Volume 4, Issue 1 HTTP://NEWS.CALS.VT.EDU/INNOVATIONS The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences SOWS REWARDING CAREERS Featured By Amy Loeffler CONTENT We prepare students for the many rewarding nce college graduates The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences turn their mortarboard careers awaiting them by giving them sows rewarding careers .................................................. 1 O Dean’s Update ................................................................. 2 tassels to the left, hands-on, experiential learning programs Alumni making a difference ........................................... 2 they must turn their that enrich and deepen President Sands tours academic training into – Susan Sumner Eastern Shore “ Associate dean and director practical experience. their knowledge.” of academic programs But bridging the gap between college life ..................... and a career is something New VCE website provides better access to 2 students who graduate from information ..................................................................... 3 New instructor sees bright future for the College of Agriculture Ag Tech students ............................................................. 3 and Life Sciences are well- Agritourism can boost farmers’ revenue ....................... 3 Programs in real estate and CSES build their academic prepared for, and it’s a homes on strong showings at national competitions ... 3 process that begins the Helping make food safe moment students set foot on campus. “We do so much more than just educate our students about the topics they are ..................... studying, be it human nutrition, soil HNFE graduate Kristen DeAngelis records a segment in a television studio. Student creates flood of participation in 4 chemistry, international trade, and food water quality program ..................................................... 4 science,” said Susan Sumner, associate CALS Alumni Organization board of directors elects dean and director of academic programs. degree in human nutrition, foods, and where they experience and learn about officers and new board members .................................. 4 “We prepare students for the many exercise. Today she is a registered environmental and resource challenges that Agriculture Future of America conference rewarding careers awaiting them by dietitian and travels the world to assist affect populations across the globe. preps students for working world ................................... 5 her clients as a personal trainer and Hazelwood named new director of giving them hands-on, experiential Small classes allow for discussions and nutrition coach focused on health and student recruitment ........................................................ 5 learning programs that enrich and mentoring relationships, while ample deepen their knowledge.” wellness. College helps cider industry shine opportunities exist for undergraduate in the commonwealth ..................................................... 5 Katie Harver holds bachelor’s (2009) and There are many ways in which the college students to conduct laboratory research Flower power ................................................................... 6 prepares students as soon as they arrive master’s (2011) degrees in crop and soil alongside world-class researchers. Capstone Students learn environmental sciences. Harver is a in Blacksburg. experiences give seniors the chance to businesses and forage and wildlife specialist with Every freshman participates in a First Year apply what they have learned in an entrepreneurial skills through Pennington Seed Company and was internship environment, further preparing Experience, a one-credit course designed the Kohl Centre well-prepared for her career by the to promote a multidisciplinary them for the working world. classroom and field training she had at perspective. Students engage in the “At Virginia Tech I was encouraged to seek ..................... the college. discovery process through research knowledge and experience both inside and Animal welfare advocate Temple Grandin 6 “Virginia Tech provided me with an assignments, learn to work outside of a formal classroom setting,” said speaks at Virginia Tech ................................................... 6 integrated approach to education that independently and in a group, and Brad Copenhaver, a 2012 graduate with Researchers make strides in malaria research ............ 6 has served me well in my career,” said participate in a final poster session. dual degrees in agricultural and applied New faculty in CALS ........................................................ 7 Harver, 28, of Dunlap, Tennessee. “By For example, Anderson King, a first-year economics and political science. Teen Cuisine .................................................................... 7 providing the base technical knowledge agribusiness major from Berryville, Copenhaver is now the director of Innovations survey .......................................................... 7 through coursework and hands-on Virginia, worked on a project that government affairs at the Virginia G.W. Carver Program experiences, I was able to confidently examined organic versus conventional Agribusiness Council. promotes diversity and enter the workforce.” livestock farming techniques and the inclusion within Sumner credits the bright future of the college nutritional value of those products. Kristen DeAngelis could never have industries related to agriculture and the life guessed where her career path would Students are also encouraged to sciences to the exceptional group of go when she graduated in 2013 with a participate in global education programs, graduates going out into the world with ..................... every graduation ceremony. The lasting impact of John Lee Pratt .............................88 “We are doing nothing short of preparing Keep up with all the exciting research, academic, and Online extras at Extention news at the College of Agriculture and Life the next generation of leaders,” Sumner http://news.cals.vt.edu/innovations Sciences’ website, www.cals.vt.edu, or find us on said. social media. Online extras, videos, links, and a interactive version of Innovations can be found at Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd http://news.cals.vt.edu/innovations. Haymore (left), Virginia Tech alumnus Brad Copenhaver and director of government affairs at the Virginia Agribusiness Council (center), and former Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Carrie Hileman Chenery (right) are pictured. Copenhaver credits his academic preparation at Virginia Tech for a successful career that meshes his interests in public policy and agriculture. Kalynn Harlow (center), a junior majoring in animal and poultry sciences, Scan the QR code participated in the First Year Experience, which is one of the ways that to access Innovations students are prepared for future careers in agriculture and life sciences. from your mobile device. Volume 4, Issue 1 HTTP://NEWS.CALS.VT.EDU/INNOVATIONS Page 2 Dean’s Update President Sands tours Eastern Shore In the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, we are preparing the next generation of leaders who will help us feed an ever-growing global Virginia Tech President Timothy D. Sands recently population. USA Today recently ranked agriculture and natural resources visited the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where he met with among the most lucrative degrees college students can earn. This issue of area farmers and took a tour of the local Agricultural Innovations highlights some examples of how we are getting our students Research and Extension Center. ready for rewarding and challenging careers. “The partnership between Virginia Tech and Virginia In this edition, you’ll learn about programs such as the First Year agriculture has never been stronger, and our Experience course and capstone projects that help undergraduates gain commitment to support agriculture throughout the hands-on experiences. For example, you can read about a student working commonwealth is firm,” Sands told a packed house at across Virginia to improve water quality, a team of students who networked with industry leaders at the Agriculture Future of America conference, and the Eastern Shore Ag Conference and Trade Show. “It is graduate researchers who have benefited from the college’s scholarship where we started, and it is still a major part of Virginia Alan Grant, dean opportunities. Our students have the advantage of being educated by Tech.” world-class faculty members who help guide their research and bring a wealth of experience to the classroom. CALS students conduct research Sands pointed out that the National Science with scientists who are among the very best in their fields. In fact, the The National Foundation recently ranked Virginia Tech sixth for funds National Science Foundation recently ranked Virginia Tech sixth among all spent on agricultural research, a move up from seventh U.S. universities for funding agricultural sciences research and Science place. He also said that one of the university’s strong development. suits is putting its research into the hands of people Foundation The careers we are preparing students for may very well take them around through Virginia Cooperative Extension. the world. A two-part series in Virginia Tech Magazine titled “Sowing the recently ranked Virginia Tech Board of Visitors member Steve Sturgis, Future” examined the ways in which our students and researchers along along with Alan Grant,