was a great way to start off a new tradition for the College of Agriculture and a way to become more connected with main campus here at the University of Kentucky.  

In the future I look forward to being a part of and seeing events such as these blossom into crucial educational activities.  UK has such an opportunity to reach wide and diverse audiences through its Cooperative Extension Service, our top-ten agricultural research, and the production of quality alumni who work through the ranks of the college and University to succeed in their fields.  I can’t wait to witness the future of agriculture and all that the University of Kentucky does to continually improve and innovate agriculture, not only for the students at this university, but for the world.  

Our student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, did a feature story on the day.  You can read that here:  

  Sara Kate will be a senior in the fall at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Food Science.  She is from Hickman, Kentucky.  Sara Kate is a member of  Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Agriculture Student Council, the Institute for Food Technologies, and is a COA Agricultural Ambassador, where she will serve as senior coordinator of the program next year. 

Spring is in full bloom for the Cats

The students at UK always anticipate the Spring Semester. It is filled with midterm exams, spring break and of course the “Madness of March!” As we all know, we achieved the infamous “number 8” as the Men’s NCAA National Champions. But with all of these exciting events, the College of Ag students are definitely not passing up a chance to keep busy by planning many exciting events for the spring.  So nonetheless, these Ag Cats are staying crazy.

Last week, our Ag Student Council hosted Ag Bash and it was an awesome event! Ag Bash is fun, exciting and a great way to wind down the semester before finals. Live music was performed by Hannah Ellis and there were games, free food and t-shirts. Hannah Ellis is a current student at UK; she graduated from Taylor County High School and is a fantastic singer who has toured and performed at all types of venues.  We had around 250 of our students come out and enjoy the weather and games. During the Ag Bash, we collected donations for the Ronald McDonald House. Items included shampoo, conditioner, soap, mouthwash, dental floss and other personal items.

This week, we are planning a large event on the main UK campus called Agriculture Awareness Day.  The event will be held this Wednesday, April 18 from 9 AM to 2 PM.  Ag Awareness Day will be located in the area around Memorial Hall and one of our College buildings, Erikson Hall.  Booths and displays will be set up and our main goal in the day is to educate the University community about the ag industry and the true impact it has on their day, share the positive message and encourage self- education of agriculture to everyone at UK and beyond. Numerous clubs will have booths set up around the area with different activities and information about agriculture and even the history on UK. What better way to become involved on campus then to come visit the Ag Awareness Day! There will be food, interesting facts, t-shirts and much more.

The spring semester always flies by way too fast. With Spring Break, exams and, of course, cheering on the Cats, this semester will be over before we know it.  If you ever have any questions about an event or the College of Agriculture, please check us out online at www.ca.uky.edu, or even like us on Facebook. I hope to see you at Ag Awareness Day this week!

Amanda is a junior at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Agricultural Economics.  She is from Georgetown, Kentucky.  Amanda is a member of UK Agribusiness Club, UK Ag Student Council, is a COA Agricultural Ambassador, Past Kentucky FFA State Officer, and is an intern for the Kentucky Beef Council. 

The Value of an Agricultural Degree

There has been much discussion the past few days about the value and worth of a degree in agriculture.  A popular website ran a piece in its Education section detailing a listing of “useless college degrees.”  Many of our alumni, faculty, staff and students responded with their views on the true worth of a degree in agriculture.  We applaud the agriculture community for coming to the defense of the sector.

Agriculture careers make up one in four jobs in the United States.  As many know, the agriculture industry is as widely diverse as the people in this country.  Nearly every aspect of daily life has a connection to agriculture and it is one of the career tracks where there is always opportunity to adapt.  Reports  like the “Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment, United States, 2010-2015” (http://www.ag.purdue.edu/usda/employment/pages/default.aspx), put out by the United States Department of Agriculture, paint a different picture than the article in question did yesterday.  At the UK College of Agriculture, 90 percent of our graduates reported they had a full time job, part-time job or were pursuing an advanced degree in the 2010-2011 exit survey.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture supports students going to college and earning their degree, whether that be in agriculture, human environmental sciences, or any program in the country.  There has never been a better time for students to step up to the challenges of an increasing world population, economic recovery, or simply to make a difference in their community than now.  Agriculture needs students who can rise to these challenges and commit to making a difference.  Colleges of agriculture around the country are the perfect places for young minds and young leaders to enroll and begin making the difference today.  The jobs are there, as are the opportunities. 

Dr. Scott Smith                                                          Jason Headrick

Dean                                                                          Director of Student Relations

University of Kentucky                                               University of Kentucky

College of Agriculture                                                College of Agriculture