Building Bridges: Ndsu Lends Help to Africa
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Summer 2010 | North Dakota State University, Fargo ND No. 10 Building Bridges: NDSU lends help to AfricA Burundireceives help from NDSU agriculture professor And Alumnus chiwon lee, at right, visited the musenyi paris research and demonstration site in Burundi, Africa, along with NDSU alumnus david Karemara (left of lee). Burundi, a landlocked, resource-poor country in Africa, is “They are really interested in horticulture projects,” one of the poorest countries in the world, with an estimated Lee said. “The crops they grow are not much diversified.” $300 to $400 per capita income according to the CIA World Factbook. One in two children attends school, and one in Lee hopes to organize a seminar on Burundi to generate 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine and electricity are interest among engineering faculty to help grow the country’s in short supply, but political stability beginning in 2005 has electricity capability. Electricity could be used to pump water helped to increase the amount of aid flowing into the country. for irrigation. Lee also hopes to raise donations of seeds and basic agricultural tools. Part of that aid was in the form of assistance “They badly need from David Karemera, “they Are reAlly interested support for simple tools like trowels and professor of agribusiness in horticulture projects. and economics at hoes,” Lee said. “They South Carolina State the crops they grow Are use bare hands or sticks to dig and move dirt.” University. Karemera not much diversified.” was born in Burundi Karemera brought Chiwon lee and earned his master’s about 40 textbooks in degree in agricultural economics, statistics and economics at NDSU in agribusiness as a donation 1985. He went back to his home country in December 2009 to the University of Ngozi. He said it felt good to return to his along with Chiwon Lee, professor of plant sciences at NDSU. country of origin to help. They were there on a grant from USAID to begin a new Lee and Karemera will return to Burundi in August to continue program in agribusiness at the University of Ngozi and establishing the program and determine what vegetable crops to establish a horticulture experiment and demonstration will work best in the country. station. Lee is trying a wide variety of vegetables in test plots to see if the local diets can be improved. 2 | A helping hAnd from NDSU to AfricAn fArmers Hans Kandel will quite literally go halfway around the world to help others. An NDSU Extension agronomist and associate professor of plant sciences, Kandel recently journeyed to the African nation of Uganda to instruct local farmers on how they can improve their sunflower crop. Because North Dakota leads the United States in sunflower production, it’s not surprising the Ugandans turned to NDSU for advice. In September 2009 as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development Farmer-to-Farmer program, Kandel went to the hans Kandel of NDSU said he had a good rapport with the Bukedea region of Uganda, an area located northeast of the farmers of uganda. he keeps in touch with the villagers he capital city of Kampala. met through e-mail. Kandel toured fields, met with a dozen grower groups totaling Kandel’s suggestions to the Ugandans included using animal about 250 people and instructed 60 “Key Farmers” in both manure and ash from the village fires for fertilizer. With easy classroom settings and hands-on field demonstrations. The goal access to tall grass, he urged them to use composting and is a sunflower crop large enough to provide cooking oil for both mulching techniques to protect and nourish the soil. the farmers’ own needs and as a product to sell in Kampala. The sunflower cake, a by-product of the oil production, is fed “I looked at the local environment, to find what farmers were to livestock and chickens. not using that could be used. I did not look for outside inputs because cash was very limited. There were enough simple things that could be changed, so I think it was worth it,” Kandel said. meister teAches communicAtions in tBilisi, georgiA On a mountainside overlooking Tbilisi, Nana was at NDSU, I advised her; now, I am totally and Georgia, sits a statue called “Mother of faithfully her advisee.” Georgia.” The statue, more than 17 stories high, holds a cup of wine in one hand During the next three weeks, Meister taught 25 graduate and a sword in the other. The message is students, 23 female and two male. He addressed areas such simple, “If you are my friend, drink with as first amendment rights, free speech, public speaking, me, but if you are my enemy, let us fight.” leadership training, consensus building and basic public relations principles. The monument illustrates the guarded mark meister mentality of the Georgian people who “It’s the stuff that we take here for granted … It’s so new to are still adjusting to their newfound freedoms since the fall them,” he said. “Students have all this stuff first year at NDSU. of the Soviet Union in 1987. Most of these students have undergraduate degrees in areas like math and physics; the Soviet style of education. It is brand new After receiving encouragement from one of his graduate and really exciting to go there and teach this stuff to people students, Nana Sajia who is from Tbilisi, associate professor who really have a thirst for it.” of communication Mark Meister applied to teach a course at the Georgia Institute for Public Affairs to help students further Meister says the students in Tbilisi and Fargo aren’t that understand and thrive in a democratic society. His travels much different. “In many ways students are similar, very were funded through the Muskie Fellowship Alumni Program hard working. All of Georgians and most NDSU students (sponsored by the International Research and Exchanges have jobs to pay for education.” However, he says most Board) and the Fulbright Program. Georgian students can’t afford textbooks and most classrooms don’t have technology. He printed most materials himself Meister received the grant and developed the course, and handed them out. “Rhetorical Leadership for Emerging Democracies” for students studying journalism, public relations Meister traveled back and taught another course in June. and public communication. His ultimate goal is to formalize a relationship between NDSU and the Georgia Institute for Public Affairs. On Sept. 27, Meister arrived in his new home. He quickly realized in this situation, he was a student too. “The role reversal is so obvious,” Meister wrote in his journal. “When north DakotA s tAte university, Fargo | 3 JauhAr orgAnizes scholArships for AcAdemicAlly BrilliAnt And finAnciAlly needy students While growing up in British India, Prem Jauhar struggled with oppression and poverty while his country fought for independence. From studying under streetlights and borrowing books from other students, he knew firsthand what it was like to be poor and scholarly. Considering his own struggles, Jauhar has set up four scholarships to benefit academically bright students in financial need. Now a research geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service Northern Crop Science Laboratory and an adjunct professor of plant sciences Amber mcguire, center, received the ram lal jauhar at NDSU, Prem has named the scholarships in honor of his memorial scholarship in 2010. family. “These scholarships and awards will benefit many bright and needy students for years to come,” Evie Myers, “I can feel at ease knowing that I can afford textbooks without vice president for equity, diversity, and global outreach, said. undue hardship,” she said. “In loving memory of my mother, I have started the Maya The Prem and Raj Jauhar Book Scholarship, in the amount Jauhar Memorial Emergency Fund” for students in dire of $500, helps offset book expenses. “This scholarship is very financial need, Prem said. The $500 scholarship will support important to me,” says Qing Yu Meng, a sophomore majoring and continually replenish the emergency fund managed by in electrical engineering. “It a great stress relief for me and my the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Global Outreach. family. It helps me to better focus on my academics.” The Ram Lal Jauhar Memorial Scholarship will provide The Prem Jauhar Crop Science Research Award will provide an an annual scholarship in the amount of $500 to a student annual $500 cash award for a graduate student demonstrating demonstrating high academic standing and financial need. top academic achievement in the field of crop science research Prem endowed the scholarship in the memory of his father. at NDSU. Amber McGuire, a senior in management communication, is the recipient of the Ram Lal Jauhar Memorial Scholarship. Ana Correa-Morales, a doctoral candidate from Columbia, South America, is this year’s recipient. green And golden gloBe AwArds First The NDSU Division annual of Equity, Diversity, and Global The Wold Student Study Abroad Scholarship went to Kristina Outreach held the first annual Green and Golden Globe Morken, and the Laurel Sparks Study Abroad Scholarships Awards in April. Students, faculty, staff and community went to Brian Bubach and Elise Schoch. The Prem and Raj members were honored for contributing to the education Jauhar Book Scholarship was awarded to Qing Yu Meng, and of international, multicultural, veteran and Lesbian, Gay, the Ram Lal Jauhar Memorial Scholarship to Amber McGuire. Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) students at NDSU. The Office of Multicultural Programs Scholarship went to Ilhan A. Omar, and the three recipients of the Tribal College The first ever LGBTQ Student Scholarships were awarded to Initiative Book Scholarships were Kayla Allard, Jessie Bowker Kit Wong and Rosa Jacobs; the NDSU Student U.S.