CAES students and faculty made business pitches, wrote essays, made presentations and brought home awards - and a professor was honored for his years of service - at the 37th National MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences) Conference this spring in Atlanta.

Eleven CAES students won awards, scholarships and opportunities, and two students were elected to national leadership positions.  More than 40 students from the college attended the conference. Each student submitted a research competition piece or participated in a professional-development contest. 

“This year was the largest conference in MANRRS history, and our Aggies represented well,” said agricultural education professor Chantel Simpson, Ph.D., advisor for the organization’s student chapter.

These students won contest awards

• Miles Lee – 1^st Place, Business Pitch
• Kortni Blalock - 2^ndPlace, Public Speaking 
• Samaya Brooks - 1^stPlace, Oral Research Division 2 (Social Sciences) 
• Akiya Stywall - 1^stPlace, Written Essay 

Several students also won scholarships and one-on-one professional development opportunities from MANRRS and MANRRS sponsors.  Those students are Milosh McAdoo, Troy Pippen, Ja'Quan Battle, Miles Lee, Janaia Madden, Kortni Blalock, Faith Jefferson, Camryn Louder and Tahirah Jones.

Two students were elected to serve on the 2023-2024 National MANRRS Executive Team. 

Janaia Madden, a junior, will be Region 2 Undergraduate Student President; and Tahirah Jones, a senior who will be pursuing graduate studies in the fall at The Ohio State University, will be Region 5 Graduate Student President.

Associate Dean Antoine Alston, Ph.D., was also honored at the event. He is the recipient of the 2023 Advisor of the Year award for his dedication to the MANRRS organization. 

Antoine J. Alston, Ph.D., associate dean of academic studies