Alcorn’s Ag Day 2014 helps high school students find their place in agriculture
Alcorn’s Ag Day 2014 helps high school students find their place in agriculture
Three hundred and sixty-five participants attended Alcorn State University’s annual Ag Day on March 20. High school students from Hinds, Wilkinson, Warren, Copiah and Claiborne counties, USDA agencies, agribusiness companies, and Alcorn students, faculty and staff filled the Morris-Boykin Agriculture Science Building on the institution’s Lorman campus.
Students had a chance to visit displays and talk to representatives of academic programs in Alcorn’s Department of Agriculture and potential employers to find out more about the University’s academic offerings and vast career opportunities in agriculture.
“Our goal was for participants to walk away with a greater appreciation of agriculture and increased awareness of career and educational opportunities in the food and ag sciences,” explained Dr. Daniel Collins, chair of the Department of Agriculture.
Miriam Allred, domestic coordinator, USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), stated, “We saw a lot of interest from students. They asked questions about USDA and its agencies. They were surprised to know how many agencies there are and how many of them have opportunities for employment. We were glad to participate in this educational event.”
Bridgit N. Jones, a junior from Hinds Agriculture High School in Utica, Mississippi, shared, “I am a member of the Future Farmers of America and I was really excited to come to Ag Day to see what the university has to offer. I am considering Alcorn as one of the schools I will apply to.”
Kameri Smith, a 12th grader from Forest Hill High School in Jackson, Mississippi, agreed with her and added, “I received lots of valuable information and especially enjoyed the presentation by Alcorn forestry program where they showed us how to find out the age of a tree when conducting forest inventory.”
The program also included a campus tour, general session with the School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences, and University administrators, door prizes, question and answer session and lunch.
“The event was a huge success,” stated Clifton Peters, USDA liaison at Alcorn. “We have many positive testimonials from students. Participating in our Ag Day 2014 helped them see the big picture of agriculture and now they are set to find a place for themselves in it.”
For more information on the event, please contact Clifton Peters at 601.877.3969 or [email protected] .
