Volume 3, Issue 2 HTTP://NEWS.CALS.VT.EDU/INNOVATIONS Virginia Cooperative Extension Featured celebrates 100 years CONTENT Virginia Cooperative Extension celebrates 100 years of helping people .........................................1 Dean’s Update ...............................................................2 of helping people Alumni making a difference .........................................2 Middleburg AREC provides novel equine By Lori Greiner research opportunities .................................................2 Matthew Hulver named head of human nutrition, Since the 1914 Smith-Lever Act foods, and exercise .......................................................2 Scientist proposes revolutionary naming established the national system for all life on Earth ...........................................3 Student receives prestigious Udall Scholarship .........3 Cooperative Extension System, Department changes name ........................................3 Virginia Cooperative Extension Above: In a typical week, Sarah Burkett, senior family Three college students selected as and consumer sciences agent in Pulaski County, Truman Scholar fi nalists ...............................................3 has delivered the knowledge Virginia, conducts more than 10 educational programs Diversity Enhancement Awards presented ..................3 for children and adults. and resources of the state’s two College engages in Left: Cattle producer Joey Davenport (left) talks about (agri)cultural exchange land-grant universities — Virginia upcoming educational opportunities with Phil Blevins, with Senegal agricultural and natural resources Extension agent in Tech and Virginia State Washington County, Virginia. University — to the people. .................. Society and its issues have changed Research closes in on stopping 4 during the past 100 years, but We help people use the knowledge from malaria in its tracks ......................................................4 Extension’s mission has never Outstanding alumni recognized ...................................4 wavered. College’s newest building promotes the land-grant universities to improve their scientifi c synergy ....................................................Extra “We still work with people where they Scientist makes fi bers in a bottle ..........................Extra live and deal with the issues they face quality of life and economic prosperity.” Food science and technology research helps to ensure safer global food supply ........................ every day. We help them use the Extra “ — Edwin Jones Touch the future .....................................................Extra knowledge from the land-grant Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension Scientist pushes boundaries of universities to improve their quality of food sensory research ...........................................Extra life and economic prosperity,” said Scientist develops critical vaccines for human, pig diseases ........................................Extra Edwin Jones, director of Virginia of service valued at $23.7 million. go-between that brings research and new About BSE and FST ................................................Extra Cooperative Extension. “The biggest developments to the fi eld.” Among them is Andy Hullender, a bank Tiny bugs may help difference between now and then is manager and Master Financial Perhaps no other component of Extension save hemlocks from that today’s issues are much more extinction Education volunteer from Dublin, has greater impact than its 4-H programs complex.” Virginia. Hullender particularly likes for young people. Today, Extension stretches well beyond teaching programs that tie fi nancial Through hands-on experiences, youth the fi elds and kitchens of rural Virginia. education with nutrition. develop their abilities to make good ...................... Faculty members in 107 county and city Austin Larrowe and Ashley Francis named 5 “Finances and health go hand in hand,” decisions, manage resources, work offi ces conduct programming in to Board of Visitors ........................................................5 he said. effectively, and communicate successfully. classrooms, at workplaces, and online. Students help recruit next generation of Hokies ........5 In 2013, they reached more than While Extension expands its knowledge “4-H has helped me gain leadership Kanevsky-Mullarky honored at White House ..............5 College builds relationship with Maryland 2.6 million participants statewide. base to address economic, skills,” said Kate Belcher of Abingdon, magnet school ...............................................................5 environmental, and social concerns, Virginia, a fi rst-year student majoring in Sarah Burkett, senior family and Faculty and staff rewarded for excellence ...................6 agriculture remains at its core. animal and poultry sciences and Students recognized for academic excellence ............6 consumer sciences agent in Pulaski agribusiness. Belcher has been involved Learning about culture of nutrition in Ecuador ...........6 County, Virginia, sees fi rsthand the Cattle producers such as Joey with 4-H for 13 years and is a past Excellence Fund renamed in memory challenges people are facing. In a Davenport, who manages a 200-head of Glenn A. Anderson ...................................................6 president of the Virginia State 4-H typical week, Burkett conducts more cow-calf operation in Washington College hosts fi rst international Cabinet. trade seminar panel discussion ...................................6 than 10 educational programs for County, Virginia, for Bill Hayter Farms, Soil judging team wins fi fth championship..................6 children and adults. say they rely on Extension’s programs, Jones believes that educating youth is at Foundations of campus buildings trace back to such as the Master Cattleman Course, Extension’s core. Extension .......................................................................6 Burkett and other agents enlist the to provide relevant industry Horticulture students place in PLANET competition .....7 help of volunteers to further “Our programs help prepare Virginia’s information. May 8 declared Virginia Cooperative Extension Day ....7 Extension’s reach. Nearly 30,000 youth to take on today’s challenges and Gifts provide endowed positions .................................7 people volunteered in 2013, “If it weren’t for Extension, I’d be lost,” contribute to their communities,” he said. Wampler leaves lasting legacy of generosity...............8 contributing more than 966,000 hours Davenport said. “Extension remains the According to Jones, those challenges will Keep up with all the exciting research, academic, and Extension news at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences continue to get more complicated, but website, www.cals.vt.edu, or fi nd us on social media. through Extension’s access to cutting- edge research and a network of more than 3,000 local offi ces across the country, the organization will be able to INNOVATIONS fi nd answers to issues and shape solutions. Dean ................................................................. Alan Grant Director of Communications “As long as we continue to listen to our and Marketing .............................................Thea Glidden clients at the grassroots level, we will be Editor ..............................................................Zeke Barlow genuine in developing programs that Contributors .......Zeke Barlow, Lori Greiner, Lindsay Key, address those needs,” said Jones. Amy Loeffl er, Jamie Lucero, and Alison Matthiessen For more information on the history of Graphic Designers .......Tim FisherPoff and Nickola Dudley Extension visit www.ext.vt.edu. Copy Editor ..............................................Bobbi A. Hoffman Photographers ................Normand Adams, Zeke Barlow, 4-H participants in Alexandria, Virginia, learn about Amanda Loman, National 4-H Council, GIS mapping technology as part of 4-H National Bobbie Potter, Jim Stroup, Logan Wallace, Youth Science Day. and White House/Pete Souza Volume 3, Issue 2 HTTP://NEWS.CALS.VT.EDU/INNOVATIONS Page 2 Middleburg AREC provides novel Dean’s Update equine research opportunities The Equine Studies Program allows students to contribute to all aspects of a large-scale research facility, Greetings from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. outreach center, and commercial equine enterprise while simultaneously engaging in a full semester of I hope you enjoy this issue of Innovations that explores the exciting coursework that includes practical, hands-on training. programs and activities from the 2013-14 academic year. It highlights just a few of our many outstanding students, faculty and staff members, and Robert Jacobs, a Ph.D. student in animal and poultry alumni; a number of exciting academic, research, and Extension sciences from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, spent part of his programs; and our capital building projects, and it provides some academic career at the Middleburg Agricultural updates on the college’s alumni programs. Research and Extension Center. His research focused Our college continues to grow in many ways. Student enrollment is on equine reproduction and physiological interactions that occur during pregnancy between a mare and her maintaining its upward trend, and many new faculty members have unborn foal. joined the college as part of the research clusters that support the priorities of our strategic plan. Faculty members are developing effective