Louisiana land-grant institutions collaboratively host Ag Week events

By Annabelle Stokes

(03/22/21) BATON ROUGE, La. — Ag Week 2021 showcased how the LSU College of Agriculture and Southern University College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences are making a difference in Louisiana and across the world.

This year marked the first time that both of Louisiana’s land-grant institutions celebrated Ag Week jointly. A combination of on-campus events and virtual collaborations took place from March 15 to 19.

Collaborative events included virtual speed-networking, a law school open house, an LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) open house, and an agriculture alumni speaker.

In-person events on LSU’s campus included reverse tie-dyeing T-shirts and plate smashing, and Southern University hosted the jAg Graffiti Bash on their campus and a Lucky jAgs virtual forum.

Approximately 150 LSU students attended the reverse tie-dyeing T-shirts event on Monday, March 15. The College of Agriculture passed out T-shirts and bleaching kits to students. In addition to the T-shirt, students in attendance received a sapling donated by Bartlett Tree Experts.

LSU students also had the opportunity to meet with the College of Agriculture Diversity and Inclusion Champions at in-person events. Diversity and Inclusion Champions are faculty members in each LSU College of Agriculture department who engage and advocate for minority and underrepresented student groups.

A collaborative virtual speed-networking event was held on Tuesday, March 16. This event connected LSU and Southern University students with employers and industry representatives. There were 77 attendees in total, including 16 alumni and industry representatives.

As a channel to relieve stress, LSU students participated in plate smashing on March 17. Students wrote down their worries on a ceramic plate and were allowed to smash the plates, which were secured in zip-close bags in a designated area. Approximately 120 students participated in the event.

A collaborative law school open house took place on the evening of March 17. Students seeking to attend law school had the opportunity to hear from LSU and SU alumni and admissions representatives from both institutions.

Law school alumni panelists were A’dair Flynt, P. Ragan Richard and John Simmons, representing LSU Law, and Kenneth W. Blackson Jr. and Ursula T. Ransburg, representing Southern University Law.

LSU SVM also hosted an open house for students interested in attending veterinary school on the evening of March 17. The open house included an overview of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program admission requirements and the application process, a Q&A panel with current LSU SVM students and financial planning tips from Campus Federal. More than 120 students attended.

The week wrapped up March 19 with the final speaker for the LSU Agriculture Alumni Spring Speaker Series, Deacue Fields. Fields is an alumnus of both universities, having earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge and his doctorate from LSU. He is the dean for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Students, faculty, staff and alumni from both colleges attended the virtual event.

Amanda Martin, assistant dean of the LSU College of Agriculture, said that the College of Agriculture plans to collaborate on many more events with Southern University CAFCS.

“We look forward to building on this partnership with the Southern University College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences,” she said. “We are able to do so much more together, and I love to see our phenomenal staff, faculty and administrations on both campuses working with the intention to provide the best opportunities possible to our students.”

In fall 2020, the two colleges collaboratively hosted the Louisiana Land-Grant Career Prep Week.