CFAES Connect: November 2020
-
Alumni Board president speaks at TEDx
Yolanda Owens, the first Black/Latinx president of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society Board, loves food. She will tell you how her entire career (her life, really) has revolved around her relationship with food. But what she doesn’t love is the accessibility to agricultural education and the relationship with production agriculture that the Black and brown communities have. She advocates strongly for the education of the next generation to help cultivate their love of food. And their understanding that everything from food, fiber, and fuel can be connected back to agriculture.
But don’t take our word for it. Yolanda had the honor to be selected to speak at Drive-In! Kwanzaa 365, a virtual event hosted by TEDx King-Lincoln Bronzeville. She was one of 12 speakers at the high-energy, impactful event. The speakers in the lineup each spoke to a topic of importance to the Black community. For the full event itinerary, click here. To watch the full recorded event, click here. To listen specifically to Owens’ talk, skip ahead to 1:32:00.
-
Brundige receives Ohio State’s highest honor for giving
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Congratulations to Pat Brundige, whose impactful donations to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) were recognized recently with The Ohio State University’s highest award for philanthropy.
Brundige, the biggest individual benefactor in CFAES’ history, received the Everett D. Reese Medal, the university’s highest honor in recognition of exceptional service in private philanthropy.
Her “see a need, fill a need” philosophy has led her to make numerous donations to Ohio State University Extension, particularly Ohio 4-H youth development. Over the years, she has given to the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, the state 4-H research endowment fund, and camp scholarships for Ohio Military Kids.
In 2019, the Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Building opened, made possible through gifts totaling $11 million from Brundige—$5 million for the building and a $6 million estate gift for future programming. The building is the first in the transformation of CFAES’ Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory on Ohio State’s Columbus campus. Waterman is the university’s hub for teaching, research, and community engagement around food, health, agricultural production, and environmental sustainability.
OSU Extension is CFAES’ outreach arm in all 88 Ohio counties. Through Brundige’s gift, the Franklin County office of OSU Extension is better able to serve the community through educational programs and events for youth and adults, all from a centralized location.
To read more, click here.
-
CFAES Continuum goes digital
For the first time in its history, CFAES Continuum is going digital.
Continuum is the college’s biannual alumni magazine that features the work of the CFAES community—students, faculty, staff, and alumni. It’s a place to learn what’s new in the college, hear from Cathann A. Kress, CFAES dean and Ohio State University vice president for agricultural administration, and find out what great changes our alumni are making in the world.
So why the addition of the digital version now?
It’s part of an effort to engage both current students before graduation, and alumni who might be more interested and willing to connect online. It’s also a way to add more content, including videos and photos, that can help the stories come alive. Additionally, it’s a way for the CFAES community to engage with these stories on a deeper level in addition to the printed magazine.
We will continue to work with alumni relations to introduce the digital version to the alumni community, and with academic programs to introduce it to current students. We’re also sharing it with our college communicators and Extension educators to promote the site as a new opportunity for engagement, support, and advancing our college.
Another advantage of the digital version is that we’ll be able to measure visits to the site, the level of interest in various stories based on visits, and gather insightful data to help guide us forward.
So, what will you find in the winter 2020-21 issue of Continuum?
- Blazing a trail for birders of color—Nicole Jackson
- CFAES' Lal wins World Food Prize—Rattan Lal
- Experiential learning guides his success—Clifford Greer
- Virtual 4-H
- Virus or no virus, CFAES outreach continued
- Securing a food system that faltered
And many more poignant stories—there's something for everyone!
-
CFAES appoints Kathy Lechman as assistant dean and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion
We are pleased to announce that Kathy Lechman has accepted an appointment and will return to CFAES to serve as our assistant dean and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As our former assistant dean, Dr. Lechman was successful in laying the groundwork to improve our DEI structure, and now brings new experiences and insights from her two years at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
In her appointment, we have someone familiar with our college and many of our people as well as someone aware of both the challenges and opportunities in making CFAES a more inclusive and equitable place. Dr. Lechman’s return will minimize any loss of momentum and provide quick stability to our CFAES DEI efforts. Dr. Lechman’s immediate charges will be to update her understanding of our college, assemble a diversity advisory council of faculty, staff, and students, and outline and implement an internal audit of the college. Over her first year, she will be charged with coordinating the efforts in developing a blueprint for our DEI work.
Dr. Lechman is currently the associate director of the Kirwan Institute. Prior to that role, she served CFAES as assistant dean of equity and inclusion. Dr. Lechman earned her PhD in 2015 from the College of Education and Human Ecology, where her dissertation focused on examining the influence of student perception of instructor cultural intelligence, sense of belonging, and intent to persist. She has an MA degree in conflict resolution from the McGregor School of Antioch University and a BA degree in sociology from the College of Wooster. She has prior experience at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, the Ohio Department of Youth Services, and the Cleveland Municipal School District. She has served as the interim executive director of the Kirwan Institute and as an interim associate director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise.
In considering next steps for the CFAES DEI and assistant dean position, we recognized that continuing the momentum of our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion was of utmost importance and that it required immediate and not deferred attention. We took time to process options regarding our next steps. Typically, we might look at an interim. However, we also recognized that while interim leadership can be helpful and important, the inherent challenges of interim leadership during this time could have consequences to our momentum. Before moving to that option, we processed other options of individuals within the college and across campus who could keep us moving forward with our internal audit and other DEI initiatives with as little loss in momentum as possible.
We hope you will join us in welcoming Dr. Lechman back to CFAES and continuing our shared commitment to our DEI work. Her first day back at CFAES was Oct. 19.
To learn more about CFAES Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, click here.
-
These masks save lives and support Ohio State scholarships
Ohio State alumni clubs and societies awarded over $1.3 million in scholarships to almost 700 students from around the world last year. Much of the fundraising done to provide these generous gifts to future and current Buckeyes came from fundraising opportunities during in-person events. While we all navigate new ways to stay connected and safe, new ways to make the Ohio State dream possible for future Buckeyes are available.
Purchase a mask and help future and current Buckeyes make an Ohio State degree a reality. Check out our different options for the masks that will look great and keep you safe! All proceeds from your mask purchase will go to the club or society scholarship fund of your choice.
To support CFAES student scholarship funds:
- Go to buckeyefunder.osu.edu/project/21724.
- Click on “Select a mask.”
- Select the mask(s) that you wish to purchase. Be sure that the amount at the top of the page matches the price of the mask(s) you wish to purchase.
- Fill in your contact and billing Information.
- Under the dropdown that says, “I want my gift to support,” select “My alumni society”; from there, you will see a full list of all Ohio State alumni societies. To support a CFAES alumni society scholarship fund, choose one of the following options: ENR Society OR Farm Science Review OR FAES Society. If you would like to support your regional alumni club, you can do so by selecting “My alumni club” and picking the club that is most applicable to your geographic location.
- Fill in your "Why?” and fill in the final questions on the form.
This is great way for you to not only purchase an exclusive Ohio State mask, but to support the current students of the university. This campaign will remain open through Dec. 31, 2020.
-
Where are they now? Alumni Awards edition
The Young Professional Achievement Award recognizes alumni for their early professional accomplishments. This award provides recognition for these individuals and serves as a stimulus toward further efforts by younger alumni. Nominees are to be 35 years of age and younger at the time of receiving the award. We checked in with them to see what they have accomplished since earning their award and what it meant to them. Hear from a few of our honorees below.
Julie Royer-Estvander, ’92 BS Food Science and Technology CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2003
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: I was extremely proud to receive the Young Professional Achievement Award. To be recognized by the college and The Ohio State University for my accomplishments as a young professional woman in the food industry was a distinct honor.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement since winning your alumni award?
A: I have been fulfilled with a very successful career in the food industry. I am currently in a key corporate quality role with the Campbell Soup Company. Previous to joining Campbell's, I was in a corporate quality role with Hormel Foods for 16 years. One main achievement I accomplished since winning the award was earning my black belt in Six Sigma.
Melanie Wilt, ’98 BS Agricultural Communications CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2011
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: Receiving this award from the college was among my proudest moments because it affirmed two things for me: that (1) I could achieve my goals in my career and life, and (2) that I was able to do that at a young age, whereby I could push and challenge myself beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve set even greater goals and accomplished them since then thanks to that encouragement.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement since winning your alumni award?
A: Running for and being elected as a Clark County commissioner, and since then serving as president of the commission for the last two years. Also, starting the Virtual Farm Trips program through Shift•ology to connect more consumers with farmers in real, unscripted experiences.
Joel Pankowski, ’89 BS Dairy Science, ’91 MS Dairy Science CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2002
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: Being named a College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Young Professional Achievement Award recipient was both humbling and gratifying. Personally, it was humbling given the pool of high-caliber alumni candidates that were eligible. In addition, it was a “family” award in the sense that it provided me an opportunity to formally thank and recognize my wife and parents for the sacrifices and counsel they provided me during my education and professional career.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement since receiving your alumni award?
A: My 20-plus-year career has included a variety of technical and leadership positions with Monsanto Dairy Business, CPG Nutrients, AGWAY Inc., Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, Alpharma Animal Health, and Church and Dwight Inc. Currently, I am manager, ruminant technical services, for Church and Dwight’s Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production Division—providing technical support to key dairy professionals and producers throughout the U.S. and Canada—for food safety solutions that maintain animal productivity and fight foodborne pathogens. However, my greatest achievement is my family.
Q: What are some reflective thoughts on your alumni experience?
A: Never forget your roots or those that contributed to your personal and professional development and successes. You are only as good as your foundation, and for me ... The Ohio State University provided me a launching pad for a fulfilling life!
Heather Biehl, ’01 BS Food Science and Nutrition, ’03 MS Food Science and Nutrition CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2012
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: Winning this award was an honor! It was a great feeling to be recognized for hard work and perseverance in my professional career!
Q: What has been your greatest achievement since receiving your alumni award?
A: Since winning this award, I went on to work on developing infant formula for the U.S. and China markets and ultimately ended up in product development at the largest retailer—Walmart—working on OTC and personal care items for private brands.
Matthew Pullins, ’00 BS Agribusiness and Applied Economics
CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2014
Q: Describe what receiving your alumni award meant to you.
A: It was great to be recognized by the college and especially the professor who nominated me.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement since receiving your award?
A: Expanding my professional responsibilities to managing PNC Bank’s regulatory reporting and loan accounting functions, which includes direct responsibilities of an organization of approximately 70 staff.
Connie Cahill, ’70 BS Family Resource Management CFAES Young Professional Development Award, 1980
Q: Describe what receiving your Alumni Award meant to you.
A: As an aspiring young professional, recognition by my college and dean was a huge honor. I feel that receiving the award propelled me into creating a great career for myself.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement since receiving your award?
A: My family. Seeing them achieve their goals in the workplace and at home gives me such satisfaction. Enjoying an incredible career and food consulting business, one of the first among my peers, was highly satisfying, too.
Kenya Hairston, ’98 BS Food Science and Nutrition CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2009
Q: What did receiving your alumni award mean to you?
A: The award has allowed me to be invited to be a liaison on the Food industry Advisory Board, where I can share my knowledge and insight of the industry to the students and faculty.
Q: What has been your greatest milestone since receiving your award?
A: I have had the pleasure to mentor several prospective food scientists and use my skillset and experience to help coach them.
Tracy Kitchel, ’98 BS Agricultural Education, ’99 MS Agricultural EducationCFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 2008
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: I was aware of previous award recipients and was quite honored to be included on the roster of other CFAES alumni who had early career success. It was rather meaningful that others felt my impact in my profession was noteworthy.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: Career-wise, there are two major milestones that come to mind. First was when I had the opportunity to return home to Ohio in 2016 to work at Ohio State as professor and chair of my home department (the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership), where my academic training began. The second was when I was named a Fellow of my professional organization, the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE).
Bruce Sherrick, ’85 BS Agricultural Economics, ’89 PhD Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, 1995
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your award?
A: I have had an incredibly fortunate academic and private sector career since leaving Ohio State. I am currently the Fruin Professor of Farmland Economics and director of the TIAA Center for Farmland Research at the University of Illinois. I am also a Presidential Nominee on a GSE Board, and have had the privilege of a Kellogg National Leadership Program Fellowship. In any list of memories in an academic career, seeing students continue and succeed and build their own careers always ranks highest, however.
Q: Do you have any comments about your CFAES alumni experience?
A: The bonds with my fellow students and faculty from over 30 years remain unbroken. I still join my OSU family at get-togethers whenever we can, and follow the college and department closely. In the end, once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye—and I am forever grateful for the experiences I could have only had at The Ohio State University.
Lynn Angell, ’81 BS Agricultural Economics CFAES Young Alumni Achievement Award, 1994
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: I felt that I had met the high standards of our university when I received the award. I had opened my own business and was contributing to my community, and this award told me I was doing it right. Many times alumni that return to their small Ohio communities worry that we aren't keeping up with our big-city peers. This told me the university cared about our Ohio and returning to our communites, not just job titles and big dollars.
Q: Do you have any comments about your CFAES alumni experience?
A: I miss coming to Columbus for activities and seeing my university right now. I love still being active and tied into my school, and no matter where my other degrees have come from, I am an OSU alum.
To see the complete list of International Alumni Award winners, click here.
-
Who in the world is the CFAES Alumni Society Board?
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society Board represents the voice of all alumni of the college. The board serves as a resource for all relations between college alumni and The Ohio State University Alumni Association and has representatives from every academic department, every region of Ohio, from out of state, and from the last three graduating classes. The group meets quarterly in addition to holding events throughout the year.
Get to know a few of our board members each month.
Adisa Aarons, Out of State Representative ’09 BS Construction Systems Management
Field Engineer, City of Atlanta
Q: Tell us a bit about what you do when you are not at work.
A: Watch sports, travel (answered prior to COVID-19), enjoy time with family.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the CFAES Alumni Society Board?
A: My favorite thing about being on the CFAES Board for the past four years has been being able to work with my fellow board members to help support the college. I’ve also enjoyed being able to hear from the current students regarding their experiences as college students.
Ryan Conklin, Department of Animal Sciences Representative ’10 BS Agribusiness and Applied Economics, ’10 BS Animal Science
Attorney, Wright & Moore Law Co., LPA
Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the CFAES Alumni Society Board?
A: Aside from the entertaining interactions with a diverse group of fellow Buckeyes, I really cherish the ability to remain connected to CFAES through the Alumni Society Board. I know my degree reads “The Ohio State University” across the top, but my connection to OSU runs through the college. Reigniting that connection five years ago after law school was incredibly refreshing after being away. There is an incredible sense of togetherness and collegiality among CFAES alums, and I am proud to share in that feeling.
Q: What is your favorite CFAES memory?
A: Reducing my CFAES story to one memory is difficult, so I would pick the collective memories from student organizations. Alpha Gamma Sigma, Ambassadors, Student Council, Agribusiness Club, Saddle & Sirloin, Buckeye Dairy Club all provided such great moments and the chance to be around some awesome people. CFAES student groups are some of the best in the entire university. Honorable mention goes to working in Ag Admin 100, the 2010 Celebration of Students (shout-out Dr. Trefz, Callie, and Meredith!), and the CFAES Ag-Lympics.
-
Alumni in the News
Our alumni are out in the world making great things happen.
Here are some recent CFAES newsmakers:
Dr. Kris Boone ’91 MS Agricultural Education, ’94 PhD Agricultural Education – Kubota partnership to aid ATI workforce development
Lindsay Bowen ’00 BS Agricultural Education – Hillsdale FFA brings creative touch to national convention
Brady Campbell ’15 BSAGR Animal Science, ’17 MS Animal Science – Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium goes virtual in 2020
Dr. Francis Fluharty ’82 BS Animal Science, MS ’87 Animal Science, ’93 PhD Animal Science - Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium goes virtual in 2020
Aaron Heilers ’06 BS Landscape Horticulture - OFBF, NRCS Extend Demo Farms Project
Janessa Hill ’10 BSAGR Agricultural Communications - OSU Extension happy in its new home
Jim Hoorman ’84 BS Animal Science, ’87 MS Agricultural Economics – Cover Crop Management
Robert Hottle ’70 Agronomy – Robert D. ‘Bob’ Hottle
Dr. Ani Katchova ’01 PhD Agricultural Economics – Ohio State Agricultural Policy and Outlook Conference – Day One Recap
Glenn Keck ’78 BS Agricultural Education – Lietenant Colonel Glenn Allen Keck
Nick Kennedy ’04 BS Agricultural Education – Farm bureau gives out service awards
Emily Laugesen ’16 AS Agricultural Communications - OSU Extension happy in its new home
Joanna Lininger ’18 BSAGR Agricultural Communications – The importance of agriculture: My new role
Dr. Don Myers '56 BS Animal Science, PhD '75 Agricultural Education - Dr. Donald K. Myers
Garth Ruff ’15 BSAGR Animal Science, ’17 MS Animal Science - Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium goes virtual in 2020
Adam Sharp ’94 BS Agricultural Communications – OFBF, NRCS Extend Demo Farms Project
Keith Stimpert ’83 Agricultural Education - Farm Bureau’s Keith Stimpert hanging up the hat
Robert Treece '51 BS Entomology, '53 MS Entomology - Robert E. 'Bob' Treece
Jack Waldock ’16 BSAGR Agribusiness & Applied Economics, ’18 MPHM Plant Health Management – Ohio Brothers make aquaculture dream a reality
TJ Waldock ’16 BSAGR Agricultural Communications - Ohio Brothers make aquaculture dream a reality
Melinda Witten ’07 BS Agricultural Education – National recognition for Ohio county Farm Bureaus
Chris Zoller ’19 BS Agricultural Education – Dover Public Library to host GMO Overview